Results 2,981-3,000 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Freedom of Information. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 10, inclusive, together. I propose to circulate in the Official Report the information requested by the Deputies on the figures regarding freedom of information applications received in my Department. From 1 January 2005, €825 was received in respect of application fees and €35 was received in respect of search and retrieval fees. All freedom of...

Freedom of Information. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: With regard to my Department, the fees for the year to date are €825 and €35 in respect of search and retrieval fees. I cannot answer for other Departments, although I do not believe they are different from mine, but in my Department there is no cost for personal information, follow up on personal information or appeal on personal information. The cost is €15 with regard to anybody...

Freedom of Information. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It has been extended to a number of organisations but I cannot recall them now. It is a long list. With regard to my Department, to the best of my knowledge all the agencies are covered. If not, I will let the Deputy know which ones are not.

Freedom of Information. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I noted the points which the Information Commissioner highlighted in her report of last year on the operation of the Act. My understanding was that she was more concerned about the costs of appeal to her office than about the €15 application fee, which is generally not seen as a large amount. It is important to point out there is no charge for the time undertaken in making a decision on a...

Freedom of Information. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: No, we do if there is an internal review. The upfront fee is €15. Not many requests go to appeal. There are not many requests for an internal review. We give the information and then one does not get into that process.

Freedom of Information. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In my Department, out of a total of 1,143 freedom of information requests received to date, 94 were received for internal review. As I stated earlier, the personal cases, which many of these would be, would not be covered. In my Department, since the introduction of the Freedom of Information Act seven and a half years ago, a total of 13 requests have been investigated by the Information...

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 9, motion re Social Welfare Consolidation Bill 2005; and No. 13, Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004 [Seanad] — Order for Report, Report and Final Stages. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 9 shall be decided without debate; and Private Members' Business, which shall be No. 40, motion re Irish unity, shall also take...

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The proposal is that we would not lose time if there is a vote at 7 p.m.

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The heads of the Planning and Development (Strategic National Infrastructure) Bill were approved in the early part of the summer. The Bill is due in the spring session. The greater Dublin area land use and transport authority Bill, which was only for the Dublin area, was dropped some time ago. The Minister announced yesterday that his Department and the relevant agencies are considering the...

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Bill is to bring coherence to half a dozen organisations, working together.

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is needed not for the Dublin area but nationally. An examination is under way with regard to having the ports under the Department of Transport. The two relevant Ministers are to bring forward proposals on this issue.

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Bill that was listed for some years will not go ahead. The proposals in the Bill are not sufficient, and it is not considered to be useful or workable. The Minister stated yesterday that changes will be required to get all of the transport organisations working together to implement a plan of the scale proposed based on what has been happening for the past five or six years. Whether these...

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The legislation is due this session.

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The tribunal of inquiries Bill is due this session. To respond to the Deputy's other point, if I state that a matter will be brought to the House and then, in a parliamentary question unrelated to what I was asked, I actually bring the information to the House——

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The House agreed motions and the terms of reference. We are not talking about changing those terms of reference; that is where the House would be consulted. However, I brought the information to the House, which was the proper way to proceed.

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The repayment scheme for charges for publicly funded residential long stay care Bill is due at the end of this year.

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have clarified for the Deputy the procedures involved. The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission is not provided for in the Book of Estimates. When the debate takes place on the Estimates, it will be excluded from it. If the House wishes to find a way to have a debate on that matter, it will have to be through some separate process. It could occur if the Whips examined it.

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The legislation was removed from the Order Paper.

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have requested that it be examined. The reason it was held up was that the Departments of Education and Science and Health and Children were examining the establishment of a pre-employment consultancy service on this matter. However, it has not been possible to do this due to the North-South Ministerial Council not operating. I have requested that some other way of setting it up be examined.

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will bring the Deputy's views to the Minister's attention.