Results 3,381-3,400 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (23 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The medical practitioners Bill is due in the middle of next year.

Order of Business. (23 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As voluntary agreements have been reached between the alcohol and advertisement industries, the Department of Health and Children wishes to hold the introduction of legislation pending the outcome of the voluntary agreements. As I have said previously, if voluntary agreements work with the co-operation of the industry, that is fine. If they do not, then the legislation will be ready.

Order of Business. (23 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: That would be a matter for the Minister.

Order of Business. (23 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is not listed as legislation. However, I know it is a matter that is under consideration by the Minister.

European Union: Statements. (23 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I welcome this opportunity to speak to the House on the current situation in the European Union. As we come to the end of the year, it is timely to look back and reflect on the main events in Europe and their implications for the future. Without doubt, the referendum results on the European constitution in France and the Netherlands were a wake-up call for all Europeans. We cannot deny that...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (29 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Law Reform Commission, which comes under the aegis of my Department, has a part-time project manager who is a former employee, chief executive officer, Legal Aid Board-assistant secretary, Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform. The project manager assists the Attorney General's consultative committee in monitoring the implementation of the Law Reform Commission recommendations for...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (29 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: No units of my Department or bodies under the aegis of my Department are being decentralised.

Written Answers — Capital Expenditure: Capital Expenditure (29 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There is no capital allocation in my Department for 2005 and, consequently, no such appraisals have been carried out in the period mentioned.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: For a long time, Deputy Kenny has decided to be in favour of the Good Friday Agreement but to oppose everything that comes out of it. It is a tactic he has pursued for 12 months. In 1998, we were very clear that certain prisoners would be released. The only exceptions to those prisoner releases were the murderers of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe and those who injured Detective Garda Ben...

Leaders' Questions. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I did not answer Deputy Kenny's question as to whether this process was negotiated or agreed with Gerry Adams. There was no discussion about the process. The issue of on-the-runs was agreed back in 2001 and 2002. The exercise of the power of pardon does not undo the past. In a case such as that of the OTRs, it does not turn back the clock of time and treat what occurred as if it never took...

Leaders' Questions. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Government makes the decision and informs the President's office. It is worth looking at the experience of other countries which operate legal systems similar to ours. The Attorney General has examined this matter very closely. In the United States the President exercises his power of pardon frequently. The Government will effectively resolve this issue and comply with the commitments...

Leaders' Questions. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I repeat again that the question of on-the-runs is not a side deal. As part of the Weston Park agreement, it was negotiated that OTRs and many other issues would be addressed. The question was included in the acts of completion and all the relevant discussions in 2001 and 2002. The process of dealing with the issue, namely, the introduction of legislation in Britain and the use of Article...

Leaders' Questions. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: A number of points have been made, including those by Deputy Rabbitte, and I have no doubt that all valid points will be considered. I am not being unreasonable about this. Our examination of the matter included the legal position. To the best of my knowledge, although I may be subject to correction, I am almost certain that it was not just the issue of the late Jerry McCabe which decided...

Leaders' Questions. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I wish to express my sympathy and that of the Government with the McGinley family on the death of their two children last Sunday afternoon. The two boys, aged three and 18 months, died in that South Dublin County Council halting site at Oldcastle Park. It is a huge tragedy for the family as well as for their friends and neighbours. The circumstances surrounding the tragedy are being...

Leaders' Questions. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the general issue, as a requirement, every local authority in the country adopted a five year Traveller accommodation programme and was funded for the period up to last year.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: A total of 1,400 units of accommodation for Travellers were provided or refurbished in the first four years of the programme, which is by multiples higher than anything that had happened in the previous 20 or 30 years. Provisional figures indicate that, at the end of last year or at sometime during the year, the number of families on unauthorised sites formerly referred to as roadside was...

Leaders' Questions. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In addition to ensuring a cohesive and proactive approach to Traveller issues, the group has also provided a mechanism for driving delivery services to Travellers where the rate of progress is unsatisfactory. We will continue to do that throughout next year, as indicated in the Estimates a few weeks ago.

Computerisation Programme. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together. I welcome the opportunity to report on the implementation of the e-Cabinet project within my Department. The e-Cabinet system developed by my Department was deployed for use by all Departments in June 2004 and has been working well since. The project has never been about gadgets for Ministers, rather about seeking to achieve a...

Computerisation Programme. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The system is doing what it is designed to do. From a cost perspective, it has been completed at a substantially lower cost than estimated. It will be fully operational by Christmas and is at the last stages of enhancement. It has been fully operational but, along the way, a number of new capabilities and initiatives that people believed were beneficial to the system arose. I am advised that...

Computerisation Programme. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: InVision Research Corporation was the main contractor for the project. Its role was to develop the software applications and so it was fully involved in developing the software. A separate company did the work relating to security infrastructure. They are no different to our own major companies in that they win contracts wherever they win them. I have no concerns about confidentiality and...