Results 7,661-7,680 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Ministerial Air Transport Service. (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I do not know the figures involved. If he was returning from abroad to Kerry in the middle of the night then the Minister might use the jet.

Ministerial Air Transport Service. (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: He would not be entitled to use the jet for normal domestic flights. He would not request nor, under the procedures, be allowed the use of the jet, or the Lear jet, for going to Farranfore.

Northern Ireland Issues. (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 11, inclusive, together. Mr. Patrick MacEntee SC, QC, was appointed as sole member of a commission of investigation to examine specific matters relating to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974, including aspects of the Garda investigation and missing documentation. On 12 February last Mr. MacEntee wrote to my Department to inform me that he required...

Northern Ireland Issues. (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Some of the earlier extensions related to the fact that Mr. MacEntee sought additional information which, in many cases, he obtained. The position relating to the most recent interim report is different because he stated that the commission of investigation has completed its investigative task and that the further period is required to deal with the final mandatory statutory stages of the...

Northern Ireland Issues. (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: On the report of Mr. MacEntee SC, I agree with Deputy Rabbitte. The quicker we can clear the report for publication, the better. However, I must go through those statutory procedures. With the report of a committee of investigation, I need not go through the select committee. On the Barron reports, I had to go through the Select Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights....

Northern Ireland Issues. (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We have had many meetings about the reports on collusion, particularly those conducted by Mr. Justice Barron into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, the murder of Seamus Ludlow, the Dundalk bombings and others. Many of the summits have dealt with the issue of collusion and a large part of all our meetings is about the public inquiry we are still seeking into the Finucane case so that Judge...

Northern Ireland Issues. (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: On a separate summit and collusion, in the past year or two, a large part of all the summits has been on collusion. Practically all the meeting on 30 January was on collusion. There were a few other items but most of it was on Nuala O'Loan's report, the Finucane case and other cases. We have continued to be very active on these issues as well as setting up the independent commission...

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Both issues will be addressed later this evening in the House. In response to the Supreme Court decision in the CC case in May of last year, the Government passed emergency legislation in early June, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006. On 1 March, Deputy Rabbitte properly identified the deficiency in that legislation in that the new Act did not apply the offence of soliciting or...

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: If he thought it was a minor offence, the Tánaiste would not be introducing the legislation. Although it is not a section that has been used, it is clearly not a minor matter and that is not the impression the Tánaiste gave in the discussions I had with him. The Government is not satisfied to leave any gap in our laws governing sexual offences and the protection of children because,...

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I have not been involved with the Bill in detail so the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will deal with the Deputy's last point during the course of the debate. I assume the matter has been well covered but I will raise it with the Minister with a view to clearing it up before the Bill is taken. I received the Deputy's letter concerning the referendum today and his...

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Bill is being taken in the House in one and a half hours' time. The contents of the Bill before the House, including the precise legal points to which the Deputy refers, can be discussed during the debate. Deputy Rabbitte asked for clarification on section 3(5) in the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006 before the debate and I will ask the Tánaiste to clarify that to the Labour...

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I sympathise with the parents and family of the late Derek O'Toole on his untimely and tragic death. I completely agree with Deputy Higgins's point that it is regrettable that initial reports from an unnamed source attempted to put Derek's character at issue. A full Garda investigation, headed by a superintendent, is under way. When it is completed, a file will be forwarded to the Director...

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I inquired as to whether the leak came from officers on duty in the Garda press office on duty at the time of the tragedy or from any of the officers who attended at the scene and I received assurances that it did not. It came from what were referred to as "anonymous sources". If Deputy Higgins is asking me to condemn such sources, I would be obliged to do so every minute of my life. In...

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 12, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the internal agreement concerning the tenth European Development Fund; No. 13, Finance Bill 2007 — Financial Resolutions; No. 18, Finance Bill 2007 — Order for Report and Report and Final Stages; and No. a4, Criminal Law (Sexual Offences)(Amendment) Bill 2007 — Order for Second Stage and Second and...

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The criminal justice (trafficking in persons and sexual offences) Bill, which is a wider Bill covering several of these issues, is being prepared. The problem is it will not be ready for some weeks, and that would mean that the loophole would not have been closed and perhaps some of the other issues would not have been dealt with either. The request for more time came from the Labour Party...

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Aviation Regulation Bill is to provide for the separation of the safety regulation role from the Irish Aviation Authority and the establishment of a new aviation commission. The legislation is due this year.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: There will still be private Members' business.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The proposals on that are being developed. Recently the Cabinet received a report from the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche. To the best of my knowledge, the legislation is in preparation. I do not know when it will be available, but they certainly are working on it. In the autumn we gave it priority.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is already published.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Hopefully, shortly. It is ready.