Results 941-960 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have to acknowledge that, obviously, we have not got a comprehensive settlement that ends these activities. That is the sad reality. In terms of punishment beatings and acts of violence, thankfully they have not reached the level they reached in the past. They are taking place at a time when we thought we would have eliminated them. For now and for the future, we have identified clearly the...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the issue of the health reform programme, the Deputy is aware of the position on that. The Health Service Executive is up and running, and we now have the National Hospitals Office. The third part of the legislation has to go through this House later in the year on the quality issues of health. The history of the consultants' contract is clear and well-known. Junior hospital doctors, under...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have no difficulty with the methodology used. The only argument I would put forward is that it is not possible to compare like with like because it is not a case of being able to do so. As both reports state, the methodology employed is different and cannot be compared with earlier reports. I welcome the fact that they focus on the areas on which we should target resources. While there has...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not accept that analysis. The programme for Government sets down plans for every Department, Minister and agency to follow and endeavour to implement. An audit carried out each year on the huge number of areas and initiatives covered by the programme shows what has been completed. It is obvious that everything has not been completed and some initiatives are either more advanced than...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The major issue with the metro is its sheer size and the scale of the resources required. Almost the entire capital programme would be needed.

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There are other places besides Dublin and the resources must be spread around.

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Dublin Airport is doing better than anyone ever thought it would. Up to 20 million visitors passed through it last year. Only five or six years ago, people stated that this number might only reach 10 million. A huge amount of work was invested in preparing the national spatial strategy and the guidelines for every region and local authority area. Deputy Sargent is correct that the Kyoto...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As regards the first question on the health issue and the thermal treatment plants, of course I acknowledge there is concern in all of these cases. Whenever there is anything new there is concern about these issues. However, the EPA study notes that the World Health Organisation dealt with these issues. They have been reviewed not just in Ireland but in many countries. I understand that...

Order of Business. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 5, Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005 — Order for Second Stage and Second Stage; and No. 4, Criminal Justice Bill 2004 — Second Stage (resumed). Private Members' business shall be No. 44, motion re waiver scheme for domestic refuse charges (resumed), to conclude at 8.30 p.m.

Order of Business. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As I said earlier, the Supreme Court has ruled that the Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill is unconstitutional. I have had no chance to talk to anybody about it, as all I have received is a note informing me that there has been a 93-page judgment. I welcome the clarity which the court's ruling will bring. When the meeting of the Council of State took place, the Tánaiste and I said it was better...

Written Answers — Seachtain na Gaeilge: Seachtain na Gaeilge (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Tá an Rialtas, faoi mo stiúir, an-ghníomhach ag cur na Gaeilge chun cinn. Titeann freagracht laethúil cur chun cinn na Gaeilge ar an Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta. Tá gach tacaíocht tugtha agam don Roinn sin ina gcuid oibre ar son na Gaeilge. Tá Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 achtaithe anois, chomh maith le iarratas déanta ar stádas oifigiúla oibre don Ghaeilge...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (22 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The total number of PR consultancy contracts entered into by or on behalf of this Department in the past three years was 13 — three by my Department and ten by bodies under the aegis of my Department. Details of the contracts awarded by my Department are listed in Appendix 1, and details in respect of bodies under the aegis of the Department are listed in Appendix 2. The PR consultancies...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (22 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: My Department does not have a figure for the total weight of waste disposed of per year. We have a figure for the quantity of paper waste disposed of — the amount in 2004 was 104,000 Kg. All paper and cardboard waste is recycled. Paper waste is disposed of through a private contractor, Leech Papers Limited. This contractor also removes cardboard free of charge for recycling. Redundant...

Leaders' Questions. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As I have mentioned a number of times outside the House and I repeat it inside the House, there are no differences between the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and me on this issue whatsoever. I get detailed briefings on security issues, but they are broad briefings. I do not get detailed intelligence reports every day like the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform...

Leaders' Questions. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny asked me three questions. I dissociate myself totally from any derogatory remarks about the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform made by any Fianna Fáil councillor.

Leaders' Questions. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is obvious that the person in question does not know what she is talking about.

Leaders' Questions. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and I have spent more hours working on these issues than we would want, particularly over the last two years. I recall weekends when we sat around, mostly waiting for people to get back to us on certain issues. I think we spent approximately 30 hours working on these issues, waiting for briefing notes, etc., over the course of one weekend,...

Leaders' Questions. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In the last two years — it is almost March again — I have been doing almost nothing other than trying to deal with this. That is not a good idea for me or the Government. We need to get to an end to this. Everyone in this country understands what the Ministers, Deputies Dermot Ahern, Cowen and McDowell, and I have been doing for the last two years. They all understand it now. We should...

Leaders' Questions. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not want to get into political points but I hope Deputy Rabbitte is not saying Government confusion was responsible for the bank robbery by way of nit-picking statements made by the Government over the course of two years, thus trying to find contradictions suggesting it has changed its line. The Government has been at one for years on this issue. I remind Members of the House, including...

Leaders' Questions. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not disagree with Deputy Rabbitte on that point. This is an opportunity, two and a half years on, to bring this phase of the process to an end. We have brought other parts to an end. Let us not forget that. We do not have the kinds of statistics and problems that obtained before, which were all bad news. The Deputy is correct regarding the McCartney family. There are people who can...