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 we should have a one-off package this year, a one-off package next year and so on. We just cannot continue to do that. Deputy O’Rourke raised an important issue. The qualifications issue pertains to some of the regulatory bodies in specific areas, namely the Medical Council, the Teaching Council – it may not like me saying this but I think it can be quite conservative – and some of the other bodies such as Coru. I have been in touch with the Minister for Health and the Department is moving on Coru. It says it is moving on therapists, for example. It is interesting. It has taken too long to register people who are clearly well qualified and have good international qualifications in speech and language, physio or occupational therapy and it could be a year or a year and a half before they are recognised here.”
“The population was much lower. There have been dramatic changes in Irish society in terms of population growth, economic growth, the challenge of climate and all of that. It is not as simple as presented. We cannot keep doing one-off budget packages forever. That seems to be the suggestion from the Opposition-----”
“There is an onus on the Deputy to identify the massive state investment that would be required in addition to what we are investing already to get to a not-for-profit electricity or energy system in Ireland. She referenced the 1970s and 1980s. I was a student in the early 1980s. The 1980s was not a good decade economically.”
“As a state company it has transformed very effectively from being a fossil fuel-based company with many climate issues to transforming it to almost the opposite agenda very quickly. It is a very good example of a state company aligning itself with state policy very quickly; not resisting it but going with it. I have been down there quite a lot with Bord na Móna which has enlisted third-party companies which are investing in energy projects in the midlands. The transition programme funding we have received from Europe and, indeed, the national transition funding should help to underpin the continuation of the midlands and Offaly as an energy hub into the future. Deputy Coppinger spoke about not-for-profit. Someone has to pay in the end. You just cannot magic the grid or investment in it.”
“There is also the relationship with energy use and AI, which is going to be very challenging, which means we will definitively need offshore wind from 2030 onwards to enable us to avail of the AI revolution. Okay, people will question it. Some are saying now it could be like dot.com, but it is here to stay long term. We need to make sure we can get our heads around it and be part of that agenda into the future. The general view worldwide is that Europe is way behind the United States and China in respect of this. On Deputy McCormack’s point, because of their previous history Offaly and the midlands is well positioned to become an energy hub using Bord na Móna. I pay tribute to Bord na Móna.”
“Deputy Ó Cearúil's suggestion on the national AI office was excellent. I will talk to the Minister in respect of oifig náisiúnta na h-intleachta saorga. The tuiseal ginideach was spot on. That was the old de Valera policy - name it in Irish and people will cop on and learn a bit of Irish along the way. It is good news. We made rapid progress on the proposals. Many Deputies recommended the creation and establishment of a national AI office. It is only some months ago it was aired at Leaders’ Questions. We have moved to progressing that and putting it on a statutory basis. I think the AI issue is huge. We have a lot of catching up to do in Europe and in Ireland in respect of AI.”
“Linking up with third level institutions is important in that area because it can give added heft and companies can draw on talent, ability and brains on the campus and link them to the business campus. I recommend those two options and if I can be of any help in talking to Enterprise Ireland and going out to see it, I will because the future is in creating hubs like that to enable entrepreneurship to flourish. We can do more, if I am honest, on budgetary and fiscal policy, but we can only do so much in any one budget. Very often when we do things for entrepreneurship, they get attacked politically as looking after the wealthy or businesses and so on, whereas we are trying to enable an environment where jobs will be created in the future and they are good high-quality jobs.”
“Deputy Shay Brennan is on a similar mission, with a specific application to Sandyford. I met the owner of Station F recently. He is an innovative medical person. He is one of the first people I have met in Europe who I can say is a real business leader. We generally interact with US behemoths, such as the digital giants Google, Amazon and so on, but here is a French person, a European, who has a clear vision of the enterprise side and the digital side in particular, including incubation and so on. In terms of Sandyford and how to progress, engaging with Enterprise Ireland is critical in the whole area of incubation and supports available from that unit.”
“Enterprise Ireland manages a leadership for growth programme for companies. In the past, they went to Harvard. I met representatives of 35 companies in New York recently. When I was at the UN , we did a bit of work with our companies and 35 are availing of the leadership for growth programme. They are SMEs. I have met many people who have been on that programme over the years and they all say it had a beneficial impact on their mindset, their ambitions as CEOs and how they had been organising their companies up to that point. Mentorship is extremely important and we work with many companies in the US and the larger Irish companies that help us to mentor emerging Irish companies. However, strategically, the future has to be to increase the scaling up of Irish-owned companies for long-term competitiveness.”
“Aontaím leis an Teachta Shane Moynihan go bhfuil cúrsaí trádála ríthábhachtach ó thaobh cúrsaí geilleagair na tíre. On employee metrics, I fully agree we need to scale up indigenous companies. Looking strategically at the country into the future, there is an inextricable link between multinational investment and our own SMEs or indigenous enterprises. Many of them are part of the supply chain. Many have grown in expertise because of their relationships with multinational companies but there has been in issue with scaling and growing multinationals in such areas as life sciences or technology. The one area in which we have grown multinationals is food- and agriculture-based industries with such examples as Glanbia, Kerry Group and so on. There is certainly an issue in regard to employee share options and so forth.”
“I thank all the Deputies who contributed. Deputy Malcolm Byrne was first out of the traps about the 11% of recommendations, which is quite low, implemented from the Draghi report. Ireland is already identifying the Single Market and some of the reforms in the Draghi and Letta reports for our Presidency of the European Union in the latter half of next year. We would like to see an acceleration of the implementation of the recommendations of the Draghi report because they are essential to European Union competitiveness. Draghi pointed out that barriers that exist are much more costly than any tariff imposed by the US, by three times in some cases. The publication of the digital strategy and of an updated AI strategy is imminent.”
“Yet the Opposition parties opposed it all the way. That is completely out of touch with and disconnected from what puts bread on the table in Ireland. We will continue as a Government to invest in the future of Ireland while preserving the jobs, stability and prosperity of today. As with all policy areas, issues relating to the economy are regularly discussed also at full Cabinet meetings where all formal decisions are made.”
“The report highlights that Ireland is now the tenth-largest investor in Canada, with inward investment flows of more than €14 billion. Trade agreements are essential to our efforts to strengthen our economy, increase market diversification, protect jobs and positively benefit enterprises and consumers alike through increasing their options, reducing tariffs and costs and maintaining standards. Irish and European Union exports to the world facilitated by trade agreements support more than 750,000 jobs here, which is approximately one in three jobs. This trade supports real livelihoods. I ask the Opposition parties why they continually oppose the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, when it has worked both ways and enhanced jobs in Ireland, created more jobs in Ireland and protected jobs.”
“As evidenced by last week's budget we will continue to advance an economic model founded on a well-established and successful pro-enterprise policy framework, a stable and sustainable regulatory and tax environment with sound management of the public finances and significant investment in the infrastructure, energy and skills required to ensure our future competitiveness and productivity. In an increasingly unpredictable global economy a proactive approach to market diversification will promote Ireland's economic resilience, foster competitiveness and productivity and strengthen and support our trade and investment model ensuring sustainable growth. For example, last month I met with Prime Minister Carney. While in Ottawa I launched a comprehensive Ireland-Canada economic report.”
“The committee oversees the implementation of the programme for Government commitments related to sustainable economic and employment growth; trade; competitiveness and productivity; innovation; the national digital strategy and pensions. Despite many external challenges we continue to see strong economic performance with record numbers of people in work, low unemployment and real wage growth. The economy continues to demonstrate its resilience and ability to adapt to changing global circumstances.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 12, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on the economy, trade and competitiveness last met on 14 July and the next meeting is scheduled for 27 November. The membership comprises the Taoiseach; Tánaiste; Minister for Finance; Minister Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation; Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, and for Transport; Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine; Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment; Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport; and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Other Ministers and Ministers of State are invited to attend when requested.”
“I said that there would be a policy of prioritisation. We are working with Ireland's Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, and indeed with others towards that end because some significant projects need to be progressed in the interests of the common good be it energy, water, particularly offshore wind and so forth.”
“Internationally, we have been to the fore in advancing the rights of the LGBTQI community, in particular at European Union level. Some member states are beginning to resile in respect of rights for the LGBTQI community. The law is the law in Ireland insofar as we can control that. I will certainly discuss the potential of what was outlined with the Attorney General but I surmise that we would be in a position to continue to recognise valid marriages and so forth. Our position as a society is clear on this.”
“We would need to have a much broader outlook than that. We cannot make decisions on this on the hoof. I understand where the Deputy is coming from but, on the other hand, we have developed a model of childcare over two decades which involves either community provision, private sector provision, or some State provision. The State has tended to support access through grants and the development of the curriculum, as well as access to early education for children with special and additional needs. We had a price freeze in recent years through significant allocations to the existing providers. A State- or community-based provision may not be permanently based. There are three areas: price, in other words, affordability; the volume of places; and career pathways for those working in childcare.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising an important issue for her constituent, and more generally, as it could affect other people. I will ask the HSE and the Minister for Health to investigate the matter and to provide a note on it.”
“Tá an-infheistíocht ag dul isteach sna scoileanna, agus ní hamháin sna scoileanna speisialta agus na ranganna speisialta. Tá scoileanna i gcoitinne i gceist freisin. Tá an-infheistíocht ar fad ann. Déanfaidh mé fiosrú leis an Aire maidir leis an scoil seo. Níl an t-eolas agam go mion faoi cad atá ar siúl idir an scoil agus an Roinn nó oifigigh na Roinne ach táim muiníneach go mbeimid in ann dul chun cinn a fheiscint sa togra seo sar i bhfad. Is féidir liom é seo a ardú leis an Aire.”
“There are three significant schemes: the help-to-buy scheme, which is a substantial help; the first homes schemes, which is where the State injects a degree of equity and; third, the derelict and vacant homes grant, which is quite substantial and has enabled about 3,000 houses to become available, whereby people have refurbished such houses and got a substantial grant for doing so. Sometimes, it is possible to combine grants such as the help-to-buy and retrofitting. Those are the measures so far. I acknowledge that people are above the threshold which puts them in difficulty regarding the affordability of housing. We are constantly trying to see if we can bridge the affordability gap.”
“That speaks to the point I have been making all afternoon. The need for grid resilience is enormous. The expenditure will be enormous. There are huge costs on the taxpayer for the expansion of the grid. I will talk to the Minister in respect of the specifics regarding the towns in north Kildare the Deputy outlined. That is perhaps a manifestation of the challenges we face with the growth of industry and population growth, in particular in Kildare where it has been quite exponential. I will ask about more specific short-term measures. There is no doubt we require a massive investment in the grid.”
“It is the Minister for Transport from an airport perspective, but if the local authority is engaging and is facilitative, it may not require its line Minister to approve it also. It probably does not. The new injection of private capital is a very significant development. I will talk to the Minister for Transport in respect of it.”
“The Minister has been briefed in respect of this and I will be engaging with a number of Ministers on this as to what the current situation is. When the Deputy says "approved", does he mean by the Minister for housing?”
“That hospital has been closed for a long time. It may not be easily available for housing, or amenable, given the investment that would be required and the historical nature of the building. Aspects of it are probably listed. I do not know that but I presume so. Every Department, therefore, has to look at it from a value-for-money perspective. It is in a prime location and it would seem to me that it needs to be reused, but whether that is private sector-driven reuse or not, I would be open, given its location. There is an architectural heritage dimension to it, I imagine, as well as a purely utilitarian perspective in terms of what the building gets used for. Again, I recall at the height of the emergency in respect of-----”
“Sorry, Deputy Cullinane, but it was. Safety in the air is first and has to be prioritised. I will follow this up and talk to the Minister for Transport in respect of it. I know from my neck of the woods that there is a safe zone around Cork Airport where you cannot do anything or build anything and that has been the way for decades. I will pursue the issue the Deputy has raised.”
“We are, unfortunately, importing too many fossil fuels and the sooner we can get to more and more renewables, the cheaper our energy will eventually become. In the meantime, we will keep the pressure on the companies. We will talk-----”
“We have the eighth-highest cost - and it is too high - of energy across the EU 27 when taken in the context of purchasing power parity. That is the situation. We have a very dispersed energy system. We have to invest very significantly in the grid over the coming years. We will have to triple the investment in our energy grid over the next number of years-----”
“I would like this resolved but there has to be a bit of flexibility so we can get into a process. I would like them to come off the hunger strike because it can be damaging health-wise. I would like them to come off it in good faith that we would engage on issues and try to improve what is there already.”
“I met the group last Friday week. I asked them in to Government Buildings and we met in the Taoiseach's offices and had a lengthy discussion. Deputy Murphy knows the history. I established the inquiry into the industrial schools. That was followed by a comprehensive redress scheme and other measures that were taken. We are willing to engage and I have asked my officials to look at all the various requests from the group, but there are repercussions elsewhere and it is not as simple or straightforward as has been presented. We are willing to engage and quite a list of issues was discussed. I have asked my officials to look at those issues and I am also meeting the Minister for education, whose officials have offered to meet the group on her behalf.”
“-----and extending it into the working family payment will which will bring in a significant cohort of working people who are on relatively low incomes. We are spending an unprecedented amount on funding, targeting the measures. The quote the Deputy used is a bit distorted because I said it in the context of Deputy Murphy wanting universal credits for everybody, irrespective of income or wealth. That was the context because that would bail out the energy companies, ultimately, and incentivise them to keep increasing prices. There needs to be pressure on the companies.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising an important issue. I accept fully her bona fides in moving this measure. As she said, we tabled a timed amendment to the legislation last year. I will talk to the relevant Ministers and the Government about the implications of adopting such a measure. We have made significant improvements in this wider area of the past number of years. We will look at it in the context of what is available. The case has been well made.”
“We have committed to ending the waiver over the lifetime of this Government, which is five years and five budgets. We made a significant start on this occasion which will enable us to do it in five years. We have significantly increased the income disregard. It is the highest ever. If you look at some of the income levels now entitled to the carer's allowance when compared with some years ago, it is quite extraordinary in itself. It is a 60% increase. A single carer can earn just over €54,000 per year and receive a full carer's payment. The income disregard for a couple increased by €750 to €2,000 per week. A person caring in a household where their partner earns up to €108,000 a year will receive a full carer's payment. These are the largest ever increases in the carer's income disregard.”
“-----which basically means income inequality has reduced despite very significant, strong economic growth. We believe in enterprise; the Deputy does not. He has a broader view of how markets and economies should run-----”
“Consistent poverty is what we have to deal with. Our child poverty programme in the budget was very significant, the highest in a very long time. The once-off payments were just that, for two years in a row and before that. During the Covid pandemic and the energy crisis, we had to intervene. They not sustainable over the decade and they cannot just keep going on. We would not have sustainable public finances if we went down that route. Equally, it is arguable that very wealthy people do not need an energy credit. The Deputy is arguing that they do. I find that incredible.”
“We will not be introducing price controls. They failed in the past and would fail again. In terms of child poverty, consistent poverty is the key metric, not relative poverty. The Deputy did not qualify which he was talking about.”
“In 2024, this facilitated nearly 8,000 energy upgrades in low-income households. During the height of the energy crisis, we did, as the Deputy mentioned, provide energy credits but, to maintain sustainable public finances, it makes sense to target resources at those who would be most impacted through retrofitting and warmer homes programmes. The Minister is working with the companies to make sure that no one is cut off and that hardship funds are in place to help people who could get into difficulty as a result of increased energy prices.”
“If we had not done that, it would have meant significant increases in the price of electricity and gas. The fuel allowance has gone up to €38 per week, an increase of more than 15%. This will provide an additional €140 to more than 460,000 recipients during the annual fuel allowance season. That payment has been extended and expanded to include those in receipt of the working family payment. Targeting our resources at those most in need makes sense. In addition, our retrofitting programme has been quite impactful, reducing many households' energy bills. More than €500 million has been allocated for residential and community energy schemes. Some €280 million has been allocated to the warmer homes scheme in particular. This provides free retrofits to households in energy poverty.”
“The population is growing exponentially. We have had extraordinary economic growth over a long period of time. Contrary to most established economic norms, we have managed to maintain or marginally reduce levels of income inequality in this country thanks to our progressive taxation system. Having said that, this has had impacts on other areas. The Minister has met with the companies. We have focused our work on trying to protect those most affected by energy price increases. Addressing energy affordability is key for us. The Deputy said there was nothing in the budget. Historically, a VAT rate of 13.5% has been applied to gas and electricity. Since 2022, we have reduced that to 9%. Budget 2026 extended this reduction to the end of 2030.”
“It is quite interesting that a representative of a far-left party like Deputy Murphy is an advocate for universal credits, which benefit the wealthiest in society as well as everybody else. That is quite an extraordinary contradiction of the viewpoints he often articulates. The Minister has established a national energy affordability task force because there is an issue with energy affordability. That is acknowledged. The Deputy has made the point that he would get rid of the regulatory framework and renationalise our energy system. There is no guarantee that such a renationalisation would deliver cheaper prices. We should not pretend that it would because we have to invest an enormous amount into expanding our grid and making sure it is fit for purpose for a growing economy and a growing population.”
“There are homeless prevention measures, tenancy sustainment measures and so on, and enabling people to exit emergency accommodation as quickly as possible. We will fund over 5,000 new homes under the social housing current expenditure programme. We continue to support over 40,000 existing homes under the scheme. There is €470 million to support an additional 7,000 new tenancies. At present there are 50,000 tenants. There are significant numbers moving to more permanent social housing. Over 28,000 transfers to other forms of social housing have taken place. Then we have the rental accommodation scheme. In terms of capital, under the NDP well over €7 billion is allocated capital to housing.”
“The State cannot sustainably finance on its own the building of 50,000 to 60,000 houses for the next decade, so strategy and policy must reflect the continuance of unprecedented Government investment but complemented and supplemented by private sector investment. That is the clear strategic approach of Government. It is not panic mode or anything of the sort but it is relentless and it is focused. We are not going to be sidetracked by populist short-term declarations, announcements or soundbites that look good. Soundbites do not build houses. I am absolutely committed, along with the Minister and the entire Government, to dealing with the housing issue as a constant priority and that is reflected in the budget. Yes, we did not go down the income tax route or other routes. Why not? It is because we wanted a 20% increase in housing.”
“It is the State is investing across abroad sweep of housing policies. What has to happen is that the State funding has to be balanced by private sector finance. I know the Deputy hates that. The Deputy has an instinctive ideological opposition to that, which I disagree with. Until we get a significant financial investment from the private sector in housing, we are not going to get to 50,000.”
“Of course we did not wait for the housing action plan. We have brought in a range of measures since the beginning of the year, most of which the Deputy has opposed, as she opposed most measures in respect of housing from the planning Act right through. This budget allocates significantly more resources again on very substantial State investment in housing - a 20% increase in overall funding to housing. I heard Deputy Bacik talk about it having been "commodified and marketised". In the name of God, it is the State that is investing overwhelming in housing today.”
“Modern methods of construction is now fully integrated into our house-building operations and we are continuing to work on that because it is an important dimension to housing. The housing action plan will be published, certainly with the next five to six weeks.”
“First of all, I would reject completely the analysis of the Deputy. We have been listening to a lot of empty rhetoric on the side of the Opposition in respect of housing. As I said earlier, housing supply is not where we want it to be but it is significantly way up on where it was five years ago on an annual basis. In the second quarter of this year, there were very high figures - the highest since 2008. Now they need to be, and we need to get to 50,000 houses. The Deputy's savings plan is not going to do that this year, next year or the year after. Let us not pretend it would. There are factories out there in terms of modern methods of construction. I have visited them. Saying they would create a new factory for modular is not going to change the dial. They are out there.”
“The Minister is committed to doing that and he received additional resources in the budget to double down on that and to have a particularly focused programme in respect of children in homelessness. As the Deputy knows, people enter and exit homelessness on an ongoing basis.”
“I have. The Deputy has asked a range of questions, to be fair. On the homelessness question, the Minister is taking a different approach to the eviction ban because we believe the eviction ban will damage supply but what we can do in terms of homeless is have a very specific programme and an allocated resource. The Minister received €50 million earlier this year in respect of taking families out of homelessness and allocating social housing in a ring-fenced, specific way.”
“That is the bottom line. There is this refusal to acknowledge progress but we need to do much more than that. That is why the Government is doing everything it possibly can to get more houses built, get more apartments built -----”