Results 301-320 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: As we have said many times, the system has been tested internationally, and there is a French contract in place. If the work that has gone on here over the past two months shows that anything is wrong, I will be surprised, but I will accept it. If the engineers, the technicians and the software developers who have been involved for 15 years in designing the system are found in two months to...

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Electronic voting was debated for five years. There are some in this House who love to condemn the United States of America, but it was only in mid-January when a row started about electronic voting there that people in this country tried to argue that we should change the system.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is wrong to run away from methods of making our country more modern. We should use technology rather than being dragged away from it by old styles, old parties and old rants which go on in this House.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: No money has been wasted on this project.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The commission has stated that its experts have been involved in carrying out testing. It has examined the voting machines and the counting software, including the parallel testing and can confirm that the system can accurately and concisely record voter preferences. The commission has not been able, within the timeframe of its report, to satisfy itself sufficiently as to the accuracy and...

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The point raised by Deputy Rabbitte is dealt within the report.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government raised the issue, not the commission.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The commission stated the surplus was infinitesimal in that it was to a degree of 0.001. On accuracy, the commission, where it states that certain of its tests identified an error in the count software which could lead to incorrect distribution of surpluses, stated it did so to a degree of 0.001.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The error would not have made any difference. The matter was identified by the Department, brought to the attention of the commission and rectified. No great finding is involved.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I cannot come into this House and state that the system has been ridiculed, as already stated in the House, and can never be used again. That is not what the commission report states.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The commission report states that all the tests and pilot studies it would like to carry out cannot be done in the time available.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I listened to Deputy Rabbitte.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The commission has little to say about the machines. The machines have a 20 year life span.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The commission report deals with the software involved. If, along the road, the commission identifies and proves a problem with the software, we will then consider the matter.The software is regularly changed and amended.We will await the outcome of the pilot tests. The Government is allowing time for the undertaking of the tests and it is right that it should do so.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Work on the testing will continue during the next couple of months.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister for Health and Children will, under the National Development Plan 2000-2006, oversee the spending of some €2 billion for the provision of infrastructure in the hospital system. It is an ongoing matter for the Minister not only to provide for buildings and equipment but also to cater for running costs in the years ahead. This issue is ongoing in several hospitals. The Minister...

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Ó Caoláin asks if resources are likely to be allocated. In the last seven years the health budget has increased by 20% per year. There has been an increase of 188% in the health budget since 1997. The health service is extraordinarily well resourced. The Government now spends €10.5 billion on health. This has nothing to do with what will happen in the next six weeks. The Minister...

Order of Business. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 8, motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions; and No. 17, Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004 — Order for Report and Report and Final Stages. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 8 shall be decided without debate; and that the Dáil on its rising today shall adjourn until 12.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 5 May 2004, and the...

Order of Business. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: There will be a debate on the issue tonight.

Order of Business. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: No, no, no.