Results 9,621-9,640 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

EU Summits. (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I have discussed this issue a number of times with John O'Shea of GOAL and other agencies. I have discussed it with Mr. O'Shea more than anyone else and I have great regard for his efforts and commitment. Anyone who meets him will appreciate that. He has a particular issue with Uganda. We note that and the people involved in it. On the whole Irish Aid programme, the senior official who...

EU Summits. (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Timmins and I would be of the same view on the first matter he raised. We face difficult decisions in the absence of a new resolution. It raised complex legal and political issues for the individual and collective consideration not only of us but a large number of member states. I hope to be able to maintain a presence in KFOR to contribute members of the Garda Síochána to any...

EU Summits. (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: José Manuel Barroso is very much of my view on the taxation issue. As Prime Minister and Minister and now Commissioner he has always been very supportive of my views on this issue. There is no ceasing of work on this. What is going on is that in the Commission, here and in other member states work is continuing in advance of any legislative proposal being brought forward. The work being...

EU Summits. (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I used the Deputy's logic.

EU Summits. (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I will be very clear on the first question. The Deputy keeps saying the ongoing work on the CCCTB system has been shelved. It has not been shelved and technical work is ongoing. Will this turn into a legislative proposal to bring in tax harmonisation? I do not believe it will and I do not believe President Barroso wants to do that. If it was tried, the Deputy knows the issue could not be...

EU Summits. (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We operated on the basis that we would not introduce new exemptions while we retained the exemptions we had secured. That is the position we took.

EU Summits. (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I will deal with the Deputy's final question first. As he stated, the judgment in the Laval case was issued only yesterday and we will need time to study and consider the ramifications, if any, for Ireland. Unlike Sweden, Ireland has a statutory minimum wage and it is illegal to pay anyone below the minimum wage, which currently stands at €8.65. Ireland, because of its industrial...

EU Summits. (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I understood there was a meeting yesterday.

EU Summits. (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Perhaps I can correct Deputy Costello. We never put forward the name of Pat Cox as chair of the group. We put forward the name of Pat Cox as a member of the committee. We were asked in September for somebody with competent and qualified European experience. We did not think there was anybody who was better qualified in that regard, having just been the past president of European...

EU Summits. (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We remain hopeful. He is eminently qualified and of current times to be in this position. That is not to take from any of the others but, to be frank, I am not a big supporter of going back 20 years when one wants to move 20 years forward. To me that sounds strange that if one wants to plan Europe for 2030 one goes back to someone who was around in 1980. Sometimes people make strange...

Order of Business (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 6, motion re appointment of the chairperson of the Standards in Public Office Commission; No. 7, motion re appointment of an ordinary member of the Standards in Public Office Commission; No. 9, statement on European Council, Brussels. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: there shall be no suspension of sitting under Standing Order...

Order of Business (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I accept the acknowledgement by Members of the suitability of the candidate. They have made their point with regard to consultation and they have accepted the bona fides of the Tánaiste in talking to the Opposition about what happened. Mr. Liam Kavanagh, who is a former Member of the House and Minister, was appointed six or seven years ago and did a very good job in this regard. We are...

Order of Business (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Legislation is not required. I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Smith, who travelled throughout the country and listened to all the groups who had views on this.

Order of Business (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: He has implemented changes to the community care scheme that are highly helpful.

Order of Business (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The community child care subvention scheme is part of a €575 million national child care investment programme. It was announced last July to replace the staffing levels under the equal opportunities programme and it is targeted at community child care providers. The Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Smith, has repeated the impact of the scheme and has given out all the details. Anything...

Order of Business (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Bills are due next year. I do not have a date for the referendum.

Order of Business (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: No.

Order of Business (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That is correct.

Order of Business (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The only Bill in this area is the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which will be published in January.

Order of Business (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I have asked for a letter to be sent to the Deputy. I will check on that today for the Deputy.