Results 5,281-5,300 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I have nothing to do with leaking documents.

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I said last week, and I repeat today that Deputy Kenny on this issue last week was fair and reasonable about putting a point and I answered that. I do not leak documents. I do not know anything about the leaking of documents and I do not agree with it.

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I would like to say to Deputy Kenny that I can do something about the seven cases. In the Government's view and my view, however, there is a distinction between these cases and someone resisting an offence, as happened in the case the Supreme Court made its judgment on. It was a long drawn out case, the first part of it was heard last summer and it may have been submitted a year before that....

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: As regularly happens, Deputy Rabbitte did not listen to much of what I said at the outset so I will repeat it.

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I will make the points. I said that the Supreme Court has struck down section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1935 and seven prisoners are currently imprisoned in consequences of a conviction under that section. Those cases cannot be dealt with in a new Bill. The C.C. case was brought by a prisoner who was not convicted of an offence. The case concerned a person who was charged with...

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——that we will endeavour to have that done by the weekend. It is the view of the people advising the Government, who are all eminent legal people, both inside and outside, that this could take us a week or so to do. I have asked that they have it done by the weekend. Deputy Rabbitte will appreciate that I am unlikely to draft it in the 46 hours or so I am in the United States, but I will...

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Let us try to be serious about serious issues. All those laws are in place. If somebody does that tonight they will end up with perhaps a life sentence or 14 years. We know that. There is an issue we have to deal with. The Supreme Court has made its judgment. That is the end of the argument and there is no point in me making any view about the Supreme Court. The position is clear. There is...

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: All the legislation on the Statute Book protects children against sexual abuse——

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The person would be charged with sexual assault.

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It would be under any of the laws relating to sexual crimes.

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The answer to Deputy English's question is that all the relevant Acts — including the 1993, 1998 and 2001 Acts, the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, the Sexual Offences (Jurisdiction) Act and Part 12 of the Children Act — are still law and are not affected by the striking down of section 1(1). This relates even to other dangers in the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1935.

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I have listened and I would like to answer. Deputy Rabbitte asked me about confusion, but there is no confusion.

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte accused me unfairly of not knowing the number of prisoners last Wednesday morning. I stated in the House that I would know by lunchtime, and I did. He took an unreasonable position. I stated there was no blanket rule, as the advice had been that there was no blanket rule. That is the reason we opposed the case yesterday. We fought the case, the court ruled as it did today in...

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I hope the Deputy knows what is going on. There is a separation of powers and the DPP could not do that.

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte has accused me of slithering and sliding, of stating that I will be out of the country and of indicating that we will look into the matter next week. I did not say any of those things. I stated that for the limited time I will be out of the country, those who are working with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Attorney General will try to complete this...

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Will Deputy O'Keeffe stop interrupting? If Deputy Jim O'Keeffe has all these answers, he was there from 1994 to 1997. Why did he not solve this problem then?

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy was a Minister in the Government then. Why did he not solve it?

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am trying to answer Deputy Rabbitte. Deputy Jim O'Keeffe's party had its chance and did not do it.

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We will try to have the Bill by the weekend. I cannot say to the legal people working on this that they must have it. The Deputy knows this. We will try to have it by then. If we have it, I have stated that I will consult the Opposition. I will be back on Friday. I will not be gone for too long. The work will go on. The relevant Cabinet committee can meet over the weekend and we will deal...

Leaders' Questions. (30 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: A number of points have been raised. Our highest priority is to deal as quickly as we can with this serious issue for the protection of our children. The Deputy asked me about other cases but I cannot pre-empt the decisions of the courts. The Government intends to appeal the Supreme Court's decision. Other cases may arise but we cannot instruct the DPP. We can prepare legislation to deal with...