Results 561-580 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Northern Ireland Issues. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 37, inclusive, together. After three days of intensive discussion at Leeds Castle with the Northern Ireland parties in September, both Prime Minister Blair and I said that we believed we could resolve the issues to do with ending paramilitary activity and putting weapons beyond use. Immediately after the Leeds Castle talks, all the parties, supported by...

Northern Ireland Issues. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: After three days in Leeds Castle, we stated we believed we could resolve the issues related to ending paramilitary activity and putting weapons beyond use. We did not get as far on the institutional matters, mainly due to time factors. There were also differences in substance and content but insufficient time was put into the discussions. We said we believed that, subject to a satisfactory...

Northern Ireland Issues. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: On the Deputy's first question regarding Sinn Féin serving in Government, I made a political speech at the annual Fianna Fáil commemoration at Bodenstown where I comprehensively dealt with this issue. What happens in the future is for the future, but until we satisfactorily complete the Agreement and resolve all of the issues before us, there will be no change to the position I outlined in...

Northern Ireland Issues. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: There is only one.

Northern Ireland Issues. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Sinn Féin is totally prepared to engage in discussions. There is no difficulty with it in terms of any of these discussions, in which it is more than ready to play its full part. It is regrettable the Democratic Unionist Party does not take the same view. If it did, it would make my life easier, as Deputy Ó Caoláin well knows. However, we must continue to find a resolution to that. I know...

Northern Ireland Issues. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Higgins asked me three questions. In response to the first, it is not clearly obvious, as he states, that the DUP does not want agreement. There are elements within the DUP who I fear might hold that position but they not have said so privately or publicly. As I said to Deputy Rabbitte earlier, in a matter of 20 days or so we will know what the tactic is and will have to see that...

Northern Ireland Issues. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In 1995 and 1996 we did much work on a truth and reconciliation commission in the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation, when President de Klerk visited. On three or four occasions since, the issue surfaced. There is not great interest on taking it up, but it remains an issue. If at any time we believe it might be useful in the process and might help the communities, then we would use it. I am...

Leaders' Questions. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I had an opportunity during the day of briefing both Deputy Kenny and Deputy Rabbitte in the limited time available. Around lunch time yesterday, the family of Margaret Hassan were made aware that there was a further video from Margaret's captors and that it was in the hands of Al-Jazeera. As Deputy Kenny said, it was a distressing video and it was decided by the station, on humanitarian...

Leaders' Questions. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I appreciate the support of Deputy Kenny. I appreciate also the support of Deputy Rabbitte and, I am sure, that of every Member of the House. I did not have time to consult everybody, I would have done that if it were possible. Margaret Hassan has done humanitarian work and we will make an effort to have the views of this House conveyed — I think we can do that — to the Arab network. I...

Leaders' Questions. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: We all know that the provision of step-down services for patients ready to be discharged from hospital is a key element of ensuring that health services are matched exactly to patient needs. It is a priority to increase the availability of community nursing and other units which would meet the needs of people who need care and would not be adequately provided for at home. As the Deputy...

Leaders' Questions. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The public land, which belongs to the Department of Health and Children, is available. The question which has arisen between the Departments of Finance and Health and Children is whether this is the best way of providing stand-down facilities or whether it would be better to use facilities available on a contract basis with the hospitals. That is what has been happening in 2003 and 2004. The...

Leaders' Questions. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Dr. Boylan is correct that the number of births increased between 1998 and 2003 by 8%, a large increase. For the preceding 20 years the number of births had been decreasing. There has been a number of meetings between the Department of Health and Children and the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street. The last meeting was held on 22 July this year, when the Minister met the...

Leaders' Questions. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: With regard to the first question, I made it clear that the number of births had increased by 8% in the three maternity hospitals in a four-year period. This is a reversal of what happened over preceding years. If the Deputy is asking me for the relevant figures since the referendum, I do not have them. However, the number of births increased considerably and that was Dr. Boylan's point,...

Leaders' Questions. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The work has been approved and is being processed.

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 12, Irish Nationality and Citizenship Bill 2004 — Second Stage (resumed); No. 13, Water Services Bill 2003 [Seanad] — Second Stage (resumed); and No. 3, Grangegorman Development Agency Bill 2004 — Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. Private Members' business shall be No. 32, motion re child care.

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: On the first issue, the Government, through the Chief Whip, will be glad to deal with the issue of urgent matters. The Government and the Opposition have proposals and we would be glad to discuss these with the Opposition. On the second matter, I hope the health Bill will be available shortly. The Tánaiste was last week involved in discussions on this. It is hoped to have everything in place...

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The last time I reported on this, the work had been undertaken in the Department. We accepted the Bill and it is being retained. The main purpose of the Bill is to provide protection from civil liability to employees who make certain disclosures reasonably and in good faith in regard to the conduct of the business affairs of employers. The Bill is on the Order Paper but, while considerable...

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It will, on a sectoral basis.

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: If there is legislation on competition or health, for example, it will be put into that.

Order of Business. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is in the same statutory order.