Results 5,181-5,200 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I have no doubt the Deputy checked this before he came in for questions. He will be totally aware of how closely I am involved in the talks and that I have spent a fair few nights and weekends on them because he was briefed about this. Deputy Rabbitte's final question, which is the most important, was whether I am putting forth a pessimistic impression of the talks based on my knowledge and...

Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The work on employment contracts is 90% complete, but not on the overall deal. If people are reasonable on the other issues, we can reach agreement. There are some issues related to employment contracts on which employers have moved a long way, as have the relevant Departments and agencies. These are issues that involve the Department of Social and Family Affairs, the Revenue Commissioners...

Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We have not seen many wildcat or irresponsible strikes or one-man pickets since the 1906 Act was amended some years ago and the Labour Relations Commission and the conciliation services were established and strengthened. Nothing in the package will provide for bans because that cannot be done. All we can do is work towards an industrial relations situation in which we do not experience...

Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We have given resources to increase the inspectorate and to toughen the law. It has always been our policy to stop breaches whenever we can. Because far more people are working than ever before, there will be greater difficulty, but we must keep working to clean up all sectors of industry, including construction. All the issues around tightening up employment law have been examined at great...

Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There will be.

Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: That is not the issue; these are pay negotiations. The Government tries to keep costs low but that is not the difficulty in these talks. The Government has fully honoured its pay commitments and the benchmarking process.

Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Government has honoured its promises with regard to land under the social housing agreement. It has to work its way through the system. We must await the planning process before continuing. Concerning child care, long-term care, older people, disabilities, and employment for vulnerable people, the Government has honoured an enormous number of commitments. We have also provided resources...

Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I have not been in the House since Wednesday morning, and there has been some controversy regarding an issue that I raised in response to a question from Deputy Rabbitte. Since I comply with all Standing Orders and have been doing so for the past 29 years, I will do so now. I have always felt strongly that the perception that the then management of Aer Lingus was proposing to organise the...

Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Not a chance.

Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to give some background information about the scheme, without taking too long on it. The relevant European Union rule is an old one as it has been in place for 30 years. It applies to many——

Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Is the Deputy talking about the new scheme?

Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The cost of the early childhood supplement scheme will depend on the take-up of the scheme. According to figures provided by the Department of Social and Family Affairs, 50,000 non-nationals claim child benefit in respect of 120,000 children. These figures are known. Of these, 900 families with 1,600 children are resident outside of Ireland. Based on the present position, there could be...

Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: That is the reality.

Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Department receives 350 claims per week under EU regulations for children who are not resident in the country. Virtually all are nationals of accession states. Approximately 7,500 claims for non-resident non-Irish nationals have not been finalised. Based on claim uptake to date, it is anticipated that approximately 15,000 claims under EU regulations in respect of 25,500 non-national...

Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The scheme will be introduced in August and will be paid for the full period. It would not be a fair answer to the question to simply discuss the early childhood supplement without taking account of developments in child benefit. Members can see the manner in which the figures are rising. I can exclude it, if the Deputy wishes. As the child benefit figures rise and there are more claims from...

Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: FÁS is due to locate to Birr around Easter in 2009 under the decentralisation programme. I understand that the current dispute has arisen because FÁS, in the absence of an agreement with the unions, has proposed that all promotions in the head office would be conditional on candidates being willing to decentralise.

Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I understand that SIPTU contends that this breaches existing contracts of employment. The matter was referred to the Labour Court which made a recommendation last February. The court considered the written and oral submissions by the parties and noted the terms of the company-union industrial relations procedure agreement and said that it was in the opinion of FÁS that it was in breach of...

Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I have said this so many times to the Deputy, but I will say it again. The last round of decentralisation was to approximately 20 locations. None of those has changed. The staff moved to those locations, are still there and have all worked very successfully there. It took longer than was envisaged in the early 1990s when we started the process, but they are in those locations, are working and...

Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Only two people did not move.

Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: More than 100 people moved and only two did not. That institute is launching successfully in Galway. As I have said, there are problems with the agencies because there is not transferability between them. Some of the staff contend that there should be at lower levels but that arrangement does not exist at present. In the short term, approximately 2,500 civil servants can be moved. It will...