Micheál Martin
Cork South-Central · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“At the beginning of April, the Government approved the establishment of the Cork city futures group to guide development of Cork city for the future.”
“We have to have a budget that reflects the need to sustain that level of work in our economy so that people will have access to jobs. The AI issue is causing a lot of concern. I take heart from the investment announced by Intel this week, which will be AI-propelled, actually.”
“Dublin City Council is progressing the establishment of this new legal entity, in line with the timelines laid out in the roadmap; a ten-year integrated area strategy for Dublin city centre to optimise funding and investment and tackle vacancy and dereliction; and accelerated delivery of landmark capital projects in the city centre throug…”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 to 30, inclusive, together. This will be a long answer because there is one task group and one futures group.”
“I think Deputy Hayes was being a bit petty, if that is the word I am looking for, in what he said about Spain. Well, using the word "petty" might be a bit uncharitable today. It is more a Spain is more vociferous than us kind of thing. We have worked very well together on the Middle East. It is a very serious issue.”
“A dedicated body, to be known as The Cork City Futures Group, will work to unlock the city’s full economic, cultural and academic potential, alongside further investment, innovation and infrastructure. I think people are familiar with the terms of reference.”
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“That is an issue that was put on the agenda two weeks ago but will have an even sharper focus now because of the impact of this crisis on the energy market more generally. We will keep any further measures under review. It is important that the Government's focus has been on targeting and using our resources for those most in need and those who need our supports. We have extended the reduction of VAT. We reduced VAT from 13% to 9% on electricity and gas bills. We are now keeping the rate at 9% until 2030. We will look at this in the broader sense. I will not focus on any particular measure. The Deputy mentioned carbon tax but we will not pull the rug from under farmers, those who are retrofitting and those who depend on the free fuel allowance.”
“At the European Council in two weeks, there will be a specific focus on energy pricing. One of the more fundamental challenges is the coupling of gas with renewables in the price market and structure that governs the European energy market.”
“They can be influenced but typically, it should be three to four weeks after a particular event for prices to be impacted at the forecourts. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has asked the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, to investigate the pass-through from wholesale prices to retail prices because we had elements of this in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and what happened there, although there was a longer lead-in during that crisis. Price increases came a bit later in the cycle. The Minister has asked the CRU to carry out an independent review of that and, in particular, the pass-through from wholesale to retail prices in particular. The Minister for enterprise has also written to the CCPC. We met with its officials on Monday and spoke about this particular issue.”
“We are keeping everything under review in terms of the price situation and the impact on households. In the budget, we took very targeted measures to support people. One of the manifestations of that will be this wee when 50,000 families currently in receipt of the working family payment will receive their first fuel allowance payment and back pay on Thursday, 12 March. Any family on the working family payment will receive back pay of €380. That will help that cohort. That is a measure we took in the budget to include them for the first time in the free fuel allowance. The additional needs payment is also available for anyone in particular difficulty. The Minister for Social Protection has made it clear to community welfare officers to respond in that regard. Prices on the forecourts should not have increased.”
“I welcome the students from Finglas. They are very welcome and I hope they enjoy their day in Dáil Éireann. I hope it may spark and inspire some of them to come in some day as elected public representatives as well. Admhaím go bhfuil teaghlaigh fud fad na tíre faoi bhrú de bharr an mhéid atá ag tarlú maidir le praghsanna, go háirithe praghsanna a bhaineann le fuinneamh. Mar a dúirt mé inné, táimid ag déanamh machnaimh ar an scéal agus beimid sásta cabhair agus tacaíocht a thabhairt do dhaoine mar a rinneamar cheana nuair a bhí géarchéim ann le linn ghéarchéim na hÚcráine. There is a lot of uncertainty out there at the moment and no one should take advantage of that uncertainty to increase prices of energy or oil, be it home heating oil or on the forecourts.”
“Paramedics, yes. I would say to Deputy Murphy that war is a terrible thing. I have no interest in war. I would prefer if all issues could be resolved diplomatically through peaceful means. I am satisfied that Ireland's approach to world affairs is one of peace and trying to help other people, generosity and particularly helping those who are furthest behind, which has always been the hallmark of Irish foreign policy, aid and peacekeeping.”
“We are not positively disposed to positivity - I will put it that way - which is fine. I can understand that, too, to a point. We must always strive for better and do things better in some areas. Deputy O'Rourke raised the issue of special classes. We spoke earlier on that. The Minister will be coming back to us in respect of that. There will be further discussions at Government level. I have answered Deputy Boyd Barrett's question, which was similar to Deputy Ó Murchú's in terms of first responders-----”
“The Deputy has identified some areas of the report in terms of single parents being under pressure and the area of mental health, where there is a greater need for not just clinical interventions or primary care and community care-based interventions but also broader supports and strengthening multidisciplinary teams in addition to psychiatry alone. Deputy Hayes raised the well-being framework. Again, he mentioned social justice. The well-being framework we have is a very comprehensive one. I would prefer if social justice inputted into that framework so that we would have one framework. Maybe this framework is too positive in most of its outcomes. That is the problem; we do not do positivity very well in this country”
“There is an issue on the north side of Cork city in terms of water quality, which is quite poor. We have made a lot of representations to Irish Water. There has been some progress made in some areas. Again, however, Irish Water has internal reforms, which it is progressing in respect of addressing any issues that might pertain to Irish Water itself. Deputy McGreehan spoke about social prescribing and community health projects. I would be very enthused by those. They are very important. There is a lot more we can do there.”
“The Deputy has already raised the issue of the hearing, which I have already responded to. On the National Ambulance Service, I will talk to the Minister for Health to get the full background. If commitments were made to people, they need to be realised. It is a pity because the professionalisation of first responders and emergency paramedic technicians is the one area we have made great progress on. It is a very important area that has done a lot to reduce death and provide early interventions prior to someone being transported to a hospital. It is critical. I was involved in establishing it, in terms of the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council, so I have an interest in it. Deputy O'Sullivan raised the issue of water quality. My understanding is that overall water quality has improved but there is an issue in Carrignavar.”
“Also, I do not understand how a rapist would be allowed to complete their degree on campus, if that was the assertion. Rapists should be in jail and convicted for such heinous crimes. If I could get the background of that, I will engage with UCD in the first instance because it was mentioned and I would like to hear its perspective on it. In response to Deputy Ó Murchú, the Minister, Deputy Dara Calleary, is preparing work on the cost of disability and has already initiated a public consultation on that. That is a sustainable way of dealing with the cost that people with a disability undoubtedly have. It is better to do it in a proper, measured, sustained way that is researched properly and evidence-based. That is the approach the Minister is taking.”
“Táim an-bháúil le daoine a bhíonn ag snámh san fharraige go háirithe. Níl an t-am agam é a dhéanamh mé féin i rith an gheimhridh ach, le cúnamh Dé, beidh níos mó seansanna agam chun snámh san fharraige i rith an tsamhraidh. In respect of sexual assault, Deputy Coppinger is not here, but I need the background of the case. I think the assertion was that in UCD, a student lost their place in medicine as a result of a sexual assault, which should not happen. I do not know the background to it but I would be interested in getting the full case. I will ask my officials to contact UCD in respect of this, because the dignity and respect framework should be observed and adhered to and absolute priority must be given to a victim of gender-based and sexual assault.”
“I think swimming should be obligatory and mandatory for everyone in this House. It would take a lot of tension out of the House. It would be very therapeutic for all the Members. Táim an-sásta an-chuid oibre a dhéanamh chun níos mó tacaíocht a thabhairt do na daoine atá ag snámh sa tír seo.”
“The well-being framework was also part of the documents and analysis underpinning budget 2026, and this included analysis of the dashboard in budget day documentation and a paper showing how selected expenditure measures in budget 2026 are enhancing well-being was published by Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.”
“In particular, there are some groups in our society for whom progress is unequal across multiple areas of well-being, including people with long-term illness or disability, single-parent households, unemployed people, younger people in the workforce, households with lower incomes and households in rented accommodation. To assist expenditure policy-making, we continue to integrate the framework into the budgetary process. The well-being framework was featured at last year's national economic dialogue and is part of the summer economic statement.”
“These dimensions are subjective well-being; mental and physical health; knowledge, skills and innovation; income and wealth; housing and the built environment; environment, climate and biodiversity; safety and security; work and job quality - both paid and unpaid; time use; connections, community and participation; and civic engagement, trust and cultural expression. The 2025 assessment shows that Ireland's overall performance is positive, in particular in areas including work and job quality, and our social connections and community. Only two of the 11 dimensions - the environment, climate and biodiversity dimension and the mental and physical health dimension - showed a negative performance. The analysis also highlights there is more work to do.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 to 32, inclusive, together. Ireland's well-being framework is a cross-government initiative to measure progress and policy impact in Ireland in a more holistic way. The framework consists of 35 indicators grouped under 11 dimensions which reflect different aspects of well-being. It is supported by a dashboard hosted by the Central Statistics Office which brings together all of the framework's economic, social and environmental statistics in an integrated way. Each year Understanding Life in Ireland is published, which assesses Ireland's well-being performance across these 35 indicators. Ireland's framework tracks 35 indicators grouped under 11 dimensions.”
“All of that is coming out of the work of the committee. In terms of the budget, including the whole issue of the domiciliary care allowance, we had a specific disability focus as well from that disability Cabinet subcommittee and from the unit in my Department, which did work in advance of the budget and has done a paper on the outcome of the budget, and will do the same in advance of the next budget.”
“Sorry, the Deputy is talking about interpreters - point taken. In response to Deputy McGreehan, the disability committee is very outcome focused. From the get-go, we worked through the school-based therapy scheme. That is now up and running. The recruitment has started. The money was allocated. We are close to finalisation on a vehicle adaptation scheme under the Department of Transport, in combination with the Department of Finance. That will take some time to implement and work up but we are in a position where it will be a very positive outcome. We looked at the assessment of need issue. That committee took decisions on that in terms of legislation and legislative proposals. In terms of the investment in disability this year, there is an extra 20% in the HSE disability budget to go towards respite and residential support.”
“Táimid chun é sin a dhéanamh agus tá a lán slite againn chun é sin a dhéanamh agus an aidhm sin a bhaint amach. Is pas saor i dtaobh taistil de a bhí faoi chaibidil ag an Teachta agus fiosróidh mé leis an Aire cad é an scéal agus conas is féidir linn an scéim a fheabhsú. In response to Deputy McDonald, I will talk to the Minister for Education and Youth in respect of the Holy Family School for the Deaf in Cabra. There had been an issue with the recruitment of Irish sign writers - full-time teaching positions. I do not know whether that is the background to this or not, or whether it is a sanction issue, but it would be much better if schools had permanent in situ teachers as opposed to hiring people in. I will follow it up.”
“In response to Deputy Paul Murphy, again, the budget has put in place substantial provision, particularly in terms of our child support payments - record increases in child support payments. In terms of the domiciliary care allowance, there was a substantial increase of €20 again, which was on top of last year's €20 increase. Combined with the working family payment, increases in entitlements and expansion of their access to entitlements, particularly free fuel, overall, there has been a very substantial embedded provision. There is also the 20% increase in disability services. In response to Deputy Heneghan, an aidhm atá againn ná níos mó tacaíochta a thabhairt d’fhostóirí, níos mó daoine faoi mhíchumas a fhostú agus níos mó deiseanna a chur ar fáil dóibh.”
“What should happen ordinarily on a year-to-year basis is the resources should follow the need and need will change. There will be increased need in some schools and there will be reduced need in other schools. It should not be done every five years. Covid-19 apparently interrupted the NCSE's approach to this. There should always be regular assessment of need in respect of what schools require. That should not be contentious.”
“It has been the circular since 2014. Since that circular, the number of SNAs has increased. It was 16,000 in 2020. If we go back to 2014, what was it? It must have been 10,000 or 12,000 and it is now at more than 25,000. It will probably go higher by next September. I do not know why the Deputy is calling it "infamous". There has been some expansion of SNAs since then. There will continue to be a growth in the number of special needs assistants. There is a new circular being issued. There has been engagement with stakeholders. There is also a new redeployment scheme on which there has been substantive stakeholder engagement and that is imminent and near completion. There is then the workforce planning document on which a lot of work has taken place as well.”
“There are certain services where disabled people provide very good services to the community. It is an economic model and a social enterprise. They are not exactly well served by it either. I will talk to the Minister for an overall review in advance of the next budget. I understand that the number of special classes that have been sanctioned - Deputy O'Rourke mentioned that the number is 351 - is already higher than the number for last year. I think it was about 302 last year. That shows the scale of what is happening. I will get a precise figure for the Deputy from special education. It will be significantly more than that. Our objective is to make sure children are adequately provided for and have a place because that is their constitutional entitlement. Deputy Boyd Barrett referred to an "infamous" circular.”
“The timelines might be problematic but we have to provide a facility for those two classes if they are sanctioned, unless there are other spaces on the school campus that could it on an interim basis. I will talk to the Department in respect of that. I assure Deputy Quaide that I will ask for a review of the wage subsidy scheme. When we came into government last year, the Department had done its review. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, launched it and I was at the launch. Some employers get good use out of it, but I am hearing that for some it is not turning out the way people might have envisaged. It was never the intention that it would be a disincentive to employing more. I will pursue that. We want to create a tipping point for people to employ people with disabilities.”
“Nothing is that straightforward in terms of disability. The Deputy is right that the emphasis, particularly in the southern region, is on emergency cases at the moment. I will talk to the Minister about that hearing issue raised by Deputy Mark Wall to see what supports can be provided. Obviously, we have to try to get the waiting times down and get greater access. Audiology has been problematic historically. We need to get more people into training places and recruit more people. It is a key area and it is related to speech as well. There is an inseparable connection between that and speech and language therapy. I will pursue this with the Minister. I would say to Deputy Cian O'Callaghan that if they have sanctioned the classes, we will have to provide them.”
“I have asked the Minister and the Minister of State to come forward with clear proposals on how we can create a more sustainable framework for housing for people with disabilities in the long term. Some will need substantial supports, some will need fewer supports and some will need a sheltered or just a very basic supportive environment. The Department of housing has a funding scheme available. It is about how we pull everything together to make sure that it is sustainable going forward for those who need these housing scenarios. I am familiar with the case in terms of the mild to moderate diagnosis and again, there needs to be flexibility in how that is applied to services. In my view, there should not be a categorical cut-off line in situations to do with disability. There should perhaps be a more subjective view from clinicians.”
“I appreciate Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan's comments about various interventions. I have met the Before We Die group. I am very conscious of the need to join together the disability Department, the HSE and the Department of housing in respect of sustainable long-term residential accommodation for disabled adults. There is a spectrum in terms of dependency and the needs for various levels of support for people to go into a housing situation. It cannot be a case where providers of services tell people to go to the local authority and apply for what will be general support services in time. That is not a sustainable model, in my view. I had a good discussion with parents in this situation. I have put it on the agenda for the next meeting of the Cabinet subcommittee on disability.”
“-----and two community-based specialists for the centre. I am familiar with the organisation. I will speak to the Minister and the Minister of State to see what the background to this is. I think it has been a very effective organisation and an advocate for people with acquired brain injuries. I am supportive of this but obviously I will have to talk to the Minister and the Minister of State and see where they are in terms of the specific request. I appreciate the Deputy raising the matter. Deputy Daly raised the case of 15-year-old Oliver. I will take this offline. The Deputy's suggestion sounds eminently sensible to me. The closer to home the child is, the better the sustainable prospects for the child and the family. I will talk to the HSE about this and see what we can do to get to the right solution.”
“Work on this has begun, led by the Minister for Social Protection, and will include engagement with disabled people with a view to developing proposals for Government. A public consultation is currently open.”
“While we recognise there is much more to do, CDNT waiting lists have fallen from nearly 13,000 in January 2025 to just under 9,400 at the end of December 2025. To support this growing investment, the HSE is driving intensive recruitment efforts and a dedicated disability workforce strategy will be developed in 2026. The Government is also firmly committed to supporting disabled people and improving their lives, including through addressing the cost of disability. The Government recognises the significant additional costs that disabled people can face in their daily lives and we are committed to improving outcomes for disabled people by introducing permanent measures. The programme for Government includes a commitment to introducing a permanent annual cost-of-disability support payment, with a view to incrementally increasing this payment.”
“The committee will meet twice a year and future meetings are expected to have a thematic focus on specific issues that will be identified with stakeholders in advance. The next meeting of the committee has not yet been scheduled. The Government is committed to delivering real and tangible solutions to enhance services to better support disabled people in Ireland. The overall HSE disability budget for 2026 has grown to more than €3.8 billion, a 20% increase on the previous year, delivering increased investment in residential, respite and therapy services. This includes additional investment in the 93 children's disability services which provide services and support for over 45,000 children, an increase of approximately 2,000 children since 2024.”
“It provides €25 million in additional funding for respite expansion, providing over 10,000 extra overnight and 15,000 day respite sessions. This funding is being used to increase the level of respite provision for children and adults around the country through a mix of alternative respite options. These include in-home respite, after-school and day respite, using existing overnight residential capacity to the maximum extent and providing additional overnight respite capacity where it is needed. The funding will also support the further development of home-sharing, a person-centred and community-based form of respite where a person is supported in the family home as a viable respite option. Following consideration by the committee, the plan of action was subsequently published.”
“The meeting of the committee considered a first programme plan of action for the national human rights strategy for disabled people, which covers the years 2025 and 2026. The plan details initial measures that will ensure disabled people experience real progress in their everyday lives. Examples include the roll-out of the new education and therapy service, increased provision of respite and residential services, steps to address primary care waiting lists and the development of a new vehicle adaptation scheme. Respite services play a critical role in supporting people with disabilities and their families, and the value that these services provide cannot be understated. We made a commitment in the programme for Government to continue the expansion of respite services and budget 2026 reflects this ambition.”
“The first meeting of the delivery and monitoring committee took place on 8 December 2025. It was attended by the Government Ministers responsible for delivering the strategy, including the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality and the Minister of State with responsibility for disability, alongside representatives of disabled persons' organisations and disability and civil society organisations. To mark the inaugural meeting, a number of additional Ministers attended, including the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Minister of State with responsibility for international and road transport, logistics, rail and ports, the Minister of State with responsibility for special education and inclusion and the Minister of State with responsibility for small business and retail, and the circular economy.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 19, inclusive, together. The delivery and monitoring committee, which I chair, oversees implementation of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. This strategy, published last September, is the Government's plan to advance the realisation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities so that disabled people are supported and empowered to live full lives of their own choosing. The delivery and monitoring committee is part of robust monitoring structures that have been established for the strategy. These structures have been co-designed with stakeholders to ensure oversight and accountability, and will involve disabled people centrally so that their voices can be heard.”
“The local authorities tend to use it for other reasons or in different ways. They spend an amount on the deep retrofit and refurbishment of houses-----”
“Without commenting on specific cases, the State has been asked to intervene left, right and centre, and everywhere. There is a problem there in terms of sustainability. When estates are developed, there have to be bonds and people have responsibilities. There are different cases, and I accept all of that, but there is an issue for us as a State. People have obligations when they enter these contracts and finish estates and so forth. Forty-seven years is a bit long, and I take that point, but I am speaking more generally. I will ask the Minister for housing for his observations. We are committing unprecedented sums of money to local authorities on housing across a whole range of headings. Only today, the Government decided to provide more funding to the local authorities for retrofitting and voids.”
“The decision on the Rotunda Hospital was taken less than two weeks ago. The Minister will be making a clear statement on behalf of the Government on the issue. We had a good discussion yesterday at the Cabinet subcommittee on health. A very clear statement will be issued by the Minister. Consultations are obviously under way, which is to be expected to ensure that any statement issued has substance behind it and involves as wide and deep a consideration as possible. There will be that clarity.”
“That was a fairly fundamental part of the referendum, if we are honest, a number of years ago and then the legislation that followed. That would need consideration. The best thing I can do is to replay the programme, listen to the Deputy's niece and hear the circumstances.”
“First of all, I did not hear that programme this morning and offer my sincere sympathies to the Deputy's niece and the wider family. I will have to check the background to this but would the consultants not have been obliged under the law to sign? I do not have the full background.”
“There has to be a developmental will, a will to do things, take risks and go for it. Too many are taking soft options here and are overly dependent on the Government for everything. It is not good enough.”
“I hear the frustration in the Deputy's voice and I share it. The funding has been increased. I recall the council saying that it needed more to reduce the council contribution. That has happened and it is still holding out. It is not good enough. I will meet with the county executive; I have to schedule it. We would like to meet the Galway County Council chief executive and the Galway City Council chief executive to discuss zoning and housing and now this as well. These schemes have dragged on for a long time. They were announced four or five years ago.”
“We need to find a solution because in other parts of the health service we would love if people would stay on after training, qualifying and working. We have made huge progress on the nursing front in that regard. I will talk to the Minister for Health and get the background to this.”
“I will talk to the HSE in respect of timelines at that accident and emergency department. We are conscious that HSE infrastructure takes longer than other infrastructure.”
“As the Deputy said, €24 million was allocated for this facility in the capital plan. We need to work through the design. Under the acceleration of critical infrastructure, we hope that they will follow through on the work the Minister, Deputy Chambers, has done on fast-tracking these developments. Yesterday, I met with the HSE chief executive along with the Minister at the Cabinet subcommittee on health. The north east is the best area in the country with the lowest number of people on trolleys for any length of time. It is in the green zone a lot more than others. Overall, notwithstanding the experiences that some of the Deputy's constituents have articulated to him, a lot more progress is happening in the north east than in some other parts of the country in the accident and emergency story overall.”
“The advice is very clear: to shelter in place and to register with the relevant embassy for the country in which they are based so that there can be clear communication between our embassies and Irish citizens. All options are being, and will be, pursued to help our citizens. The immediate situation is very challenging because it is unsafe. Emirates and Etihad got opportunities yesterday; they got short time windows to get some planes out. Those were mostly towards the east. We would hope that there might be opportunities in the coming week if that could happen. In the meantime, we are pursuing all options, including co-ordinating with our European partners on any potential evacuation. For the immediate days ahead, the advice is to stay in shelter and register.”
“I acknowledge that there are challenges with delays here. I will discuss this with the Minister. We had a meeting of the Cabinet subcommittee on health yesterday. A lot of progress has been made on waiting times and on health in general. Some very significant progress has been made. There is a lot of investment yet to come in terms of capacity on the current side and on the infrastructure side. However, we acknowledge that there are issues here and we need to get these waiting times down.”
“We should be very focused on outputs, outcomes, value for money and somebody in here supporting the taxpayer every now and again. I salute that. It is an awful pity the Minister for public expenditure did not hear him because he would feel a bit less lonely in the overall scheme of things than he currently does in keeping a rein on public expenditure. I agree with the Deputy that capital expenditure is an investment in the productive capacity of our economy. It does give yields and economic efficiency, and can help economic growth into the future. That is why the budget focused very much on capital investment this year but also through the national development plan over the next decade.”
“If there was a medal to be awarded for the best contributor of the week, the Deputy would be most deserving of it because he is a lone voice among many voices whose only inclination and focus is on spending more money, calling on Government to keep on spending more money and spend as much as we can. He is the first person in a long time who has stood up and said that public expenditure in itself is not something that we should just in a knee-jerk way or automatically applaud.”