Results 801-820 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (2 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will have to check on the matter of the Aarhus Convention. Will the Deputy repeat the name?

Order of Business. (2 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is not possible to indicate at this time. The cross-departmental working group has reported to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform who is now appointing an implementation group to advise on the necessary legislation. That end of the work is advancing. We will bring it as far as we can so that we can try to find some resolution on a North-South basis. That will be the...

Order of Business. (2 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: That is what we will have to examine.

Order of Business. (2 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is to update the provisions relating to the regulation of nurses and midwives, and the heads of the Bill are expected shortly. As soon as we can get that done, it can go for drafting.

Order of Business. (2 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The heads of the Bill were approved just before Christmas and it has gone for drafting. I have no date for it, but it has entered the drafting process.

Order of Business. (2 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: How many years have passed?

Order of Business. (2 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: My notes do not contain the answer.

Order of Business. (2 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is to amend the Diplomatic Relations and Immunities Acts 1967 to 1976 and to limit the Government's discretion in making orders in a way that would remedy any constitutional concern while not impinging on the general prerogative of the Government to make orders. I do not have a note telling me how many sections are included in the Bill.

Order of Business. (2 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the co-operatives Bill, it is likely that a more fundamental review of the needs of the movement may be required before comprehensive proposals for legislation can be brought forward. The Department is working with the sector to facilitate its immediate legislative needs, whether by secondary legislation or inclusion in primary legislation, on this issue and others. Those discussions are...

European Council Meetings: Statements. (2 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I attended the European Council in Brussels on 16 and 17 December 2004. I was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, and the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Deputy Treacy. The Presidency's conclusions of the European Council have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The future enlargement of the European Union was the...

European Council Meetings: Statements. (2 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We have no embassy there.

Written Answers — Dublin-Monaghan Bombings: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (2 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I received a letter recently from Prime Minister Blair on the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974 and the Dublin bombings of 1972 and 1973 which I passed to the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights on foot of its current deliberations. In the letter dated 10 January 2005, the Prime Minister stated: The Government welcomed the establishment of the Barron inquiry...

Official Engagements. (8 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, together. As the Deputies are aware, I gave a detailed statement to the House last week on my attendance at the European Council meeting on 16 December last in Brussels, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who also attended the European Council, took a question and answer session at the end of that Dáil statement. I propose to briefly...

Official Engagements. (8 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Not as much progress had been made on the first issue in mid-December but I welcomed the progress that had been made at that stage at the European Council. We were looking forward to successful elections and acknowledged the work the Palestinian Administration was doing to move from the reign of President Arafat to a new reign. This was highly successful. The hand-over was well managed and we...

Official Engagements. (8 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the first issue, Deputy Rabbitte is correct. The Dutch Presidency made it clear, following the presentation at the European Council by Kofi Annan of the Weisman report and his endorsement of that report, that Europe would work collectively with him. That is our position. Throughout his period of office, Kofi Annan has worked extremely hard to get into this position and I give him...

Official Engagements. (8 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The issue of signing UN orders by the country was not raised. I am not sure whether that is an issue——

Official Engagements. (8 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Yes. I suggest the Deputy submits a parliamentary question but I will raise the matter in any case. The Government's national plan to deal with racism and migration issues was published a fortnight ago. The plan takes account of the Equality Act 2004, which transposes the race directive and is designed to meet the commitments entered into by the UN world conference. This may answer the...

Official Engagements. (8 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the first issue, Deputy Joe Higgins is right. It has been the Irish Government's position on this issue for many decades to work for the absence of all arms, nuclear and otherwise, and it has made such efforts over many decades. The last major round of this work was done by the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. David Andrews, when he was in the Department. That is our position and...

Official Engagements. (8 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the second issue, we will definitely have the referendum before the date on which we must have it, that is, October next year.

Official Engagements. (8 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As I stated to Deputy Sargent, our position, while restrictive, is clear. If there is a UN mandate, constitutionally we can be involved and we will make the decision on whether we will be involved.