Results 21-40 of 2,969 for speaker:Martin Heydon

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Network (25 Jun 2024)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Senator for his question on the important matter of good transport connectivity in the Border area. I am delivering this response on behalf of the Minister for Transport who unfortunately could not be here today. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding relating to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Network (25 Jun 2024)

Martin Heydon: The Minister for Transport has allocated national road funding for 2024 in a manner that seeks to achieve the following key outcomes: protection and renewal of the existing national road network; progressing major projects in or near construction; progressing major projects that are pre-construction but well advanced in the development pipeline; and prioritising any remaining funds for major...

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: Flood Relief Schemes (25 Jun 2024)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy again for raising this. I do not underestimate the stress for everyone involved in this in the Midleton area. As outlined in my initial response, discussions are ongoing between the OPW and Cork County Council. The OPW expects those discussions to conclude within weeks. An assessment of advance works in Midleton is progressing. Advance works involve the delivery of...

International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Motion (Resumed) (19 Jun 2024)

Martin Heydon: The EU migration and asylum pact will shape European migration policy for the next decade. Across the world, there are more people on the move than ever before. This is been driven primarily by war, famine and persecution. As a result, we have seen an increase in the number of people seeking international protection in Ireland. This is not a situation unique to Ireland. It is reflected...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2024)

Martin Heydon: I can reassure Deputy Kerrane the Department of agriculture takes the issue of animal welfare, for which it has responsibility for, extremely seriously. While we cannot reference or specifically refer to individual cases that may be before the courts or are likely to be before the courts in the future, in terms of the overall approach to welfare, we are all horrified by the scenes we saw on...

Road Safety and Maintenance: Motion [Private Members] (15 May 2024)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Ceann Comhairle and all the Deputies for their contributions to the debate on road safety, the maintenance of transport infrastructure and other issues. I thank the Labour Party for tabling the motion. I welcome the opportunity to debate this important topic on behalf of the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Chambers, who addressed the House earlier. In...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Air Traffic Control Services (15 May 2024)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Clonan for raising this matter. I answer this on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, who is unable to attend the Seanad today. As the Senator stated, the Department of Transport, has long exempted certain classes of airspace uses for the payment of en route air navigation charges. This arrangement derives from the exclusion of state aircraft from the scope of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Air Traffic Control Services (15 May 2024)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Clonan again for raising this important point. The exemption of certain classes of flights from en route air navigation charges is a long-standing pratice, notwithstanding the specific points the Senator has made, which I will come back to. It is a long-standing practice set down in the Eurocontrol multilateral agreement, of which Ireland is a party. Ireland, in common with...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Teacher Training (15 May 2024)

Martin Heydon: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for raising this important issue. Under section 38 of the Teaching Council Act, all initial teacher education programmes must be accredited by the Teaching Council for registration purposes. There are two standard routes recognised by the Teaching Council to become a primary teacher. These are a four-year undergraduate bachelor of education programme and a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Teacher Training (15 May 2024)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy. In answering on behalf of the Minister for Education, I apologise for not specifically referring to Cork, which was mentioned in the Deputy's question. In fairness, the answer outlined the rationale for the situation as it has existed to date. It sets out what will inform future plans for provision at primary level, as the Deputy highlighted. The key point is that the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Industry (15 May 2024)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Deputy for raising a very important topic. At any meeting with farmers the length and breadth of the country, they raise over-regulation, red tape, bureaucracy and all of the other work that takes them out of their fields and sheds and into their offices and kitchens, and all of the paperwork that goes with that. As a farmer, with my neighbours in Kildare, I know this is a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Industry (15 May 2024)

Martin Heydon: Deputy O'Sullivan raises valid points. The thing that strikes me when he is talking is that farmers are no different from any other business people. Anybody in business will tell us they can take difficult conditions once they have certainty. If they have certainty, they know where they are at. When things change it is a source of great frustration. It is important when we talk about...

Weather-Related Supports for Farmers: Statements (Resumed) (24 Apr 2024)

Martin Heydon: The Deputy paints a picture of industrialisation.

Weather-Related Supports for Farmers: Statements (Resumed) (24 Apr 2024)

Martin Heydon: I am sure that plays well in Tallaght.

Weather-Related Supports for Farmers: Statements (Resumed) (24 Apr 2024)

Martin Heydon: I too would like to welcome our friends from Estonia. It is great to have them here. I hope they learn a bit about the challenges and opportunities we face in our agriculture sector, which is so important to the Irish economy. This spring has been unlike many others. There is a saying that farmers need to be optimists or they would not still be farmers, but the optimistic streak in our...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Apr 2024)

Martin Heydon: I am happy that we have a number of hours in the House this afternoon for statements on weather-related supports for farmers throughout the country. I am mindful of the desperate plight of farmers during a very difficult winter and spring. The initial fodder support we have put in place through our co-operative system is to support the movement of fodder that is in the country from areas...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vaccination Programme (28 Feb 2024)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Senator Horkan for raising this important issue. I too know people close to me who have suffered from shingles. It can have a debilitating impact. As is outlined in the response I have, which I will deliver on behalf of the Minister for Health who is unable to make it today, it can have serious implications, particularly for older people. Varicella is a common, highly...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vaccination Programme (28 Feb 2024)

Martin Heydon: I thank the Senator. As already stated, I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Health. Unfortunately, the funding details Senator Horkan requested have not been provided. However, I am led to believe that funding is not the key consideration here. We obviously have a national immunisation programme that is well funded. If the strong opinion NIAC comes to at the end of its review...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Facilities (28 Feb 2024)

Martin Heydon: I thank Senator Kyne for raising this important issue. It is important to put the first-hand story of his constituent's experience on the record of House. What he outlined is not good enough. I am giving this response on behalf of the Minister for Health, who, unfortunately, cannot be here. The Minister and his officials have visited the University Hospital Galway campus on a number of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Facilities (28 Feb 2024)

Martin Heydon: I again thank the Senator for raising this. The response I was given by the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, does not have clear timelines in it. It does have a process. In fairness, it can be hard to predict specific timelines in each stage of the process. That has potential for delays. I will outline further in the supplementary reply I have that the proposals are...