Results 3,581-3,600 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have not been involved in the discussions with the Catholic Church with regard to the Ferns Report.

Diplomatic Representations. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 14, inclusive, together.

Diplomatic Representations. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: With regard to Question No. 6, I have had no contacts with the US Administration since the question was last asked. I continue to make contact with all the political parties in Northern Ireland. Most recently, I met the SDLP on 5 December. Before that I met Sinn Féin on 1 December. At both meetings we discussed the way forward, the restoration of devolved government and other matters of...

Diplomatic Representations. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have reported to the House on the issues in which I have been involved with the American Administration this year. There are no other issues. The Minister for Foreign Affairs answered questions on this subject. He has had numerous meetings with the administration on which he has reported to the House. The EU Presidency has worked on several of the issues raised by the Deputy and the...

Diplomatic Representations. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Good Friday Agreement dealt with how prisoners would be released. From that time, the issues of on-the-runs was in the public domain. At Weston Park in 2001, we agreed to bring forward the scheme when progress was made on other issues. At that stage, an enormous amount of debate surrounded the issue. The issue has been in the public domain for the last four and a half years. The scheme as...

Diplomatic Representations. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will take the Deputies' questions relating to Nos. 6 and 12 together. When I go to the United States in March each year there is a more complete agenda within which I deal with a number of issues, but I do not deal with the United States on any of the other issues during the course of the year. That is why my officials would, correctly, have put these questions together. I totally defend...

Diplomatic Representations. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister for Foreign Affairs did. There is no point in my doing everybody else's job.

Diplomatic Representations. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: A few weeks ago, I told Deputy Kenny that I would give him the contents of a note I had and I will do so. It was not the constitutional advice of the Attorney General. Deputy Sargent referred to the idea of a truth and reconciliation commission. As he knows, I have supported that for some years in some format, although I never prescribed that it should be on the South African model. There are...

Diplomatic Representations. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will try.

Leaders' Questions. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As the House knows, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will make a statement on this matter in a while. He made a comprehensive statement last week by way of a reply to a parliamentary question. The Minister has at all times kept the Government fully briefed on a matter of great importance touching on the issue of security of the State. He has acted with good authority in...

Leaders' Questions. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have stated that the Minister has acted properly at all times. The issue of a newspaper asking a question about——

Leaders' Questions. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Finian McGrath put down a question and he received a reply. I ask him to allow me reply to Deputy Kenny.

Leaders' Questions. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On his own initiative and without any urging from anyone, the Minister said he wished to make a statement to the House today and take questions. I do not understand why people will not wait until the Minister has answered the issues.

Leaders' Questions. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny has an issue when a newspaper raises a question——

Leaders' Questions. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy did.

Leaders' Questions. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not see what is incorrect about a Minister being asked by a newspaper about bogus documents that were used in a case. I want to answer the question but people do not really wish to listen to the answer.

Leaders' Questions. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: For the third time, I make the point that I do not see what is wrong when a newspaper asks a Minister about information concerning something that was in the public domain several years ago, namely about Mr. Connolly travelling to Bogotá in April 2001 using a false passport. I do not see how giving evidence of the use of bogus documents can be wrong. For instance, last week Deputy Kenny was...

Leaders' Questions. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There is no right of confidentiality for a bogus or false passport application form and I wonder who would claim such a right — hardly a person seeking to perpetrate a fraud on the State. In answer to Deputy Kenny's question, all these things were linked. Last summer people were very concerned and rightly so about issues to do with Colombia and I had to return from my summer holidays to...

Leaders' Questions. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: ——he is entitled to do that.

Leaders' Questions. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I accept that.