Micheál Martin

Is suimiúil go raibh an taithí sin ag an Teachta nuair a bhí sé ina mhéara. B’fhéidir go léiríonn sé go bhfuil orainn i bhfad níos mó a dhéanamh ó thaobh tacaíochta a thabhairt do na grúpaí áirithe ar fud na tíre agus i measc an phobail i gcoitinne. Tá mé sásta bualadh leis na hAirí Gaeltachta agus Oideachais agus leis an Rialtas i gcoitinne faoi conas is féidir níos mó tacaíochta a thabhairt do g…

In the opening of any major hospital facility - I have experience of both sanctioning and providing the funding for some major facilities from my time as Minister for Health and Children - there is always a subsequent debate and issue around the proper commissioning and staffing of a hospital, particularly in the context of movement from the older facilities to the newer facility. I understand tha…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I will be attending a virtual meeting of European leaders later this afternoon convened by President Macron regarding the unfolding situation on the war in Ukraine. We will take that opportunity to reiterate our support for Ukraine. I will also be pushing strongly for the EU to accelerate the membership process and the application from Ukraine to become …

The Minister for Justice is dealing with that.

Is this one family or a particular family?

The tenant in situ scheme has been subject to a short review in terms of targeting and making sure we get the best value for money but also making sure that families most in need benefit from the scheme and we get the best outcomes all round in terms of the application of that scheme. There has been engagement within the Department on that issue and we expect that to be resolved shortly.

Do I have to take this or can it be the Minister?

The issue of exempted development was raised and we dealt with it at the Cabinet subcommittee at the beginning of the week to set in train measures to facilitate that. I welcome what appears to be a broad welcome from the Opposition as well in respect of that. Perhaps the Social Democrats are not in favour of it but Sinn Féin seems to be welcoming it anyway. We will have to move the issue quickly.…

It is true to say that the Deputy has been a very consistent and strong advocate for Shannon Airport and the Shannon area. At the beginning of the week, we met with the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. One of the first comments he made regarding Ireland's historic relationship with China involved the degree to which China took on board the example of the Shannon free development zone. Shannon was…

We are well aware of the pressures on childcare services across the country and in Dublin. The last Government, in particular, introduced a number of initiatives on the childcare front, such that the investment in childcare is now approximately €1.37 billion. The data show that more children have places, more services are operating and more parents are benefiting from State subsidies. Between 2021…

I will, of course, visit Beaumont Hospital. I would be delighted to do so. Perhaps the Minister wants to take it from there.

Go raibh maith ag an Teachta as an gceist agus ní dóigh liom go mbeidh sé ag tarlú roimh an gCáisc. The Minister for Foreign Affairs is progressing the Bill and looking at amendments that must be included, as I have been clear about from the outset, in a new Bill. It will not happen in the spring session because most of the Bills we have put on the Order Paper are drafted and ready to go. It is a …

We continue to invest in public service transport, and will continue to do so. In respect of the specific issue, approximately €660 million has been assigned for the public service obligation, PSO, and Transport for Ireland Local Link services. That is a significant increase on previous budgets. It also covers various fare initiatives, such as the young adult card and the 90-minute fare, until the…

-----between Maynooth and Tallaght and Dublin Airport were withdrawn by the operator. If there is a withdrawal, it is a matter for the Minister, and the NTA in the first instance. Decisions will be made as to whether we can resume with the help of the PSO and whatever else, but an evaluation has to take place first.

On the issues in respect of Youghal, our view, and I have been very clear about this, is that we need to bring hotels back for tourism purposes. I do not believe that Ukrainians should be treated in an unfavourable manner. If they are part of the local schools and have been in a given location for quite some time, I do not approve of their being summarily turfed out and moved on to locations far a…

One of the more significant measures taken by the outgoing Minister of State with responsibility for sport, Deputy Thomas Byrne, was to make it very clear that failure to have gender equality on the boards of sporting organisations, for example, would result in the withdrawal of funding and a reduction in funding. He made that very clear. We will continue to support women’s participation in sport…

A Cheann Comhairle-----

A Cheann Comhairle-----

A Cheann Comhairle, I am taking issue with what has happened here today.

I have not been allowed to address this in any shape or form-----

-----and I have offered.

For the record of the House, I offered to intervene-----

----- and I have been refused.

Ar dtús báire, is mian liom a rá gur uafásach ar fad é an méid atá tar éis tarlú, ní hamháin in Stoneybatter ach i rith an deireadh seachtaine. Déanaim comhbhrón le clann Quham Babatunde a fhuair bás agus leis an duine a bhí gortaithe mar aon leis sin. Níl sé sásúil gan amhras in aon chor. Tá plean ag an Rialtas agus ag an Aire Dlí agus Cirt, an Teachta Jim O’Callaghan chun an méid gardaí atá ann …

There is no laissez-faire. Níl sé sin fíor. We have a robust legal framework to deal with knife crime. As I said, in September we increased the maximum penalty. There is a proactive policing operation to seize knives. There has been an increase in the number of knives being seized each year and that proactivity will continue. Again, we have to support the Garda. We have to give more resources. The…