Results 7,481-7,500 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——the details of which I spelled out at the weekend, and introducing minimum requirements for the use of bio-fuels in State-owned and public transport vehicles, starting with Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann which the Minister announced recently. Both companies are being instructed to move all their existing fleets to a 5% bio-diesel blend and plan to achieve a 30% bio-diesel blend in all new...

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I do not understand why Deputies Boyle and Ryan call on people to take these issues seriously. When people do so and announce it rather than talk about it they ignore it.

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We require the public sector to lead the way on energy efficiency. We are improving the energy efficiency of new Irish homes by up to 40% and more and the use of solar energy and other microrenewable technologies in homes and businesses. None of those issues should upset the Green Party. They should receive its support.

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That is what I said in every way——

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I do not believe——

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I outlined for Deputy Sargent some of the areas. In our plans we included €16 billion for public transport. We have electrification, bio-fuels——

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I have already given the straight answer——

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——but it is clear that Deputy Cuffe's total knowledge of green issues is that within the facility one can purchase carbon credits and every comment he makes is around that. He ignores all the other points. It is disappointing that as a person who is elected on a green ticket he does not understand either what the issue is or what we are trying to do——

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: His leader, who does understand these things, asked me a question and I was trying to answer. Deputy Cuffe said I was not giving an answer. He usually starts interrupting before I say anything and he did it again this morning. Now he is silenced by the control of his party leader I will again repeat that we are putting resources into public transport——

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——electrification and bio-fuels and it is our commitment to achieve these issues. Regarding renewable energy we have a number of things which I spelled out at the weekend in great detail which we have to do.

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We have also achieved a high number of these issues. We do have problem areas. We have a high reliance on fossil fuels in power generation stations. I will not say that is not a difficulty for us. Renewable energy contributed only 5.2% of electricity needs which is too low. We committed ourselves to one third. I am not saying that is not a big challenge. As a result of livestock numbers...

Ministerial Advisers. (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together. There are currently five special advisers appointed by me. The Deputy will be aware that one of my special advisers recently took up office with the Health Service Executive and no decision has yet been taken on a replacement. There has been no increase in the number of special advisers since I took office. Under the direction of...

Ministerial Advisers. (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I need to tot up the figures to give the overall cost of the advisers. I will give the figure later.

Ministerial Advisers. (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I may ask him to tot it for me. I have a list of costs but not the total. I have published the schedule before. The advisers work closely with individual Departments. When we changed the system a decade ago I assigned them to individual Departments, so normally their work entails liaising with ministerial advisers in the Departments. I meet them on a weekly basis, depending on what issues...

Ministerial Advisers. (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: They keep me up to date, whatever about the advice. There is a formal working session on Mondays, depending on what issues are pertinent. European and Northern Ireland issues could necessitate more frequent meetings. With European business in particular, a key person is put in place from the country holding the EU Presidency who passes information on several times a week. This is...

Ministerial Advisers. (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The total cost sought by Deputy Kenny is €560,000, excluding the Chief Whip and Tánaiste's programme manager. On Deputy Sargent's questions, I depend on the staff in outside agencies and those dealing with the matter in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. I do not have an expert of my own on climate change but there are people with considerable expertise...

Ministerial Advisers. (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Effectively, that is what happens. If these personnel involve themselves in the political process, which most of them would do, they must take leave from their post. If any of them are involved in the day-to-day work of Government, as distinct from the campaign, they can stay. The last time all of my people, bar one, were involved in the campaign and had to clear out of the building.

Ministerial Advisers. (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: They must comply fully with the provisions of the Ethics in Public Office Acts and the Standards in Public Office Act 2001. They have annual forms to fill out and must comply with all of the protocols of the Civil Service under the Public Service Management Act 1997.

Interdepartmental Committees. (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 9, inclusive, together. The role of the cross-departmental team is to identify and assist in advancing and resolving issues related to infrastructural planning and delivery, ensuring they are adequately prepared for consideration by the Cabinet committee on housing, infrastructure and PPPs and, where necessary, the Government. This preparation has helped...

Interdepartmental Committees. (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: On the first point, the State had more freedom when it had fewer resources 20 years ago. As the Deputy will recall, some of the projects carried out during our political time here did not need planning and were completed through OPW special orders. That situation changed during the years for good reasons. The effect of this on projects and their assessment has been a dramatic improvement...