Results 5,881-5,900 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We have made huge progress in that period. I will not remind Deputy Jim O'Keeffe about what happened with some of the contracts during the years some of his colleagues were involved.

Leaders' Questions. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We are engaged in the process and will continue our engagement. We have brought our health service to a stage where it is well resourced. We have a doctor and staff ratio higher than in most countries.

Leaders' Questions. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We are spending resources. We want to make the necessary reforms and will work with the HSE to do that. Deputy Ó Caoláin knows that in the hospital he mentioned it is in this area that some of the difficulties have arisen, and we are engaged in trying to solve them.

Commemorative Events. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: This year is the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, the attack having been launched on 1 July 1916. The Government held an official commemoration at the war memorial in Islandbridge last Saturday, 1 July. A special commemorative stamp has also been issued to mark the occasion. Following appropriate Army ceremonial at Islandbridge, involving prayers and readings, the President laid a...

Commemorative Events. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not want to make too much of the omission. I know the royal family is aware of the Irish involvement. Prince Philip was here some time ago and he is very aware of the regiments involved and their flags. We will make the point. In fairness to the families, the nice thing about the day is that it is special for them. We have arranged a number of events for the families over the years. A...

Commemorative Events. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I wish to acknowledge the work of the committee. It is ad hoc at present because we must consider how it should go forward. I do not wish to simply force a way forward because we need to discuss the best way to work this out. There is time available before the planning for the centenary so we do not need to make decisions over night. However, we should try to work out the best way forward and...

National Security Provisions. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Having regard to the security nature of the work of the national security committee, it would not be appropriate to disclose information about the dates of individual meetings or its proceedings. I can confirm that the committee met within the past month. The committee is chaired by the Secretary General to the Government and comprises representatives at the highest level of the Departments...

National Security Provisions. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: In answer to the Deputy's first question, this issue was examined. The Deputy is correct that following the events of 11 September 2001, the office of emergency planning was set up to co-ordinate the work of the various emergency services in preparing contingency plans. The task force on emergency planning, chaired by the Minister for Defence, meets frequently to assist in that role. It was...

National Security Provisions. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: When any of these ships come in, the Garda and the Defence Forces are consulted and they express their concerns. As far as the high level group is concerned, a number of Deputies here — including Deputies Kenny and Rabbitte — know that it is better if we do not get into the issues in security briefings. There are always highly sensitive issues, and there is ongoing work and co-operation....

National Security Provisions. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Stocks are available to the best of my knowledge. The national emergency plan for nuclear accidents is evolving, and it is also on an international level. The Deputy's first question was on simulated emergency exercises. There has been a number of these. I know that some at sea have been done this summer, and a very big one has been carried out in Dublin Airport. That was a simulation of a...

National Security Provisions. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The group does not deal with such matters. Line Ministers deal with that. Our policy is that we are totally opposed to rendition of prisoners.

Official Engagements. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 5, inclusive, together. On 21 June I met a delegation of senior political representatives from the main political groupings in Iraq. The delegation was visiting Ireland, both North and South, to discuss and learn from the Irish peace process. On behalf of the Prime Minister of Iraq, Mr. Nuri al-Maliki, the delegation conveyed good wishes to Ireland and...

Official Engagements. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte knows the Irish position in the two years that led up to the war, when we were on the UN Security Council. Our diplomats, and the Ministers of the time, did everything they could to avoid a war in the first place. That was the Irish position. We did some very good work on the Security Council, and our respected ambassador, Mr. Richard Ryan, chaired committees on the Security...

Official Engagements. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On the first issue about the UN involvement, all these matters must be watched carefully. I know, from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, that there has been regular discussions at the foreign affairs meetings about much of the activities and the UN involvement in them. On the European Constitution, I had the opportunity of speaking to the Finnish Prime Minister who took...

Official Engagements. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Yes.

Official Engagements. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Yes. That is allowed within the procedures. People do not want to unravel all the good work that Deputy Gormley did on the convention, which I acknowledged, and to go back down that road again. I think it will come around.

Official Engagements. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not want to go into the Defence (Amendment) Bill other than to state — I discussed this with my Finnish colleague — there is a significant movement from all of these countries, the former neutral countries, to involve themselves in the battle group on humanitarian issues and not to encounter the difficulties we had previously in Bosnia Herzegovina and other countries. We will be able...

Official Engagements. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I said the countries——

Official Engagements. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am not sure if I did or not.

Official Engagements. (5 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: What if I did? They have changed their position, as Deputy Gormley will know. There is a live debate in Sweden and Finland about joining NATO. They are changing their position fundamentally.