Results 4,461-4,480 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Garda budget in the Estimates for the capital programme has gone up 35%, a huge increase. The strength of the force has increased significantly and the Garda budget is up 39%. The Commissioner has undertaken to review the force's performance, looking at some new techniques in the areas where detection rates are not so high. Detection rates for crimes against the person continue to compare...

Leaders' Questions. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am not getting into a dispute about this. I am told that the low figures of personnel in the Dublin Garda stations in December 2005, was due to transfer of 50 personnel from the uniformed service.

Leaders' Questions. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am not. I am merely giving the reason. If the Deputy was not told that, I am telling him now. I have no difficulty mentioning the areas where crime has increased. However, the policy of this Government was first to stop the revolving door system——

Leaders' Questions. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——to open up 1900 additional prison places, to bring Garda numbers up to 12,500 and now to 14,000. We had to make a considerable investment in Templemore training college to provide the necessary facilities. The policy was also to resource the Garda properly, both in terms of existing staff, overtime rates and equipment. Allowing for the population increase, the figures do not show that...

Leaders' Questions. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte is aware that the surplus clerical staff in the Department of Agriculture and Food is to be appointed to the posts he speaks of. I understand some 300 people are to be involved.

Leaders' Questions. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not want to repeat all the figures again, but we will have an additional 3,500 gardaí on the streets. Our population has increased. The Minister took action to increase Garda numbers to what they are today. That took an enormous effort. Anyone familiar with the training programme and the top class new facilities at Templemore will be aware of the effort to do that. We will reach the...

Leaders' Questions. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister was in College Green on St. Patrick's Day. I do not want to get into the other issues either. The Minister has dealt with personal issues——

Leaders' Questions. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——and it has been accepted by Deputy Kenny.

Leaders' Questions. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I meant to answer Deputy Kenny's question. I declare my position by saying I have personal security. In fairness to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform he has not used personal security. I do not want to make an issue of that because that may not be wise.

Leaders' Questions. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: While I have acknowledged some of the difficulties it is entirely wrong for any Member, not least Deputy Rabbitte, to try to portray this or any other city as a lawless zone because that is totally untrue. This city has the third highest number of tourists in Europe. All the research carried out shows it is a safe city. I acknowledge there are pockets in my constituency and in that of the...

Leaders' Questions. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: For Aer Lingus to grow, develop and expand in the immediate future, to get access to many new locations which it wants, and to avail of the opportunities of the European-US open skies agreement as against the current position where it can only fly into the five airports, it needs the flexibility and the competitive advantage to be able to operate on that basis for its employees and the other...

Leaders' Questions. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is still a charge. The Ministers for Transport and Finance are completing the review of the report prepared by the advisers on the nature, scale and timing of the investment transaction and will shortly advise the Government of their consideration of the issue. Third party investment is necessary to provide the company with access to equity to fund its business expansion plans and ensure...

Leaders' Questions. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I made the point to Deputy Higgins that the workers will have 15% of the company. The workers are part of it and the State will retain whatever percentage it decides to get. I do not believe that will hold back or result in a decline in Aer Lingus. When I was Minister for Finance in 1993, Aer Lingus had to let several thousand workers go and it happened again a few years ago. At the same...

Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No.11, Aviation Bill 2005 [Seanad]— Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; and No. 12, National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006 — Second Stage (resumed). Private Members' business shall be No. 47, motion re political donations and planning.

Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not believe that we have yet received the Abbeylara report, but I may be wrong. I will check and let the Deputy know if I am mistaken. I do not know the situation regarding the Harris report, but I will ask the Minister's office.

Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: As stated previously, I acknowledge the difficulties with the register. I know that the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, has discussed the issues with the Central Statistics Office and has written to the Minister. However, I believe that the CSO is anxious to concentrate on census work, not using it for any similar exercise. The Minister is examining options for the register in the short term....

Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not propose to give Government time.

Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I stated that the HSE would report to the Department of Finance in April. The Minister has said that he would know the position then, but not until the end of the first quarter.

Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I thought that he said April.

Order of Business. (21 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister decided to postpone its introduction pending the outcome of the voluntary agreement. That period has not yet concluded.