Results 9,641-9,660 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

European Council: Statements (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Before I speak on the European Council, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I wish you, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and your staff a happy Christmas. Long-standing Members of the House are aware that the House only functions due to the dedication, commitment and hard work of the many people who work behind the scenes. This is our only opportunity in the year to thank them for that. On...

European Council: Statements (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Before turning to the European Council, I wish to inform the House that I attended the formal ceremony to sign the reform treaty in Lisbon on 13 December. I was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, and the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Deputy Roche. The Minister and I signed the treaty on behalf of Ireland. The signing of the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 126 together. The information sought is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The information sought is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Official Regulations: Official Regulations (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Cabinet Handbook provides that before Government approval for the drafting of legislation can be sought, Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) must be carried out. RIA is an assessment of the likely effects of a proposed new regulatory change. It involves a detailed analysis to ascertain whether or not the new regulation would have the desired impact. In cases where significant impacts or...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: My Department has engaged PA Consulting Group to provide expert support to assist the work of the Organisational Review Programme Team. The company is engaged from 1 October, 2007 for a minimum of 20 days over 6 months. To date, payments amounting to €23,958 have been made. The advice provided to date will be used by the Review Team in its work over the period ahead. Boyd Freeman Design...

Written Answers — Statute Law Revision: Statute Law Revision (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Significant progress has been made in the area of statute law revision and reform in recent years. The ultimate goal is to create a modern and streamlined Irish Statute Book which is more accessible to the citizen and to business. The Statute Law Revision Act, 2007 provided for the repeal of 3,225 obsolete Acts which predated Irish independence. The Act builds on the Statute Law Revision...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (19 Dec 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy will be aware that the Department of Finance is responsible for the overall decentralisation programme. There are no proposals to decentralise my Department or any of the bodies under its aegis.

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2008)

Bertie Ahern: In the first week of December when we presented the budget we mentioned the downside risks. The Minister for Finance made it clear that we were examining a number of concerns about 2008. That was one of the reasons we put a fiscal stimulus of 1.5% into the budget, again reformed the stamp duty regime and revised the size of our capital programme to ensure we continue to inject investment...

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny asked me three sets of questions, the first of which concerned what governments are doing internationally, that is, what Presidents Bush, Sarkozy and others have been doing in the past few weeks. In response, that is precisely what we did in the first week of December last. The Tánaiste announced a budget that allocated 6% of GDP to a capital programme, amounting to an...

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I am very glad to answer the questions and then, as the Deputy has suggested, we can move on from these issues. I will answer them comprehensively. Regarding other issues, from the Government's perspective, I finished Government meetings with my colleagues on the Sunday of the weekend of 23 December and the Government resumed in full session on 4 January. I admit that was a few days off,...

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The full Government was there and has been dealing with all the issues mentioned by Deputy Gilmore and many more in that period. If I recall the questions exactly, I am advised that, in the professional opinion of my tax advisers, I am fully tax compliant. I made a voluntary disclosure based on their advice. For the avoidance of doubt, comprehensive and detailed submissions were made to...

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Was that a headline from the Irish Mail on Sunday?

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I would need a whole law library to keep ahead of the actions I would take against the Irish Mail on Sunday.

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I just ignore the Irish Mail on Sunday.

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2008)

Bertie Ahern: On the legislation——

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2008)

Bertie Ahern: That was not the Irish Mail on Sunday.

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Finance Bill will be before the House in this session as will the social welfare Bill.

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I was pressed at the end of the session to have a comprehensive debate on collusion, which I promised on the last day.

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2008)

Bertie Ahern: At least six other Bills will be before the House shortly and I look forward to all of them being debated in this session. In case Deputy Gilmore thinks I was trying to confuse him on the issue, he stated — maybe he stated it correctly — that I was on record as saying that Revenue would not deal with these issues until the Mahon tribunal is over. If I am on the record as saying that, I...