Results 281-300 of 45,774 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: Yes. It is the ESB's job to make sure the meters work. The Opposition obviously does not think I am a man of many talents, but fixing smart meters is not one of them anyway. I have to confess it is not my area of expertise. I take the Deputy's point on the policy, however. There is probably room for moving the time, although it should be kept away from peak time as much as possible, but...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: What stage is it at?

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: Has it gone to design?

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: Some progress has been made. I will talk to the Minister in respect of where that project is and how we can expedite it.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The fishery has been closed on scientific advice to make sure stocks can recover. Can the Deputy be a bit more honest in his public debate on these issues? He presents it in a certain way-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----and with a certain spin. Is he saying we should ignore scientific advice? Is he saying we should now enter into a new era where we simply ignore all advice that we get, just do whatever we want, allow the stocks to be depleted and then some fine day people will turn up and there will be no fish to fish? I am advised that the fishery has been closed on scientific advice, with reducing...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: Come off the stage.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy calls our honesty into question every single day.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: Come off the stage.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I think the Deputy is talking about the special education teacher model and its organisation. There are about 14,600 special education teachers supporting mainstream classes in the 2024-25 school year. That is an increase of about 1,000 since the end of the 2021 school year. It is the highest number of special education teachers ever in our schools. The model has been in place since 2017....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: There has been a substantial increase in employment numbers in health over recent years and provision was made for additional numbers this year. I will speak to the Minister for Health on the specific case raised by the Deputy and ask him to revert to her.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: On autism classes, 1,300 additional teachers have been appointed, we have opened new special schools and we are opening new autism classes on a regular basis. There will be specific issues with specific schools, with configuration of buildings and so on. All that has to be in place before you can take on a new school. On the allocation model, the Minister has informed us that school bodies...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am just saying what the position has been at national level. Principals' organisations also support the new model.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: We are anxious that no child with a complex need will be under-provided for in respect of the allocation model. We will keep the matter under review.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: One of the fundamental rights in the Constitution, as the Deputy said, is the right to a primary education. It is a good right that is in the Constitution. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, and the Department have an obligation to fulfil that right in terms of securing a place for the child. We have made significant progress on this in the last two years but wherever there...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am in no doubt about that, Deputy. Deputy McGrath has called for a Dáil debate. The people are superior to the Dáil and Seanad on constitutional matters. That is the great thing about De Valera's Constitution of 1937. He gave the power of amendment to the people and he did so in an era of fascism. Many people never want to give credit to the Constitution of 1937. When the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: The wording would not have damaged carers. I am not going to rekindle the debate but I contest very strongly the Deputy's assertion. The Government continues to spend on special needs, carers and disability more generally. Thousands of special education teachers and special needs assistants have been appointed since this Government took office and continue to be appointed. Approximately...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising a variety of important issues. In terms of regulation and so forth, the Department of agriculture makes every effort to keep the various schemes and the implementation of schemes as simple as possible. The Department engages closely with farmers on all scheme delivery issues. There is the Department's farmers' charter, which provides for regular...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: I referenced the CAP earlier. Approximately €10 billion, between EU and Exchequer funding, will support 130,000 farm families under the new CAP. On forestry, there is a new €1.3 billion forestry programme, which is open for applications. New licences are issuing every week. We believe this will be a significant departure from previous years where the industry was in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Mar 2024)

Micheál Martin: No, it is not. It needs policies and it needs substance.