Results 5,961-5,980 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Written Answers — Famine Commemoration: Famine Commemoration (27 Sep 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Commemorations are organised from time to time in respect of the anniversaries of signal events of historic importance, usually in relation to a 25th, 50th, 75th or 100th Anniversary with even longer intervals thereafter. The Deputy will recall a major commemorative programme arranged for the 150th anniversary of the Great Famine. Deputies will appreciate that there is not scope for official...

Written Answers — State Bodies: State Bodies (27 Sep 2006)

Bertie Ahern: No position in any of the State Bodies under the aegis of my Department was affected by the increase in the non-executive Chairpersons' fees of State Bodies recently sanctioned by the Government.

Written Answers — Departmental Appointments: Departmental Appointments (27 Sep 2006)

Bertie Ahern: A Task Force on Road Haulage Issues was established in September 2000 to draw up an agreed Programme of Action for submission to Government for regulation of abuses in the industry and increasing the professionalism of the industry generally. The Task Force completed its work in November 2000. Membership of the Task Force included representatives from the Departments of the Taoiseach, Public...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (27 Sep 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The budgetary allocation for each of the public bodies, executive agencies, advisory bodies and taskforces operating under my Department is listed in the schedule below. Budgetary Allocation since January 2006 Name of Agency € 337,050 * Ireland Newfoundland Partnership Nil **National Statistics Board 38,042,000 ***Chief State Solicitor's Office 1,923,000 National Economic & Social...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Sep 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The current sanctioned staffing levels for permanent staff in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel is 19. However, this figure can increase to 25 provided such an increase is offset by an identical reduction in the number of Contract Drafter positions. At present there is 1 vacancy for a permanent member of staff. Earlier this year, in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service,...

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (27 Sep 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Commemorations are organised from time to time in respect of the anniversaries of signal events of historic importance, usually in relation to a 25th, 50th, 75th or 100th Anniversary with even longer intervals thereafter. Having regard to their significance in our history, I would acknowledge that special consideration is justified with regard to Daniel O'Connell. However, Deputies will...

Written Answers — Dublin-Monaghan Bombings: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (27 Sep 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Judge Henry Barron dealt with these issues comprehensively in the Report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings. The issues in question were the subject of careful scrutiny and detailed investigation by the Commission. Judge Barron's Report quotes directly from the minutes of the meeting in September 1974 and of a further meeting in November 1974....

Written Answers — Dublin-Monaghan Bombings: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (27 Sep 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Judge Henry Barron dealt with these issues comprehensively in the Report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings. The issues in question were the subject of careful scrutiny and detailed investigation by the Commission. Judge Barron's Report quotes directly from the minutes of the meeting in September 1974 and of a further meeting in November 1974....

Written Answers — Census Statistics: Census Statistics (27 Sep 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Census 2006 Preliminary Report contains provisional results which are based on summaries returned by each of the 4,400 census enumerators. The definitive population results, based on the scanned Census Forms, will be released in a series of subject-matter volumes between April and December 2007. The results in the Preliminary Report are therefore subject to revision. They will...

Freedom of Information. (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take——

Freedom of Information. (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. I propose to circulate with the Official Report the information requested by the Deputies on the statistics regarding freedom of information requests received in my Department. In 2006, a total of €690 was received in respect of application fees. No charges were levied in respect of costs relating to the search and retrieval of...

Freedom of Information. (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On the first question, the Deputy knows from the charts that the figures go up and down. While they came down initially after the changes in 2003, they wavered up and down in the period since then. At the beginning of this year, the figure was high and it was high in April. Some months the figure is low and some months it is high. It has levelled out at a trend over the past few years. In...

Freedom of Information. (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We have taken them on board. Changes in direction by the Department of Finance are taken on board. We follow them and do not alter them. A significant majority of requests — 62% — to my Department are submitted by journalists, others account for 25%, business interests make up 8% of applications and Oireachtas Members have submitted 5% of applications. That has been the consistent trend.

Freedom of Information. (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: When the last review was done in May and the 130 additional bodies and groups were brought within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act, the bodies under the aegis of my Department, with the exception of the Law Reform Commission, were already within the scope of the Act. The question of extending the Freedom of Information Act to the Law Reform Commission is under consideration, but...

Freedom of Information. (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I remember the debates and the various arguments. Following the initial rush when there was an enormous number of queries, particularly from the public, about various issues, the number of freedom of information requests has settled down to an even keel. I have been very much in favour of its extension to other bodies. It has not created any difficulties that are readily apparent. The...

Freedom of Information. (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is not just a matter of FOI. The change I have seen over the years is one with which Deputy Quinn will be familiar. In the old days, a long time back, a file was circulated to sections. As Deputy Quinn will recall, the opinions of EOs, HEOs and assistant principals tended to be written in manuscript on files. I have not seen a file like that in a long time. I would put it down not...

Departmental Expenditure. (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 7 together. Expenditure by my Department from January 2006 to the end of August 2006 was €19.547 million compared with a total Estimates provision for the year of €37.675 million. This compares with total expenditure of €18.047 million for the period to end August 2005, an increase of 8.3%. While fluctuations in spending occur from month to month...

Departmental Expenditure. (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The National Forum on Europe comes under subhead N in my Department's Vote. The Estimate provision for the year is €1.491 million. Up to the end of August, €835,312 had been expended and the balance remaining is €655,688. That allocation was increased at the beginning of the year. Most of the allocations should come in on target, depending on various expenditures, but the month on...

Departmental Expenditure. (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The National Forum on Europe received a good increase in this year's Estimate and it is more or less on line to meet its allocation. We are examining next year's allocation but it has been upped significantly. The forum does not have expenditure difficulties. It is in a good position and has a good base from which to fulfil its remit and take as active a role as the forum and its members...

Departmental Expenditure. (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The allocation for the McCracken tribunal was held over for Estimate purposes. Very few issues remain in that regard and it is probably a subhead that will be dropped in the next round of Estimates. The fees element of the Moriarty tribunal could go into next year. As I understand it, the first of the reports is due sometime in the autumn. It was originally due in the early summer but was...