Results 9,841-9,860 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Regulatory Reform. (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Bill to deal with the legal services ombudsman will be introduced this session, but the Minister has not come to final conclusions on the issue of the professions.

Regulatory Reform. (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It must do so.

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: On the first question of whether I have misled the Dáil, the Mahon tribunal or the Revenue, "No" is the answer. On the utterances I have made here in the House and on the issue of confidence, I have no difficulty in reconciling my support for the Government's motion expressing confidence in the Mahon tribunal and my decision to seek a judicial review on certain procedural issues. On the...

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny is right on that point. I am accountable to this House. To be clear, I am not changing, withdrawing or amending anything I said in the House. The answer to the Deputy's direct and fair question about whether there is something I am concerned or worried about is no — absolutely nothing whatsoever. In the Deputy's other main question, he was wrong in stating that we did not...

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I did pay capital gains tax and gift tax, and I provided all the details on those issues. I gave comprehensive reports. Not only that, but all the people involved went before the tribunal, gave their evidence under oath and were cross-examined. All these issues have been dealt with. Deputy Gilmore can say, from a political point, that it is not a constitutional issue, but that is not the...

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: My legal team will deal with the correspondence. However, when I am told by eminent legal people that something is improper, and that the only way to test this is in court, I do not have any other alternative. As Deputy Kenny said, this issue has not just jumped out but has been in circulation since September 2006 that if the tribunal did not change its procedure I would have to deal with...

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Gilmore is wrong. It is not about protecting myself. It is about respecting the Constitution and the law.

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: In those cases, the Deputies attempted to make expansive use of Article 15.13 of the Constitution. I am far less ambitious. I am only saying plainly that the Constitution should be enforced. The former Tánaiste, Dick Spring, and his counsel argued in the Supreme Court that Article 15.13: protects all that is said in the House. The object of the privilege is to protect Members of...

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 9, motion re referral to Select Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2008; No. 10, motion re referral to Select Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the report by the Minister for Defence regarding service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations in...

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Tánaiste is attending the ECOFIN meting in Brussels today. Departments are allowed to carry over to the following year unspent capital up to a maximum of 10% of the voted capital. Statutory provision for capital carryover by way of deferred surrender to the Exchequer was made by section 91 of the Finance Act 2004, to which this relates. The €126 million is a small proportion of the...

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I discussed this matter with Deputy Kenny. I will be replying to the letter he sent to me; it should be with him today. My understanding from Ministers involved on my side is that it is impossible to get substantive agreement. Deputy Shatter has been very helpful in discussions but it is their view that to put this question we would not alone have to make a decision, but we would also have...

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The view is that we cannot ask people to decide on a substantive issue like this, and there are a number of very important issues, without spelling out the comprehensive legislation. We have done that in all cases since the divorce referendum. It is a practice we followed in a number of other referendums; the Deputy pressed me to do that. We would not be listening to the NGO groups if we...

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It will be in the next session.

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Legislation is due and it is an important issue. In late 2006 and early 2007 the Law Reform Commission published a consultation paper on the multi-unit developments. It drew attention to the broad range of issues of governance and operation of the developments. It is complex because it involves more than one area. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform chairs a Cabinet...

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: This session.

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I do not have a date for the pharmacy Bill. The health Bill will be dealt with in this session.

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I will check whether it is an issue for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission or, as Deputy Barrett indicated, the Department. If it is a departmental issue I will ask the Minister to try to clear whatever blockage is there.

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I will check that.

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Broadcasting Bill will be before the House shortly.

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Shortly. It will be in this session.