Results 5,461-5,480 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Northern Ireland Issues. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On the first question, the latest date is the end of the month. We have been given a few dates and they have changed, but it is still expected very shortly. I cannot be certain about that. It is long finished and it is being examined by a number of groups. With regard to Judge Smithwick, all the preliminary work is under way on the basis of the paperwork I have seen and the questions that...

Northern Ireland Issues. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It does not. If it did, a public inquiry would not be needed. However, I have always felt there was collusion at a high level. I would like a public inquiry into this because of who Pat Finucane was, the work he was doing and the way he was gunned down based on whatever level of collusion. It is not a black and white situation but there was collusion in the case. On the first issue, it has...

Departmental Staff. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 8, inclusive, together. On 19 May 2006, the chairman of the Standards in Public Office Commission wrote to inform me of the decision of the commission on this matter. The commission concluded that the complaint did not warrant the commencement of an investigation under the ethics Acts. The commission, however, was of the view that it was not appropriate...

Departmental Staff. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On the second issue, everyone has an obligation to fill in their forms. People are now familiar with them and are aware of their duties in this regard. In so far as they have filled in the forms, I am satisfied. On the first question, as I said, I accept the point made by the Standards in Public Office Commission. While the commission concluded that the complaint did not warrant commencement...

Departmental Staff. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am replying to a question. As I said in my reply, I accept the thrust of the recommendation of the Standards in Public Office Commission and my Department is considering the most appropriate arrangements to meet the commission's concern. The Government will make the point I have expressed to obtain clarification. If we can resolve the matter at that level, then we can do so. If obtaining...

Departmental Staff. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: No. People are doing it this very week. I am trying to make a point concerning the future more than the present. We should not close ourselves to systems that operate very well because somebody has a certain view. I accept the view but I would argue it. If limitations had be placed on the existing system, I would accept a provision concerning a parliamentary party. However, if later today,...

Departmental Staff. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I have given the letter to all the wizards who normally read these and we will get an interpretation. I accept the view expressed because I do not want to take issue with it but I do not want to close down the right of Members of this House who are not officeholders to something that has existed since the implementation of the 1924 Act. I do not regard it as necessary to change the system. On...

Departmental Staff. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not have a difficulty with that. It is fair that the information should be available to everybody but it should not be done in a collective sense if everybody does not want it. If an Opposition Front Bench spokesperson is dealing with some Act in opposition — we have all been in that position — and wants to have something clarified, there is no need for a formalised committee of the...

Departmental Staff. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There are guidelines, codes of conduct and the ethics Acts, and the Standards in Public Office Commission has laid down what people should do. I do all I can to bring to their attention what is contained in the Acts and guidelines and refer to it every year when they have to fill up their form. I hope people comply with that. The Cabinet secretariat brings home to people the rules and...

Departmental Staff. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Several times in opposition I got briefings directly from civil servants.

Departmental Staff. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I asked several times, both when leading the Opposition and as Opposition spokesperson. If one was to follow this rule one could not talk to any public servant unless everybody else was there. That does not make good parliamentary sense. If the Deputy listens to the point I am making——

Departmental Staff. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I said I accept the thrust of the commission's decision, but I would debate with it how it can be implemented so as not to restrict Members' rights. I shall make that point, and if I cannot convince it of that, we will have to go ahead. It is a misunderstanding of how a system works. Deputy Kenny's point is correct that if one gets a briefing one should accept it is available to everybody....

Leaders' Questions. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny knows the fight against crime is an ongoing battle. It has always been that way and it will continue to be so. That does not only hold true for this country but for every western democracy. We have to keep dealing with the small but vicious and ruthless group of criminals who are involved in this. They will resort to any kind of action and the many murders in north Dublin and the...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny knows my view on this — one death is a death too many, one crime is a crime too many. We must not portray crime levels as being at the same level as in New York state. Our numbers are high but have not changed much in recent years. Headline crimes may have approached 500,000 in the past five years but the figures for headline crime were the same some years previously. That is a...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister has allocated an additional €11 million to Operation Anvil for a dedicated group of detectives working to break these gangs.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The group has had some success but could do with more success. When some of these individuals have been shot, suffering serious injuries, they still will not speak or assist in any way with the investigation. That makes the task of the Garda Síochána more difficult in securing prosecutions. Some 20 of the 29 murders this year have been solved from the point of view of the Garda Síochána....

Leaders' Questions. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There are a number of points. People used the machines in the previous general election. There was no controversy leading up to the election about using electronic voting. In fact, the demonstrations that were held for young and old alike, in urban and rural areas, were highly successful and the acceptance rate of the machines in the election was high among those who used them. People...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——we must tread carefully on that. On concerns about how the machines are stored, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is of the view that it would be much cheaper and cost effective if they were stored centrally, given some of the leases that people have taken to budget for these issues. I have stated that, in the absence of political agreement on this issue,...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: For the few million people in our country, I certainly regret that we are not moving down this road quickly enough. A vast democracy like India, with 600 million voting, can use it. It is difficult to explain internationally how we, the world's greatest exporters of software, have a difficulty and still want to use pens and pencils, or chalk, or crayons when we want to vote.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Jun 2006)

Bertie Ahern: That is a sad occasion but, as with many issues in this country, we will cop on and move on.