Results 321-340 of 46,387 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue and for his long-term commitment in respect of it. He has consistently raised it in the House on a number of occasions. The Government continues to support the roll-out of a national service for long Covid. In 2022, about €2.2 million was provided for the implementation of the model of care. That trebled to €6.6 million in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I accept what the Deputy is saying. War crimes have been committed. I am in no doubt about that. What is happening is a shocking humanitarian catastrophe. The most immediate priority is this Friday, when the UN General Assembly will consider the question of admitting Palestine to the United Nations to enjoy the rights and the full gamut of what is available as a member. That vote and the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----further examination of that from a legal perspective but the advice has been very strong to us.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: Again, the European Council meeting is in June, I think.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: We will see what can happen there. The Foreign Affairs Council meeting will be held before that. We have the meeting of the UN on Friday and we will see where we go from there.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: First of all, I do not rule; I am elected-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----as is everybody else in this House. We have a parliamentary democracy in this country which I respect, and I respect the views of all citizens. I am under no illusion about the strength of feeling across the entire Irish people about what is happening within Palestine, and to Palestinians in Gaza in particular. My own party has been consistently supportive of a Palestinian right to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I made the point already that graduate nurses, qualified nurses and midwives committed to and coming through the international recruitment pipeline, emergency department, ICU, maternity and community nurses are all exempt from the recruitment pause. Recruitment of nurses has continued. That is this issue. The other point, which the Deputy did not seem to pick up on, is that expenditure...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: An additional €7 billion has been invested in the health service since 2020. When people say it is worse, I do not accept that because our survival rates have improved significantly over the past decade. There is room for significant improvement in certain locations. We need very rigorous examination of certain sites as to how people are deployed to get optimal outcomes and improve...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I agree with the Deputy that the death toll and the horrors happening in Gaza are quite shocking. The death toll is now in excess of 34,000. Over 1.9 million people have been displaced and, of course, thousands of people have been badly injured as a result. On my recent visit to Rafah, UN representatives spoke about the degree of psychosocial trauma that the entire population, particularly...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: First, ní aontaím go hiomlán leis an Teachta. Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil an méid atá ráite aige cruinn maidir leis an méid daoine atá ag obair sna seirbhísí sláinte, go háirithe agus an méid banaltraí ag dul in airde. Is é fianaise an scéil go bhfuil i bhfad níos mó daoine ag obair anois sna...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: That is why we condemned 7 October and Hamas. That form of jihadism and rapine was unacceptable too. The Deputy has never done that. He has never condemned it-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: -----because of his particular view. I believe Israel has no strategic approach to the Middle East and has failed abysmally in developing a strategic approach. I believe earlier generations of leaders had a better approach to the idea of a two-state solution and getting there but it is a far more complex situation than the Deputy is articulating here today, to be fair.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: Ireland is doing everything it possibly can. It may not appeal to the sort of popular rhetoric the Deputy will engage in from time to time. By the way, Ireland is recognised in the Arab world for its leadership on that question, and maybe the Deputy could acknowledge that from time to time.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: British-Irish Co-operation (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: Officials from across Government have been engaging with their British counterparts since last autumn on the introduction by the United Kingdom of its post-Brexit import controls. Britain remains a significant market for Irish exports, especially for agrifood, so ensuring a smooth transition for businesses has been a constant Government priority. I am glad to report that the transition to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: British-Irish Co-operation (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: So far, the transition to the latest phase of controls seems to have gone well. There have been no reports of delays or congestion impacting Irish land bridge movements through Britain's east coast ports. We remain vigilant, however, because the longer term impacts of the new controls on Irish business and trade patterns will take some time to emerge. We will continue to engage with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: British-Irish Co-operation (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: In the run-up to the introduction of import controls, all relevant Departments engaged directly with affected Irish stakeholders, especially in the agrifood, transport, ferry and port sectors through webinars, meetings, training and online briefing materials. Government veterinary inspection services, in particular the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, made extensive...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I travelled to Egypt and Jordan in April as part of this Government’s continued efforts to address the crisis in Gaza and the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Both Egypt and Jordan are at the forefront of regional and international efforts to halt the conflict in Gaza, address the dire humanitarian situation and resume a meaningful political pathway. In Jordan, I met with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: You are. You are against the European Union.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: European Union (9 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: No, you are against it full stop, and you have always voted against it. Always. You have never had a good thing to say about it. There is a bit of hypocrisy going on here too.