Results 861-880 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: The community and voluntary pillar is larger now than it was but some groups are not involved. Some years ago, for example, the ICMSA did not approve the programme and left the process. On another occasion, the IFA pulled out for a period. In social partnership the people on the group are obviously the people who sign up for the agreement. If one does not sign up, one is automatically not...
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: Again, on that issue the environmental groups have traditionally come in under sustainability issues. Deputy Sargent raised this issue before and, as I understand it, some of the groups are making or are about to make applications to come in in the next round.
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: Yes, I would rather the process to be inclusive because it makes it easier for the system in engaging with them.
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: Sustaining Progress is not really about transport. On the general issue, I have to comply with the Act I introduced in 1989 on safety at work, which requires one to wear protective gear on sites. It is good practice to do so.
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: My suit could be sackcloth.
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: It does not look as good as the Deputy's suit.
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: At least the Deputy's tie, with its Dublin county colour, is the right colour. He is moving away from the Kerry people.
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: He is. Generally, we examine any improvements we can make in the transport area, including the particular transport issue the Deputy mentioned, namely, the improvement of some of the line closed since 1961 in the area he mentioned. I understand the strategic rail review did not look at the whole line but a section from Clonsilla to Dunboyne. I believe it is supportive of opening it and the...
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: In regard to consumers, Deputy Kenny has made this point before and I do not disagree with it. Social partnership is based around all the organisations. They do not have a particular consumer role but, as the Deputy knows, under Sustaining Progress and the last agreement, the social partners worked together collectively on inflationary issues and inflationary trends. Therefore, indirectly...
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: Which organisation?
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: I do not know why funding was withdrawn, to be quite frank. As I said earlier to Deputy Boyle, there is no relationship between who is involved in the pillars and the Departments which provide grants. My Department makes no effort to stop funding. In fact, we continue to operate alongside organisations which pulled out and did not agree to Sustaining Progress in other fora and committees. The...
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: I certainly will not defend the position. The consultation process is clear. When companies are making strategic decisions â neither I nor Deputy Rabbitte is questioning their decisions, which they have right to make â they should follow the directive and normal good industrial relations practice. In fairness to the trade union movement in this country, it is not unreasonable in that it...
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: I wish to respond briefly to Deputy Rabbitte's question. The Minister met representatives of Greencore yesterday. She will also meet the IFA and will discuss the issue with an Oireachtas committee today.
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: The Kyoto Protocol is not on the agenda for social partnership.
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: If the Deputy tables a question for the Minister he will receive the latest information on the issue, which was recently before the Cabinet. Regarding the Carlow sugar factory, the Minister is dealing with a committee of the House today and will provide information on that matter.
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: On affordable housing, the total potential yield of housing units under the affordable housing initiative is over 10,000. This is positive as it represents a greater figure than that originally set out. There is now an injection of extra State resources for the purpose of moving the scheme on as quickly as we can. Mr. Des Geraghty has issued his second report which has been helpful in this...
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: Some 500 affordable housing units have been completed and a further 1,500 completions will be achieved this year. The land is available, initiatives are under way and local authorities are working with the contact group and the implementation group. Des Geraghty's second report and the efforts of the entire system are focused on moving as quickly as possible, having identified the sites,...
- Social Partnership Agreement. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: The Deputy is right. The first agreement was fairly simple as it tried to recover the country from seven years of negative growth, control the finances and have low pay agreements in return for reducing taxes and trying to stabilise the economy. Every agreement in the 18 years has been different in nature and each time we look at new challenges. This year a broad range of issues was covered...
- Departmental Staff. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: The projected total cost of the communications unit for 2005 is â¬319,934. Some â¬129,250 is a direct cost to my Department with on average â¬38,137 being borne by the five other Departments, which have staff seconded to the unit. The cost for the unit in 2004 was â¬300,277. The unit provides a media information service to Ministers and their Departments. It furnishes news updates and...
- Departmental Staff. (9 Feb 2005)
Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny is correct to state that a ruling was made at that time based on a report that had been given to me at that stage. The document had been prepared by an advisor. When that person left, we immediately ceased the presentation of the report in that form, on the ruling of the then information commissioner. We ceased the use of the person who was there and we did not fill the...