Results 481-500 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: For ten years or more it has been the practice to publish the Book of Estimates on the third Thursday of the month of November. The position will remain the same this year, whatever date that may be. The budget will be introduced on the first Wednesday of December.

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Government passed the Bill a week ago but I do not believe it has been published yet. If it has not yet been published, it will be in the near future.

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Yes.

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The heads of the energy Bill, which deals with the regulatory restructuring issues relating to the industry and the conversion of the ESB into a plc under the Companies Acts, have been approved. However, I do not have a final date for publication because a considerable amount of work remains to be done on the legislation. The heads of the Bord Gáis Éireann Bill, which is designed to...

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: A number of issues have been discussed in respect of the building societies (amendment) Bill. Those discussions are ongoing but I understand that the Bill will be ready this session. The Deputy, as did Deputy Rabbitte last week, also raised the issue of the boundaries commission Bill. I have asked for it to be brought forward and I am informed that this will probably not happen until after...

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Grangegorman Development Agency Bill will be taken in the House in this session. Consultation is taking place between the Department and the relevant stakeholders on the third level student support Bill. I understand they hope to come to an agreement and we want to conclude those consultations before the Bill comes forward. I do not have a date for its publication but it will not be this...

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: On the first matter, on today's Order of Business is a motion to refer the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 (Additional Institutions) Order 2004 to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Science. This order outlines the areas to which the remit of the Act will be extended. I am not sure if there are any more extensions, but the idea of moving it to all day schools is not...

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I hope we will be ready to take the Disability Bill in the House shortly.

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Both Bills will be published this session.

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The health and social care professionals regulatory Bill is due this session. It will provide for the statutory registration of health and social care professionals for the purpose of ensuring a quality service for the public. The Deputy is suggesting that the regulations to be put to the committee would be better as part of the Bill.

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I will check what the Deputy is saying. However, as I understand it the Bill has nothing to do with that statutory instrument.

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The statutory instrument is separate from the Bill. The Deputy has made her point and I will refer the matter to the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children. I believe they are separate issues.

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I have sympathy with the Deputy's point. If I receive, as I do in my position, a gift to the value of more than €600 I must give it up. All of us in this House work hard and none of us could receive such a gift. Quite frankly I do not believe it is appropriate.

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: As soon as possible.

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: As the Bill is only at a preliminary stage, I do not have a date at this stage.

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy is correct. Both these Bills have been listed for some time, one for the past ten months and the other for a few years. I will ask the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, when he will bring them back to the House.

Order of Business. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The heads of the Curragh of Kildare Bill have been approved and the Bill is being drafted, but it is likely to be the middle of next year before the Bill is ready.

Responsibilities of Ministers of State: Announcement by Taoiseach. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I wish to announce for the information of the House that the Government has today assigned special responsibilities to Ministers of State as follows: the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Fahey, will have special responsibility for equality issues; the Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy...

Responsibilities of Ministers of State: Announcement by Taoiseach. (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: ——the Minister of State at the Departments of Foreign Affairs and the Taoiseach, Deputy Treacy, will have special responsibility for European affairs; the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Seán Power, will have special responsibility for health promotion and other matters; the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local...

Written Answers — Department Websites: Department Websites (5 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Department of the Taoiseach's website is updated on a daily basis. All significant press releases are posted on the Department's website immediately or at the earliest possible convenience. In addition, statements and speeches which I make as Taoiseach are published together with any statements or speeches by the Ministers of State at the Department.