Results 6,061-6,080 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill is not as long a Bill. The heads of that have been approved and it is listed for early 2007. On the Health Bill, the consultation process is under way and once that is finished, revised proposals will be submitted to Government. The heads of the original Bill had been approved since 7 March. That consultation process will really decide how long it will take,...

Order of Business (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Yes. It is hoped that it will be published early in the new year.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The expenditure estimates for my Department contain relatively small provisions for the administration of the Department and of the bodies which come under its aegis and it is anticipated that this funding will be spent during the year in accordance with the Department's operating requirements. My Department is closely monitoring expenditure and will continue to do so as year-end approaches...

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I spent two hours 20 minutes answering questions here yesterday and I spent an hour last week. At every opportunity where members of the national media asked questions over the past two weeks, whether that was in Clare, Cavan or Dublin, I answered. I gave comprehensive answers yesterday so I will not go on each day rehashing the same questions. The only question of substance the Deputy...

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Government and the House have brought in a range of stringent legislation over the past decade which governs this House. This includes the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 and the Standards in Public Office Act 2001. We all make our annual returns. I appreciate Deputy Kenny's previous statements that he does not want to go in to my separation issues. I have explained that the accounts...

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——if one is going through a separation, life is not particularly easy. That is all I did. I did no more than that.

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: That is irrelevant.

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We are all governed by the standards applying to political accounts and donations. The Minister, Deputy Martin, made that clear. I stated that I have attended many functions and social events in Manchester. To try to piece together a list of every person who attended each individual event from the time I first began going to Manchester as a councillor, a Deputy and a backbencher is...

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte asked me whether I am beholden in any way to any of the others who gave me loans, which I paid back in full with interest. I am not.

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: As I said, I will not go back over all of these questions. I have already answered in the public domain with regard to Michael Collins and I would only be answering the same questions. He is no relation of Tim Collins. What I said yesterday with regard to gift tax has nothing to do with these issues or any of the issues about which I was asked. On the Revenue question, I have been advised...

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy asked me that question yesterday.

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: He used exactly the same words. The answer today is the same as it was yesterday. The Deputy asked about legislation. The Government has over the past seven or eight years put several pieces of legislation on the Statute Book. We established the Standards in Public Office Commission, which carries out its work in a rigorous fashion on all matters. I and all other Members comply with it...

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We have already legislated.

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We have legislated in a way that was acceptable——

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I made a statement yesterday and I will repeat it. It stated: I realise that my judgment in accepting help from good and loyal friends and the gift in Manchester, albeit in the context of personal and family circumstances, was an error. It was a misjudgment, although not in breach of any law. I apologised for those matters and I think there is nothing more to answer.

Departmental Agencies. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. The total projected cost of the communications unit for 2006 is €352,626. Some €153,757 is a direct cost to my Department, with on average €39,774 being borne by the five other Departments which have staff seconded to the unit. The cost to date in 2006 is €264,470. The unit provides a media information service to...

Departmental Agencies. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The communications unit is scrupulously apolitical. It is a Civil Service unit which provides a service to Government in its extended departmental sense, that is, to Ministers, Ministers of State and a large range of officials across Departments. It has not moved into Internet monitoring or similar services. It focuses purely on the national media and one or two of the bigger local...

Departmental Agencies. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: No.

Departmental Agencies. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Previous to the unit's existence, outside companies were used for many years to provide tapes of programmes and related issues. That would cost approximately €200,000. The communications unit provides the service of recording news programmes etc. That is all it does. There is no political analysis or monitoring. It operates strictly under Civil Service codes. The only reason it is not...

Departmental Agencies. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I would not say it is very sophisticated. It would probably not be nearly as good as political press offices, but the staff do their jobs as civil servants. If the Oireachtas Commission believes it would be useful, there are no great secrets in what is available. Perhaps it would save even more money.