Results 3,201-3,220 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Written Answers — National Spatial Strategy: National Spatial Strategy (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: My Department's role with regard to the national spatial strategy mainly relates to strategic, high-level co-ordination rather than implementation of individual policies or spending programmes. The national spatial strategy is overseen by the Cabinet committee on housing, infrastructure and PPPs, which I chair. The Cabinet committee is supported by a cross-departmental team, which is chaired...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The percentage of persons with disabilities employed in my Department is3.64%. Of the bodies under the aegis of my Department, the Central Statistics Office figure is 4.39%, the Office of the Chief State Solicitor figure is 3.36% and the Law Reform Commission figure is 4.54%. In regard to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Office of the Attorney General where the...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I appreciate the points the Deputy makes and that he is genuinely trying to do something to promote the Irish language. People have been attempting to do that since the foundation of the State. Concerns have been raised about the spoken language for as long as I can remember and people have been trying to improve the situation by one means or another. In more recent years efforts have been...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: This has been the policy of successive Governments since the foundation of the State. Many policies have changed, but the policy of promoting the Irish language to maximise those who speak it has not changed. The point made by the Deputy is whether we get the best value for the effort and money invested. It is a point for debate and I will not disagree with any of the experts who have...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I hope we can begin the social partnership talks shortly. There are some difficulties which are well known and I have addressed them already. There is an important meeting today at An Post and there are ongoing contacts at Irish Ferries. I hope that both those issues can be resolved and I ask people involved to do their utmost. It will help industrial relations overall in the country, as well...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Every survey carried out by the OECD, the EU and all independent analyses show that this is the position. After the last budget, the average tax rate for a person on the average industrial wage will be 11% lower than it was in 1997. It comes to less than 17%, compared with less than 28% in 1997. The Deputy makes a point about the number of people who drift back into the higher rate of tax. He...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have already stated that the rates are fixed. Obviously however, there are other issues which were not changed in the last few years and to which we can return. We decided to help the less well-off. We increased the minimum wage and——

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We made the minimum wage tax-exempt. We took an enormous number of people, 34% of the entire workforce, out of the tax net altogether.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Single people who faced an enormous tax wedge were taken from the net altogether. I acknowledge that we have not yet reached the target of 80% and we have given the relevant figures. As for the fuel allowance, we took two good measures for the benefit of pensioners. We substantially increased the amounts they receive and extended the number of weeks during which they are entitled to fuel...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: That was extremely helpful and beneficial. We have taken the elderly from the tax net with the age exemption scheme operated for people over 75. Such people are now exempt from tax up to limits which now stand at €16,500 for single people and €33,000 for married people. This represents a significant increase for people. As for the fuel allowances, we have increased the number of weeks...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The decision to appoint Barry McSweeney was made by the Government as part of a wider package of measures in the area of science co-ordination and oversight.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: These measures were agreed in the summer of 2004. They included the creation of the post of chief science adviser to the Government and the appointment of Barry McSweeney to that post. A number of initiatives were announced such as setting up a Cabinet sub-committee, building on the major resources put into the programme for research in third level institutions, PRTLI, and into Science...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: ——was head of the EU research institute and had 2,500 people under him. He had already been responsible for the Marie Curie EU fellowship programme for some years in the 1990s. He set up BioResearch Ireland before that. For all these reasons, he was an eminent person for the post. However, a controversy about a qualification which Mr. McSweeney did not require has damaged the organisation.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In the past year, an examination of the strategic plan for science identified a need to have someone working in the areas of marine and energy.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Department had identified a requirement to fill this position. As Barry McSweeney is moving from his current post, it makes eminent sense to use his considerable expertise in this area.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Neil Kinnock was head of staffing matters in the Commission. Ireland has been competent in having people appointed to the highest positions in the European institutions, as was the case with Mr. Barry McSweeney, a former head of the EU's Joint Research Centre. Not only did he have 2,600 people working under him, he also ran a highly structured organisation with a budget of €340 million. He...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy's remarks are not acceptable.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will not listen to Deputy Sargent talk about the credibility of science research. This Government set up Science Foundation Ireland and the PRTLI and has invested more than €1 billion in that area.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The controversy which has developed about one issue does not detract from the credibility of a senior public official.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: When Mr. David O'Sullivan was appointed to one of the most important briefs in trade last week, it was another case of Ireland having an official competent to take up a senior position in Europe.