Results 5,421-5,440 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte asked what the Government is doing about this matter. I have discussed it with the Minister and his advisers. If it cannot be done by his giving directions or instructions to local authorities, the legislative route should be examined. I am not sure how far that has gone, but I will check. It has been a number of months since I answered a question on the issue and I asked the...

Leaders' Questions. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——where people have their own front and back gardens and an open space is wrong. I agree with that point. If the practice cannot be stopped in the planning and development stage, it should be examined. It is an unnecessary increase in the cost. Most residents say they could live with the contracts if they got the services, but the management companies, even though there are regulations,...

Leaders' Questions. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: As the Deputy knows, the recent report also showed 100,000 young people have been taken out of consistent poverty in recent years. We remain firmly committed to eliminating consistent poverty, combating social exclusion, ending marginalisation and creating a fairer society. We have significantly reduced poverty levels. The last major report in this regard, the UN human development report of...

Leaders' Questions. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy asked what we will do in the future. We will continue to work to eliminate poverty, particularly child poverty. The next national action plan to combat poverty and social exclusion is due to be published later this year and will reflect that strong commitment. Next year we will achieve a new benchmark level of €150, in 2002 terms, for social welfare payments, which is hugely...

Leaders' Questions. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——by helping them with education, with employment schemes such as those administered by FÁS and by tracking them under the Youthreach programme when they leave school. We have put in place structures to ensure all these measures are being implemented. An examination of the figures and what we have achieved shows we have made enormous strides in this area and will continue to do so.

Commemorative Events. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together. There are two further formal State commemorative events planned for the remainder of the year. These are the ceremonies to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July at the war memorial in Islandbridge, which will be followed by a reception in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, and the national day of...

Commemorative Events. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: For a number of years up to the 150th anniversary of the Famine most of the commemorative initiatives of my Department were dedicated to Famine-related projects, so they have received a large part of what is a small allocation of commemorative funds. Deputy Rabbitte asked for a national day to commemorate the Famine. I am not sure how that could be done — perhaps it could be linked to other...

Commemorative Events. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: As I said, we are looking at how we can do it. I have received submissions and my Department is examining them to see what is the most appropriate way of dealing with the matter. I want to make the point that every year very good cases are made for commemorative events. There are at least two or three a year. That was why, in 1986, they moved to an all-party group which established a national...

Commemorative Events. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I have answered the question about the Famine commemoration. We will examine the matter to see if we can find a suitable way of commemorating it, as we did for five years before the 1798 bicentenary. The Government was involved in the commemorative event which marked the passing of John de Courcey Ireland. Last year, we helped to fund some of the projects which were most dear to him. I am not...

Commemorative Events. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Admiral Brown society is an active group, which I met. My Department has funded a number of related projects. For the commemoration of Admiral Brown next year, the society intends to build a memorial park, for which we have provided resources. There have also been contacts with the Department of Defence, although I am not sure from where they came, and the Department of the Environment,...

Commemorative Events. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I have heard the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, refer to this matter. I am not sure exactly what projects are involved but I understand some issues arise. No application was made to my Department for a commemorative fund or, if it was made, it did not go through the official vetting system. I will raise the matter with the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív,...

Constitutional Referenda. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 13, inclusive, together. The All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution published its report relating to the family on 24 January. The relevant Departments are considering its recommendations. The Government has acted on most of the key recommendations that emanated from earlier reports of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution. In all, this...

Constitutional Referenda. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On the first issue, the Minister for Foreign Affairs said he had some sympathy with the view that had been expressed by many groups and organisations. I did not differ from that but said that all these issues should be examined by the all-party group, where people would be able to reflect their views. However, we do not have a plan at this stage to have a constitutional referendum in the...

Constitutional Referenda. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is one of the options that can be examined but all of them should be examined in the context of an all-party committee. To try to do it separately would not deal conclusively with the issues.

Constitutional Referenda. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Of course he had spoken with me.

Constitutional Referenda. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: With regard to the constitution, I spoke to the Austrian Chancellor, the President in office of the European Council, Wolfgang Schüssel. At the meeting on Thursday night and Friday it will be decided to push the reflection period out further, as I have been saying for a long time. It is unlikely there will be any change until the French and Dutch elections next year. Based on that, I doubt...

Constitutional Referenda. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The majority view in the committee was that a referendum that proposed to extend the definition of family would be divisive and, having created division, would not necessarily carry majority support. Rather than put our community through a divisive campaign the committee decided to examine whether the problems presented in the submissions might be dealt with by a combination of other less...

Constitutional Referenda. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: A number of groups have put forward suggestions about amendments and seek a constitutional referendum. My view is that all these issues should be examined in the context of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution. To take one and go with it is——

Constitutional Referenda. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: As well as the alliance there are a number of others who have put their views forward and are seeking a constitutional referendum. That would be to take one view and not to consider the others. These are issues that will have to be examined in the context of the group. They are difficult issues and, from reading some of the correspondence, there are strongly held views on these issues. We...

Constitutional Referenda. (14 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On the issue of building land, as I said here recently in reply to another question, the issue is being dealt with legislatively. The issue of zoning sufficient land does not need a constitutional referendum. On the second issue, all the issues arising from that legislation and the fallout from the Supreme Court decision should be dealt with in the committee. The legislation is passed. Any...