Results 9,041-9,060 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: There are hourly trains to Cork, as opposed to the twice daily service ten years ago. We are extending services on other routes and I hope people use those trains as originally they were not running because of a lack of use. The Tánaiste and Minister for Finance is giving a huge amount of resources — €34.5 billion — to help and much of that will be going to public transport so people...

Northern Ireland Issues. (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 10, inclusive, together. I led the Irish Government delegation to the British Irish Council summit on 16 July in Belfast. Prime Minister Brown led the British Government delegation. The BIC was chaired by First Minister Paisley and Deputy First Minister McGuinness. The Northern Ireland Executive was also represented by a number of Ministers. We were...

Northern Ireland Issues. (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I thank the Deputy for her supportive remarks. I spoke to Margaret Ritchie last week. The Government, including the Minister for Foreign Affairs and me, has been supportive. While I did not issue a statement in the heat of the period, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, did so. He issued a very strong and forthright statement in support of her at a time when the issue...

Northern Ireland Issues. (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I can only convey to Deputy Kenny the information I have been given and continue to be given by the Garda and the PSNI. The Garda has advised that there is no information available to suggest that the attack was authorised or carried out by or on behalf of any paramilitary grouping. That is also, I understand, the position of the Chief Constable of the PSNI. I cannot say what some of these...

Northern Ireland Issues. (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny asked about the SDLP, the UUP and the Northern Ireland Executive. In only six months extraordinary progress has been made. In recent weeks the first budget was completed, setting out a financial framework for next year and for the future. The programme for Govenrment has also been completed. I met Ms Richie this day last week when she was here for a meeting with colleagues....

Northern Ireland Issues. (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: On the North-South elements of the national development plan, our new plan covers the period to 2013. It sets out a comprehensive overview of the all-island co-operation and the proposals for enhancing co-operation in a range of areas — transport, education, research and development and health. These include joint investment in strategic projects that will be of mutual benefit to both...

Northern Ireland Issues. (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I agree. Already, there has been a number of meetings on this issue and the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, has made a number of statements on it. The Government's position, which we have maintained throughout the talks process, is that parity of esteem is essential and all of these cultural, heritage and equality issues are of fundamental importance. We have never changed that position...

Northern Ireland Issues. (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: To return to the issue of Minister Margaret Ritchie and the suggestion that there was some pressure from her, I cannot account for every conversation that took place with officials, but it did create some heated debates within the Assembly. Minister Robinson responded to the effect that the decision was in breach of the ministerial code and that Minister Ritchie did not have the legal...

Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 10a, motion re ministerial rota for parliamentary questions; No. 11, motion re orders of reference of committee; No. 11a, motion re establishment of Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security; No. 11b, motion re establishment of Joint Administration Committee; No. 11c, motion re appointment of members to committees; No. 11d, motion re referral to joint...

Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Perhaps the Deputy does not understand the proposal. The proposal is that it will go to committee and come back here on 5 December. That is precisely what will happen.

Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I agree with Deputy Stagg. We go to great lengths to avoid as many guillotines as we possibly can, but I cannot understand what we would discuss about this Bill until 6 o'clock.

Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It relates to the transfer of responsibility for non-national roads and the national vehicle and driver file to the Department of Transport. The only reason——

Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The reason is that advice from the Attorney General's office on the transfer indicated that this provision would normally be done by an order. It would not usually come before the House. However, due to recent cases, the Attorney General has stated that certain provisions relevant to the transfer of functions cannot be included in a transfer order and that we need primary legislation. We...

Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I will have the first matter investigated and see what was agreed in the report. The George Mitchell Scholarship Fund Act 1998 (Amendment) Bill is to increase the contribution. It has been judged necessary to have primary legislation. In many such issues, like the item we just voted on, because of recent court cases the legal position is that we need primary legislation. The old system...

Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I do not agree, but I am not the courts.

Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I do not see that an order listed here for 21 days is any better than having primary legislation which takes time and is far more costly.

Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Law Reform Commission published a consultation paper on multi-unit developments last December and it drew attention to a broad range of issues relating to the governance and operation of such developments. The issues include the manner in which company law currently applies to property management companies. That paper was very comprehensive and it makes it clear that the action to...

Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The property services regulatory authority Bill was to provide for the establishment of a property services regulatory authority to give effect to the report of the auctioneering estate agency review group. I have tried to go far further than that and see if we can deal with property management companies in a comprehensive way.

Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I have just answered that. Did the Deputy hear what I said?

Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: On a point of order, I have given a comprehensive answer to the Deputy's acting leader. I am not entitled to do that under Standing Orders, but I asked the Ceann Comhairle if I could do so. I am only meant to answer questions on legislation during the Order of Business. I was trying to be helpful to Deputy Burton, but having given a comprehensive answer, a Labour Party Deputy ignored what...