Results 4,521-4,540 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not worry about these matters. I do not have sleepless nights or difficulties. I was taught at a very young age that sticks and stones might break my bones but names will never hurt me. I do not worry about any of these matters. I just get on with the job.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I would love to hear Deputy Rabbitte commend the huge progress this Government has made in sport in every way——

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——whether it is Croke Park, the grounds throughout the country, the money we put into Irish racing, which gave us the good results last week, rather than running around trying to find leaks and little things in legislation against Irish sport.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am very proud of everything I have done and continue to do for sport.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I would kill——

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I would condemn the killing of anyone anywhere. If any of these atrocities that are being investigated turn out to have happened, then they are outrageous.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There is no doubt about that.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We are not assisting the killers. There are no Irish troops in Iraq.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister for Transport was invited by the Fighting 69th homecoming celebration committee to attend and speak at a public wreath-laying ceremony on 16 March at the Father Duffy statue in Times Square, which commemorates the tens of thousands of New Yorkers who served with the brigade. The regiment's battle flag was presented to the Irish nation by President Kennedy when he addressed the...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I remind the Deputy that there is a multinational force in Iraq and not just US forces.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I condemn absolutely the slaughter inflicted on the people of Iraq under the regime of Saddam Hussein, as well as the current atrocities. The international force currently in Iraq was requested by the UN on 8 November 2005 to reconstruct and organise Iraq. The Deputy is asking me to break a UN resolution and I will not do so.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It was appropriate that the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, spend some time with the Fighting Irish as part of his trip. I am surprised that the Deputy feels that it was inappropriate.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I did answer the question.

Northern Ireland Issues. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 25, inclusive, together. When the British Prime Minister and I met in Dublin in January, we made clear that 2006 will be a decisive year. Since then, there has been a round of meetings with the political parties in Northern Ireland, jointly chaired by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. I met with the Prime...

Northern Ireland Issues. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy's point is that we do not wish to go outside the Good Friday Agreement, but the two Governments wish to stick to it absolutely. If we are forced from that, we intend to stick to it as closely as possible. As the Deputy says, there have been alternative proposals from the parties. At this stage, every party has proposals on the way forward. The Assembly cannot meet in shadow...

Northern Ireland Issues. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Our position is that we want to see the Good Friday Agreement implemented. People in the South voted for it by 95% to 5%. Unless someone——

Northern Ireland Issues. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Yes, the entire population. Unless someone produces a proposal, it does not follow that we are moving outside the Agreement. Hitherto, there has been none. Quite frankly, I hope there will be none, other than the review that was successfully carried out but not implemented. The review, which concluded on 7 December 2004, covered the Good Friday Agreement, and represented an entitlement of the...

Northern Ireland Issues. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The word "shadow" creates major difficulties for some parties, mainly the SDLP and Sinn Féin. I do not like the concept either, since it is not a full Assembly. I see no need to have it in shadow form. Deputy Rabbitte correctly interpreted me. We would like to drop the word "shadow" and have the Assembly meet for a set period. If the executive had not been formed by that date, we would have...

Northern Ireland Issues. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I will. I will check the Order Paper and if the regulations are not to facilitate other parties, I will certainly return to it. I presume the regulation was under the aegis of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, but I will check it.

Northern Ireland Issues. (22 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Invitations to the White House are handled solely by the White House. Certainly, no tracks were beaten to its door. However, in so far as discussions took place, I gave my view to the President's representative, Mitchell Reiss, when he visited earlier, namely, that it would be best if all parties were invited. A path was not beaten to the White House door. It was best that all parties were...