Results 9,981-10,000 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: A number of points have been made. I think I have explained the Castleknock issue. There is no need to go back to that. The issue has to be resolved. I do not want to repeat all the points and arguments which were made when the issue of children's needs was raised a few weeks ago. I referred on that occasion to international advice on the best way of dealing with autism and how we should...

Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Irish Blood Transfusion Service, IBTS, has given me a report on the incident. The IBTS entered into an agreement with the New York Blood Centre, NYBC, for the provision of a data query tool last October. The purpose of the data warehousing reporting tool is to improve the existing IBTS blood banking system computer, which is called Progresa. The issue the IBTS was trying to deal with...

Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: On the evening of 7 February, an NYBC staff member was mugged outside his home in New York and the laptop issued to him by the centre containing these encrypted files was stolen. While the police have been notified and an investigation into the robbery is ongoing, the laptop has not been recovered. The IBTS and the NYBC are very concerned about the theft and the IBTS informed the Data...

Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: In fairness to the staff of the IBTS, they were conscious that the service's blood banking computer system required improvement and they set out to do that. They went to where they had been advised were the best records in the world. What happened was unfortunate but these things happen. Everyone will say one can hack into anything nowadays——

Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: ——but the IBTS and the NYBC strongly believe this is an extremely remote possibility. However, they will take all the necessary precautions. I agree with Deputy Gilmore that the credibility of the system and the security of the data of people who give blood are important. Public service bodies, as well as other organisations or individuals who hold personal data, are subject to the...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together. I propose to circulate in the Official Report the information sought by the Deputies regarding the statistics on freedom of information requests received in my Department. All freedom of information applications received in my Department are processed by statutorily designated officials in accordance with the 1997 and the 2003...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The dates I gave on that issue were the dates I got from the Irish Blood Transfusion Service. I would say the Department of Health and Children was informed at the same time. In fairness to the organisation, it acted promptly. It is clearly concerned about its own security and credibility and the importance of the good work it does. It has been very careful. Its representatives have said...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The breakdown is usually between individuals and journalists. Personal data comprises approximately half the requests. Other Departments receive a large number of requests from business interests but that is not relevant to my Department.

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: That is true of most of the questions asked by Deputy Ó Caoláin. Specific recommendations about appeals, access and other issues that have been made by the Information Commissioner are for the Department of Finance and a question to that Department will elicit considerations it has on them. In my Department, designated senior people act as freedom of information adjudicators. Freedom of...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The ninth report of the Information Commissioner is her most recent. All of the issues relevant to my Department would have been examined by the relevant officials. There are 18 key decision makers at assistant principal level across the divisions of my Department. Outside of the directives issued by the Department of Finance, any of the commissioner's recommendations relating to...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The extension of the Freedom of Information Act is an ongoing process involving the Department of Finance. Last year and the year before — in the largest ever extension of the Act — its provisions were extended to 137 further bodies. As a result, more than 520 bodies are now covered by the Act. This compares with a figure of 67 when it came into operation a decade ago. In such...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: That is a question for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: What I stated is that in each of the past number of years, we have increased the number of bodies to which the Act applies. From the low number covered at the outset, more than 520 bodies now come under the Act. The process is ongoing and any individual issues should be taken up with the relevant Minister, namely, the Minister for Finance. Issues relating to the Garda should be taken up...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: That is a matter for the Ministers for Finance and Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Departmental Bodies. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I am circulating in the Official Report a list for the information of the Deputy detailing the principal cross-departmental teams and Interdepartmental committees on which my Department is represented. Principal cross-departmental teams and Interdepartmental committees on which the Department of the Taoiseach is represented. No. Interdepartmental Group Sub Committees under Interdepartmental...

Departmental Bodies. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I gave exactly the same reply the last time the Deputy asked the question. The Deputy is reading "the blacks", which contain the list I circulated with the answer.

Departmental Bodies. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I did not. I have a copy of the answer. It states: My Department participates in a wide range of cross-departmental teams and interdepartmental committees, many of which come under the aegis of other members of the Government and deal with issues primarily under their remit. If the Deputy wishes to obtain information about any specific activity of those teams or committees, he should...

Departmental Bodies. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I was trying to be helpful.

Departmental Bodies. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Given that my Department is at the centre of Government, it is involved in a large range of cross-departmental teams. The team dealing with the alcohol issue is one of them. I am not sure if it is relevant to this question but two pieces of legislation are related. I answered about one of them during legislative questions and the appropriate Minister has not made a final decision on the other.

Departmental Bodies. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Official Report contains the full list of the committees. I would not be involved with these groups on a daily basis but I know the position of the group relating to alcohol. Two separate pieces of legislation are being considered. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Brian Lenihan, has commenced the examination of the sale of alcohol products and he has engaged the...