Results 1,141-1,160 of 1,279 for speaker:Michael Ahern

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: I will bring the Senator's questions to the attention of the Department and will ask the officials to contact her in due course.

Seanad: Community Colleges (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, with the opportunity to outline to the Seanad the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and also to outline the current position of the building project for Athlone community college. Modernising facilities in approximately 3,200...

Seanad: Community Colleges (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: I am sure Deputy O'Rourke will announce it.

Hospital Staff. (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: It is, with all due respect, thanks to this Government that Mallow is so well looked after.

Airport Development Projects. (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: Look at all the money that was put in over the years.

Airport Development Projects. (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: I was there when a Government refused to put a farthing into the place. We went into Government and increased——

Airport Development Projects. (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: Of course, that is not true at all.

Airport Development Projects. (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: On the announcement yesterday of Mr. Joe Gantly's decision to step down from the board at the end of July next, the Minister paid tribute to his achievements during his time as chairman. In responding to the Deputy, I propose to set out the initiatives that the Minister has taken to facilitate the separation of Cork airport from the DAA, a key objective that he shares with Mr. Gantly. The...

Airport Development Projects. (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: It is Government policy that commercial State-sponsored bodies should operate to a commercial mandate, to include the capacity to finance capital investment without Exchequer support. The State Airports Act envisages that the three State airports will operate to such a commercial mandate. Any proposal to depart from this policy would, in any event, require EU Commission approval under the...

Airport Development Projects. (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: In due course, the business plans will be submitted to the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Finance for approval as regards the State airports' financial and operational readiness. The Minister looks forward to working with the CAA board, as it proceeds with the next steps for the airport's separation from the DAA. Also, as part of this process, there will be a need to engage in...

Airport Development Projects. (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: I shall bring that matter to the attention of the Minister.

Schools Building Projects. (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Deputy for affording me the opportunity to outline to the House my Department's position on the proposed new school at Eglish. Eglish national school is a co-educational facility with a current enrolment of 48 pupils. The school has a principal, a mainstream assistant and a resource teacher for Travellers. An application for capital funding towards the provision of a new school...

University Status. (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter on the Adjournment. The process for designation of an educational institution as a university is prescribed by the Universities Act 1997. Section 9 of the Act provides that the Government may appoint a body which will include national and international experts to advise the Higher Education Authority on whether, having regard to the objects and...

Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: Vote "Yes".

Local Authority Contracts. (29 Apr 2008)

Michael Ahern: I thank Deputy Cregan for raising this matter. The issue raised by the motion has complex legal and policy dimensions. From a legal perspective, it involves the rule of privity of contract. This means only the parties to a contract, those privy to it, have enforceable rights and obligations under the contract. In its recently published report, Privity of Contract and Third Party Rights,...

Order of Business (8 May 2008)

Michael Ahern: Emmet will be back again.

Dáil Sittings: Motion (17 Jun 2008)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak. It was with disappointment that I heard the opening speeches of the Labour Party which continued its old mantra of attacking the Fianna Fáil Government and trying to make the point that Fianna Fáil did not look after the less well off in our society. However, the evidence is that the last Labour Minister with responsibility in that...

Hazardous Waste: Statements (2 Jul 2008)

Michael Ahern: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me a few minutes. First, as the Deputy who has been 27 years representing the Cobh area and who lives nearest to the westerly wind side of the island, I also have a particular concern about my own area just outside the bridge. The Minister answered a number of my queries, one of which related to meeting with Cobh town council whose members are the...

Hazardous Waste: Statements (2 Jul 2008)

Michael Ahern: Second, I thank the Minister also for telling us that he will make all of the reports available to the rest of us, who have been elected for many years in the area. Third, I want to ask about the study on the leachate, which would not only affect the harbour but also would go into Aghada, Whitegate, Ballynacurra and East Ferry; those areas should be checked out as well. I thank the Minister...

Hazardous Waste: Statements (2 Jul 2008)

Michael Ahern: ——because the first response when there is a new report is that these are only covering up on the report that they did in 2005.