Results 2,881-2,900 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have repeated it many times outside the House. The leaders of SIPTU have met the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and discussed at length the issues of the legislation. The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has also given his best assessment on it. We have also agreed with ICTU and SIPTU to exchange our legal situations on the matter to see precisely...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There are all kinds of arguments around that. Irish Ferries maintains it is not bringing in people on low wages. Its existing non-Irish staff are on quite large salaries; they are not paid below the minimum wage. The company has shown me the evidence and I must be fair in these matters. However, it is creating a difficulty and we are doing our best to resolve it.

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I dealt directly with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and SIPTU so I know what the concerns were. I will not listen to the Deputy telling me——

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: They told me the issues. The Labour Party was one of the parties in this House that advocated going outside the country to bring in construction companies and was very strong in its support for that.

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Of course any company operating in this country should comply with the law. I also readily admit that the culture in the country now is different from that in the past. Ireland was a country of emigration and high unemployment, and we did not have foreigners working here. It is now a different economy. There is a strong argument for improving the legislation we have. We have already given...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The advice I have received is that we would not be able to legislate on flagships, as it would be contrary to matters that are set out in Bunreacht na hÉireann.

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In reply to Deputy Rabbitte, I will look at the Labour Party Bill and I will continue to engage with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on the legal advice. It asked me to share the legal advice and I stated I would.

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Mr. Justice Murphy sets out the position since 1962 so I will not go back over that. We must recognise that progress has been made in many areas. The gardaí in the diocese, as per this report, have rightly prosecuted child abusers since 1990 and their omissions of the past have been corrected. Mr. Justice Murphy also emphasised the independence and integrity of the Garda Síochána over that...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I cannot answer the question as to why people who had suspicions or information relating to people in the 1950s, 1960s or 1970s did not come forward ——

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have outlined the position in more recent years. Perhaps Deputy Sargent is not aware of what is already on the Statute Book because the Sex Offenders Act 2001, which provides for the monitoring of convicted sex offenders, has been on the Statute Book for over four years. We established the Garda central vetting unit over three and a half years ago to ensure that those working with children...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: That unit was doubled in size recently.

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We enacted the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998. We established the office of the Ombudsman for Children. Large sections of the Children Act that relate to this specific area have been enacted. We also have the Protection of Children (Hague Convention) Act 2000. Most of the matters raised by the Deputy are covered by legislation that is already on the Statute Book ——

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There are other measures highlighted in this report that must be enacted and as I have just said, we will do that.

Departmental Records. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. Expenditure by my Department from January 2005 to the end of September 2005 was €19.845 million compared with a total Estimates provision for the year of €38.965 million. While fluctuations in spending occur from month to month and some expenditures do not fall due until the end of the year, I am satisfied that overall spending by my...

Departmental Records. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Since we last discussed the issue, the Government has produced the document, which has been well received, setting out the White Paper on the constitution. I hope it is circulated widely. The Department of Foreign Affairs has made it available through all the usual channels, including schools, libraries, public buildings and various organisations. I am aware from third level colleges and...

Departmental Records. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: That is a good idea. I will suggest it to my Accounting Officer in order to keep down the cost. The Forum on Europe is an independent group. The Estimate is based on the forum's budget and the resources it requires. It is not prepared on the basis of what the Department believes is required. We have an input into trying to ensure it is not excessive. In recent years, we tried to make...

Departmental Records. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: A number of subheads in my Department are currently showing expenditure under profile, including the tribunals. There are fluctuations in spending from month to month in this area. Under subhead K, the Moriarty tribunal, the Estimates allocation made a provision for the possible award of legal costs on completion of the work of the tribunal. That would be whatever the tribunal would deem to...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 10, inclusive, together. Mr. Justice Barron's first two reports were published, examined and reported on by the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights. The first report dealt with the Dublin-Monaghan bombings of 1974. The second report dealt with bombings in Dublin in 1972 and 1973 and events elsewhere in the country prior to...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not have an update on the work of the commission of investigation. I have heard nothing to indicate it will not be finished and I hope it will come in around this period of time. I have not heard of a problem with people assisting the commission but I do not have an update on its work. The Ludlow report will be published shortly and, hopefully, the Dundalk report and other related...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy has given us an account of the report and his questions can be answered in the affirmative. The Government set up the Barron inquiry to get to the facts and ensure they were presented. The British Government is well aware of the contents of the two reports to date and will be aware of the contents of other reports. On the second point, the best way is to try to get full...