Results 921-940 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (15 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Further to my reply on 1 February 2005, the following table details departmental expenditure by credit card since June 2002. â'¬ 2004 101,730 2003 65,386 2002 31,623 Records indicate that a total of 809 official transactions were made in the period. Of these, 161 transactions, amounting to €54,597, related to travel expenses and 395 transactions, amounting to €78,722,...

Written Answers — Regulatory Reform: Regulatory Reform (15 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In 2004, the Government published the White Paper, "Regulating Better", which commits to six principles of better regulation and outlines an action programme to implement these principles. As I stated in answer to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 10 to 15, inclusive, on 16 November 2004, a better regulation group of senior officials has been established to oversee implementation of the White...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Subject to correction, I understood we passed legislation some years ago making touting illegal.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I remember we debated the issue then. For as long as I can remember, touts, of whom there are plenty around my part of the world, have always been fearful of gardaí and try to avoid them. I presume there is some reason for that and that there is some law in existence on the issue.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: However, I cannot recall hearing whether the law is enforced rigidly or whether there have been prosecutions. There is an issue. U2 and rugby tickets are like gold dust. It is almost impossible to get tickets for the Ireland-England match and this is a real problem. I wanted to build a national stadium so that a large number of people would fit in it and we would not have the problem. At...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have no problem looking at that. As I said, an old law exists but I accept it is probably ineffectual as the fines and confiscations provided for have little effect. My colleagues inform me they believe a Bill was accepted in principle but was never passed. We can look at that. Deputy Kenny has raised the matter of the practicalities of distribution which is a very difficult issue. Ticket...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We have promised and continue to pursue the commitment to reduce class sizes. The average class size in primary schools has now gone down to just under 24. It was previously over 27. This is the smallest class size in our history. We are determined to lower class sizes even further to below the international best practice figure of 20. In recent years we have invested resources in special...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As stated in the programme for Government, best international practice is a class size of 20 children per teacher. We have significantly reduced class size to 23.9 children. Deputy Rabbitte is also aware of the policy to support small rural schools, of which there are 600 or 700. That has been a good policy. These one or two-teacher schools are small but they are based in their communities....

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Government is committed to accelerated delivery of all infrastructure which is necessary to underpin economic growth and it is placing emphasis at the top of the waste hierarchy with waste prevention to the fore. We are dealing, once and for all, with integral and illegal waste activities by putting in place the necessary structures to deal with individuals and companies who are breaching...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: All over the world thermal treatment plans are a key part of modern waste management systems. The most environmentally-friendly countries, with the best environmental standards and which are quoted in all the international reports, have thermal treatment as an integral part of their plans. If the Deputy examines any of these programmes or the presentations prepared by NGOs on this issue, he...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We have probably one of the most open processes in the world with regard to planning issues and I agree with that, though it takes time. The systems of local authority, of planning, of courts and of the EPA are all open and transparent and all issues have to be considered by them. That does not take from the fact that we are making substantial progress in dealing with the waste issue. I have...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Unfortunately, the reality is the waste issue must be dealt with.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We are using the best international standards in every system in this country. The regulatory system and the independent system are there to oversee that.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: This is a modern economy which must deal with waste of all kinds if we are to have 2 million of our citizens working every day. To say we do not have to deal with it is running away from the issue. We should be looking at the best environmental standards. This is the right thing to do and we are doing it.

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together. Progress on the implementation of the Government programme is kept constantly under review. Deputies will be aware that for every full year that Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats have been in Government, we have published an annual progress report. The second such report of the current administration was published on 1...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will not quibble but I think we did hold a debate on the spatial strategy. I think the Deputy is asking where we will go in that regard in the future. I am not saying the matter should not be debated in the House or in committees but the whole concept of the spatial strategy is that the local authorities in the first instance would have a large input into the basic guidelines which form the...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I assure Deputy Kenny that all Departments and agencies must now work to the national spatial strategy in their overall planning, as must local authorities. I know there is always controversy when one tries to do something, but one works to the best international standards. It is envisaged that we will need four or five thermal plants for a country with a population of 5 million. In other...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will give a general reply, though I am also aware of the specific issues. Deputy Joe Higgins and everyone else must realise the economic development happening and the scale of infrastructural work. As I said yesterday, we are spending over €10 billion under the five-year plan, an enormous sum. That can be broken down into individual contracts, figures and areas, but we are spending...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There will always be pressures.

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I assume it is one of the committees under social partnership, of which there are many. I am not involved in it but the Deputy heard the Government's response last night to the proposal for a national waiver scheme. It is not one we support. I presume the purpose of the discussions is to examine some of the difficulties in terms of individuals being hit for these charges. I presume that...