Results 6,941-6,960 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Departmental Expenditure. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: A science group gives Departments and agencies advice in that field. We regularly ask members of agencies to present a briefing to Cabinet committees and meetings. This is a day-to-day feature of Cabinet committees in particular. The science group addresses senior staff in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment regularly.

Departmental Expenditure. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On the Deputy's specific question of whether we have advisers similar to those referred to in No. 10 or No. 11, where there are contract advisers for practically every area, we do not operate such a system.

Departmental Expenditure. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: They have one person for everything, irrespective of the issue.

Departmental Expenditure. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: They also have a science adviser.

Departmental Expenditure. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: A science adviser works in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and we are working with that individual. A small group, the science committee, holds meetings which we attend to discuss issues including environmental issues. However, its members do not work in my Department but come from relevant Departments or, in many cases, relevant agencies. The Deputy is correct with...

Departmental Expenditure. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I always listen.

Departmental Expenditure. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Tánaiste has a programme manager who is based in my Department.

Departmental Expenditure. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: No, his name is Mr. John O'Brien. He worked for the previous Tánaiste in a different capacity. My former Government press secretary is currently undertaking a different task and I do not intend to replace him. I share the work with the others.

Departmental Expenditure. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: In terms of numbers, we have a small staff of advisers, contract advisers and press officers compared to what previously obtained. This is probably the biggest area of cutbacks in the public service in recent years.

Departmental Staff. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together. The number of staff broken down by grade in my private office and constituency office, in the offices of the Minister of State and Government Chief Whip and the Minister of State for European Affairs, as well the annual costs in terms of salaries and expenses of each such office are detailed in material which I propose to include in the...

Departmental Staff. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: They are all civil servants. Many of the people in the private office and the constituency office are civil servants who are always seeking promotions to other areas. There is always a movement of people. I do not think there is any great change. The individual in question is a former member of the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas. I think the person held their entitlements from...

Departmental Staff. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: My political party has had a house and an office in my constituency since the 1940s.

Departmental Staff. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Sargent's party might have a similar facility in due course. My party has moved from one office to another over the last 60 years.

Departmental Staff. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: If Deputy Sargent's party were to make an effort to do likewise, it could be in exactly the same position.

Departmental Staff. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Now that Deputy Sargent has raised it, I think it is peculiar that even if one does not pay rent, one gets a form every year saying that one received the benefit of rent that one never paid. It is extraordinary. It is misleading because when people see it, they think one paid rent because one notionally declared it.

Departmental Staff. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Exactly, and then one sees a declaration that the value of it is €30,000 when there is no cost. It is totally confusing but those are the rules and I comply with them. With regard to using Oireachtas envelopes, which I did, it is totally within my entitlement — I have had a chance to check this — to distribute what is not an electoral leaflet. I was shocked that Patricia McKenna was...

Departmental Staff. (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I assure the Deputy I will help her out anyway.

Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Providing safe and decent residential care for older people is one of our key long-term challenges. As people live longer, the number who will need residential care will increase. The Government's response is twofold. We want to provide home help and qualified assistance to allow as many as possible to live as independently as possible and for as long as possible in their own homes. An...

Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——in effect by 1 January 2008. In accordance with the agreement reached through the lengthy discussions on Towards 2016, the scheme will ensure the same level of support for public and private nursing home residents and involve co-payments between care recipients and the State. Unlike the current system, it will ensure that care is affordable for all and no one will be asked to sell or...

Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: A major change is that in the future, a person will make his or her contribution and the State will meet the balance of the costs and take on the risk of price increases. The scheme will be transparent with the same standardised needs assessment for everyone.