Results 221-240 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Departmental Investigations. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: If there is a relevant Act it may be possible for new judgments to be dealt with therein. In other cases primary legislation may be necessary, although I hope there will not be too many such cases.

Departmental Investigations. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: As I stated in reply to the points made by Deputies O'Keeffe and Rabbitte, it was originally envisaged that legislation would be based on fundamental principles and amendments made either by statutory instrument or orders for secondary legislation. This happens in different jurisdictions in different ways. The case has been well made that we sometimes wander too far away from the primary Act,...

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister stated that she is keeping this issue under review and that she is meeting some of the bodies involved. She has already met the widows' association and has been in contact with some of the other bodies involved in this area. She has engaged in such contacts as part of her examination before bringing any proposal forward. The reason this matter was under consideration——

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: ——is the general principle common to social welfare systems throughout the world that a person is only entitled to one income or maintenance payment at any one time. That is how the issue arose. Cases about the effects of this provision on widows have been made in this House and elsewhere and I do not need to restate them. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Coughlan,...

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The recent budget also provided an increase to €2,700 in the widowed-parent grant. There is no need for me to add to what has already been said by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs. She will meet the groups involved and is keeping the implementation of these reforms under review. I am sure she will return to them.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy should at least acknowledge that the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Coughlan, gave a €10 per week increase to all widows. To refer to a general cutback is incorrect. I also stated that a small fraction of the 120,000 people who will gain from that benefit would have been affected by this measure.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I also stated that the Minister will speak with the various organisations before reaching any conclusions on this issue. The general principle exists across social welfare schemes throughout the world that a person is entitled to only one income maintenance payment at any one time.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: That principle does apply here.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is obvious Deputy Ryan knows nothing about the social welfare code.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: If he did, he would know that is taken into account in every category. The Minister has given a commitment to meet with the bodies concerned and to bring forward her own proposals on this issue. I have nothing further to add.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The programme for Government drawn up almost two years ago and agreed by the parties in Government, contained a commitment to review a number of applications from non-nationals to remain in this State based on parentage of Irish-born children and to initiate all-party discussions on the issue of such constitutional or other measures that might be required. The Minister for Justice, Equality...

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I do not know what Deputy Rabbitte means by "American guru". We have had no research on the issue. I heard his comments last week, and he is wrong yet again on that issue. Deputy Rabbitte is right that I did not visualise, when I wrote to Deputy Quinn in 1998 on the issue, Russians, Moldovans and Ukrainians coming to this country simply——

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I am trying to answer the Deputy's question. I did not think at that time that people would come here from those countries for two or three weeks to have children, simply for the benefit of Irish citizenship.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Regardless of whether the figures are enormous, as the Deputy correctly said, we got rid of the passports for investment scheme on the basis that there were only a handful, and that was the right thing to do. However, on the question of the figures so far, genuine tourists are doing that. It is well known around Europe that we are the only people who can be used and abused in such a way.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I am not arguing with the Deputy but telling him that it is fact. Whether the number is huge or small is unimportant, since the loophole should not exist. The Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner shows that almost 60%, almost two thirds, of female asylum seekers aged 16 and over were pregnant at the time of application. Those are its figures.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: One can see very clearly what is happening. That was not envisaged, and that is why this issue must be examined.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is not rushing. The Deputy knows well that our system is being rampantly abused.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I hope the leadership of SIPTU continues in the talks on the second half of the national wage agreement. I hope that will be the case. I understand their concerns. In line with An Agreed Programme for Government, the Government's position on the future of the commercial State companies has been made clear during a series of contacts — in person and in writing by myself and other Ministers...

Leaders' Questions. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The discussions on the reform of the transport system under the 1932 Act are in the transport framework. I hope they come to a successful outcome. Deputy Ó Caoláin will be well aware that the issue of the opening up of transport is taking place worldwide and that is inevitable. We saw it last year with rail. The agreed reforms are best carried out between the CIE management, the Government...

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Order of Business today shall be as follows: No. 12, statements on European Council, Brussels; and No. 1, Sea Pollution (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2003 [Seanad] — Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the proceedings on No. 12 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 80 minutes and the following arrangements...