Results 10,121-10,140 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business (5 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Referendum Bill will be published tomorrow. We hope to have one intoxicating liquor Bill before the summer. There are two other Bills to come later.

Order of Business (5 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Probably next year.

Order of Business (5 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I will have to check that. I do not know which Bill it is.

Order of Business (5 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister for Foreign Affairs is dealing with the second matter. The names of the commission will not be announced tomorrow but the Minister has contacted the High Court to name a judge and we have to wait until we get that from the court. We are ready but we have to get a High Court judge.

Order of Business (5 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Bill will be introduced next year, 2009.

Order of Business (5 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I do not have a date for the health (long-term residential care services) Bill but the Government is considering it.

Written Answers — Commemorative Events: Commemorative Events (5 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The inauguration of an annual memorial day for the Great Famine is under consideration by officials. Their recommendations in the matter are expected shortly.

Constitutional Amendments. (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together. The referendum on the reform treaty will take place this year. No decision has yet been taken on the date of the referendum but it will be before the summer recess. As the Deputies are aware, the Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2007 was published in February 2007 and contained the Government's proposal to amend...

Constitutional Amendments. (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Government discussed this matter this morning. It is the outstanding issue and we have put all of our efforts into providing what people have said they want. They wanted to see the Bill, the completion of the White Paper, which will happen shortly, the explanatory guide, the simplistic guide, the website set up and the date named. We have done all the other things, subject to the date....

Constitutional Amendments. (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: On the first issue, Deputy Kenny will acknowledge the Government has been very active in respect of the WTO for many months and on the agricultural issue in particular. Since Christmas, the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy John McGuinness, has explained our position to a large number of countries directly. The Minister for Foreign Affairs also...

Constitutional Amendments. (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: As I have dealt with the issue of the date, I will not repeat myself. The role of the Referendum Commission is to inform the public about the referendum and encourage citizens to exercise their vote. The earliest point at which it could have been established was the date on which the referendum process was initiated. We did this last week. In making the order for the establishment of the...

Constitutional Amendments. (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I have already said I will not answer questions on the everyday decisions of the European Parliament. What I want is to see this reform treaty implemented because it is the right thing and is good for everything to do with this country.

Constitutional Amendments. (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I am aware that a Sinn Féin Member of the European Parliament has asked for the consolidated text to be sent to every household in the country, which I was told would cost €20 million, but it is available on demand if people are genuinely interested in looking at the treaty in more detail. All of that information is available on the websites I mentioned. People can get anything they need...

Constitutional Amendments. (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It is a contradiction to everything that happens. The Deputy should not feel that I was inconsistent on the second referendum on the Nice treaty because he is aware that in Northern Ireland every time something failed I would try it again, with the urging of Deputy Ó Caoláin's party.

Constitutional Amendments. (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It is good to try and try again. I did that six times to try to keep going. The Deputy's constituency of Cavan-Monaghan is a great beneficiary under INTERREG III and all of the financing programmes.

Constitutional Amendments. (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I do not believe the Deputy wants to see the great resources going to County Monaghan and cross-Border co-operation being pulled back.

Constitutional Amendments. (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: If the Deputy does not want it, he does not have to have it.

Constitutional Amendments. (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Referendum Commission will bring forward its document which will be circulated, in line with what it normally does, to every household in the country. The resources have been provided for this. The information pamphlet was widely circulated before Christmas through all the usual outlets such as educational institutions. It is also available on the website. Much more information on the...

Constitutional Amendments. (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I am not aware of what is happening with it. I need to check it out.

Constitutional Amendments. (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: To take the last point first, I agree fully with the Deputy. At the start of the Government's term I raised this issue in the House — I think Deputy Brian Hayes questioned me on it. I said to the Minister, Deputy Gormley, that he should go ahead, regardless of other Seanad reforms, and deal with that issue because there was no reason not do so as we had already dealt with it. I have...