Results 7,901-7,920 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Tribunals of Inquiry. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Any of the recommendations of the Moriarty tribunal applies in every Department. I do not think there is a recommendation that all political parties are to account in any further way for their expenditures between the elections. They are already audited accounts, and the leaders' accounts now——

Tribunals of Inquiry. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——are dealt with in an entirely different way from previously and the statement goes to the Standards in Public Office Commission. I do not recall seeing a proposal such as that to which the Deputy refers that all of these controls for political parties, which are in place during the course of an election, should be in place all year round, and I do not think that is a recommendation. I...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: If you want a view on that, a Cheann Comhairle, all records of the party were given comprehensively to the tribunal in its investigations and, therefore, anything on which the tribunal would have reported would have been on all the records the party would have had. On the first question, any submission on data or reports that the tribunal may have had or used would have been made to the sole...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The full recommendations of the tribunal and a full report have been sent to every Department. I do not think many actions are necessary because most have already been acted upon, particularly those pertaining to public moneys and how they are to be audited and moved to the Standards in Public Office Commission. Most of these things are already in place but any other recommendation that has...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: To every Department.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: What I have stated is that during the nine and a half years of work on the Moriarty report, many issues came to light that required legislative change and they have already been legislated for during the course of the tribunal. It is probably true to say that a lot directly related to its work. I am not aware of any further legislative issue but changes were made over the years to Finance...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: At the outset of the tribunals, certain costs were set. I think they were changed a few times during the course of the work of the tribunals. They were set on the basis the tribunals would be finished within certain timeframes but for one reason or another a number of tribunals made submissions regarding extensions of time. When the tribunals were set up in 1997, it was considered they...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The work of the Moriarty tribunal is almost complete within the existing arrangement — that it will be finished this year. The work of the other tribunals is on schedule or there are agreed dates. The new fee structure has been put in place by a number of them but I cannot recall which ones off the top of my head. Negotiations are continuing on an agreement with the sole member and the...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Under the system used, the fees for counsel are initially certified by the solicitor to the tribunal and then certified by the honourable Mr. Justice Moriarty. The certified counsel fee invoices are then forwarded to the protocol and general division of my Department for authorisation in accordance with Department of Finance sanction. They are, in turn, forwarded to the finance unit of my...

Commemorative Events. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 14, inclusive, together. I am aware that a commemorative event in respect of the Great Famine is being prepared for 27 May. While this is not an official initiative, it is associated with the proposal under consideration between Departments to establish a memorial day. I understand it is the intention of the Minister of State at the Department of...

Commemorative Events. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: As the Deputy noted, there have been many representations on this issue. As I stated in 2005 and many times since, it has been the practice that the principal events in our national history are marked by official commemorations on their significant anniversaries. However, because of our long history, it has not been the practice to organise official commemorations annually of the many...

Commemorative Events. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I thank Deputy Kenny for his remarks on the commemoration event. With regard to visiting the house, there was no other reason for not doing so other than I had been there a few times before. That was the only reason I did not go and there was no particular link with a commemoration event. I believe Deputy Rabbitte does not really care less about the Famine and is trying to make a bit of a...

Commemorative Events. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy's remarks today have been trying to make a bit of a skit of the matter. We should be frank.

Commemorative Events. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: As always I have to repeat myself several times for Deputy Rabbitte.

Commemorative Events. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I stated that this year the Famine commemoration——

Commemorative Events. (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The commemoration this year is being arranged for 27 May. The State is not officially associated with it as an official annual event, as is being requested. We are assisting by having an official reception around the commemoration event. I have asked the committee of people involved in the commemoration to consider whether we should have a national day under three criteria. First, we...

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I welcome the publication of the report by the National Cancer Registry on survival patterns of care. The report cover the period up to 2001, some six years ago. It shows improvements in survival rates for breast, colorectal and prostate cancers but not for lung cancer at national level during that time. It shows improvements in all regions for breast and prostate cancers and in most...

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We are funding and organising cancer services to ensure that patients from every region will be benefit equally from top quality cancer care. Using more specialised care in the major centres is the way to achieve this. That is what all the experts indicate and all the evidence shows that. It is vital that cancer specialists treat a sufficient number of cases to maintain and grow their...

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: As I said, last year there was a 75% increase in staff resources. That investment was to support implementation of the Health Service Executive national cancer control programme. It was for screening and acute services but men, in particular, and Deputy Kenny has been talking to some cancer consultants, are slower to come forward for screening programmes. It is only through active...

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That new service alone has been allocated €33 million which is an increase of more than 70% over last year. That service will also advise on the implementation of the national colorectal screening programme.