Results 981-1,000 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Decentralisation Programme. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Reports are made to the entire Cabinet as this issue affects practically all Ministers. A Cabinet committee meets when necessary but a monthly report is made to the full Cabinet.

Decentralisation Programme. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The system is a voluntary one. It is being implemented on a voluntary basis. That is the spirit of it and that is how it operates.

Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 10a, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Údarás na Gaeltachta Elections (Amendment) Regulations 2005; No. 1, Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill 2002 — amendments from the Seanad; No. 18, Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Bill 2004 — Order for Report and Report and Final Stages; and No. 17, Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004...

Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It was freezing.

Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: All the natives thought it was very cold.

Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the first matter, the Cabinet sub-committee is looking at this issue and we have had advice from the Attorney General. We discussed the matter yesterday and received a report from the Tánaiste who answered questions on the issue in the House yesterday. We will move ahead on the issues. The Deputy will appreciate there are many complex issues and questions about the categories and we will...

Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Tánaiste is answerable for the legislation giving tens of thousands of people free access to GPs and is working on it as a matter of urgency so that people will be able to get these medical cards, which are important for their health, in the month of April. The work permits legislation is due this session.

Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Curragh of Kildare Bill will be published in the summer.

Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Work on that legislation is advancing and the Government hopes to conclude it shortly for introduction during the year.

Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will ask the Minister why this Bill has not been brought forward. It is ordered for Report Stage.

Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The medical practitioners Bill will be published later this year. I do not know if the issues identified by Deputy Ó Caoláin will be covered by the provisions of this legislation, but will ask the Department of Health and Children to communicate with the Deputy on this matter.

Order of Business. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The pharmacy Bill is due later this year.

Consultancy Contracts. (1 Mar 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. The report prepared by Mr. Dermot Quigley was published on Thursday, 27 January 2005. I made the report available to Deputies in the Oireachtas Library and also on the Department of the Taoiseach website. There is nothing in the report to suggest that Deputy Cullen, now Minister for Transport, acted inappropriately regarding the...

Consultancy Contracts. (1 Mar 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The question of there being a suspicion or perception of impropriety can arise, as Mr. Quigley stated. I have accepted that position and, within that broad principle, there must be changes to the rules. It arose in this case and we must ensure that it does not happen again. It was precisely because those concerns existed that I set up the inquiry into the procurement process. It was...

Consultancy Contracts. (1 Mar 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not intend to have a re-run of Mr. Quigley's report. He did that work and put forward his issues. I have not checked what people got but Mr. Quigley said that the procedures in that Department alone on previous occasions were not unlike what had happened in this case. Other issues had happened at other times. Perhaps years had moved on and the rates would not be the same but he made the...

Consultancy Contracts. (1 Mar 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The purpose of the inquiry was to ascertain all the facts. Everybody was interviewed about the relevant issue. In future, we will have to follow the procedures put forward. The Cabinet discussed the issue so all Ministers are, therefore, aware of what is happening. We have also informed Ministers of State about the new procedures. We will change the Cabinet handbook at the appropriate time. I...

Consultancy Contracts. (1 Mar 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As regards matters to do with European procurement, the report addresses issues relating to procurement. Deputies are well aware that the application of procurement guidelines whether at national or EU levels is complex and no two sets of circumstances are alike, as the report makes clear. Mr. Quigley's report at no time says that anything was wrong with the specific procurement exercises. He...

Consultancy Contracts. (1 Mar 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Procedures are already in place for all of these areas. If one insists on everything being so clear-cut as regards such matters, one will find oneself all over the place.

Consultancy Contracts. (1 Mar 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Quigley report did not say so. It said, however, that there was nothing to suggest that Deputy Cullen acted inappropriately in the matter. Obviously, Deputy Sargent just wants to fire people when they have been cleared. I am glad he is not a judge. In the remit of the Standards in Public Office Commission, which I set up on foot of the wide-ranging powers in the Standards in Public Act...

Consultancy Contracts. (1 Mar 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not think that is the case either. In the last decade, we have moved an enormous distance in terms of tightening up things. Sometimes there is a level of common sense with these issues and people should tie that level down. I set up the investigation into this so we can learn lessons, tighten procedures and not have vagueness. At the same time, we cannot write a system in which no one...