Results 1,301-1,320 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not want to speculate on what decision we might make in the future. People ask me to put through some more of the issues with which the constitutional review group has dealt, on the basis that we cannot have costly referenda every month. Perhaps it makes sense to put them together but there is no particular proposal.

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution is carrying out a study of the family and children issue and any referendum will arise out of its report when completed. That will cover any other issues the committee has examined already in that area. The committee said we do not require a constitutional amendment on the building land issue. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage...

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In regard to France, the Netherlands and several other countries holding referenda we have an obligation to pass the European constitution here. In November 2006 the European Council will examine the position. If 90% of countries ratify the constitution by then it will decide on how to proceed. The outcome is not influenced by what happens in any one country. We have an obligation to fulfil...

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Whatever about outside economists' reports on building land, over the last number of years we have proved the capacity in the country to build a record number of houses. The rate of price increase significantly reduced as we dealt with the issues of supply and demand, which is significant. The All-Party Committee on the Constitution report did not find that a constitutional amendment is...

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We have a responsibility to hold a referendum in this country and to try to have it passed, which is what we are endeavouring to do. I will not speculate on anything else.

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There is no other plan. The European constitution includes fundamental rights for citizens. It specifies what is already included in the treaties that people have passed democratically. I do not understand how people can be fundamentally opposed to what has already been passed by way of democratic referendum. There is no change involved in the constitution.

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The people have already voted on these issues. The only aspect which is new is the fundamental rights issue. This gives people the right to protect themselves against either governments or institutions where they believe their rights are being withheld. That is the only change involved in the constitution.

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: If the Deputy is against fundamental rights for people, that is fair enough. He is entitled to be opposed to human rights and other fundamental rights for people.

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I am just giving the factual position of what is in the constitution.

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Government's concern is building sufficient houses. For the first time, we are close to meeting the demand for housing.

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Seville declaration was built into the second Nice treaty. Protections with regard to this issue were clearly put forward to the Irish people. They are absolutely clear. The entire European Council, and subsequently the Irish people, agreed to them. This is the position on which people will be asked to vote again. There is no danger to Irish neutrality in any of this. We will continue to...

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As I stated earlier, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, will shortly bring forward a detailed paper on the Government's next set of initiatives. We brought forward many initiatives over recent years, which is why the supply of housing in this country has increased from a stagnant 20,000 to 25,000 homes to the current figure of 75,000. From the...

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have already stated that arising from the reports we will bring forward another set of proposals. They must go through Government, so I will not announce them here. I can tell the House of the measures we have taken to date.

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I am not going to announce a Government decision before we have considered it.

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte wants to be ahead of a Government decision.

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I thought the Deputy knew what was agreed at the time of consideration of the constitution. It was agreed that every country must ratify the constitution.

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: If, on 1 November 2006, 90% of member states have ratified the treaty, the European Council would discuss the position. There is no commitment as to what it would do but it would discuss the position.

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It would then have to decide what to do. It was left open to see what would happen on that date; there will be a discussion on it. I assume that if only 50% of the member states have ratified it by that stage there would not be much point in having a discussion on it. That is why a figure was inserted — there was no reason other than that.

Constitutional Referenda. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Some 30 groups participated in the convention on the European constitution, one of which was the Commission. It had representatives at the convention. The Commission signed up to the constitution. It had a major impact on the convention all the way through. I would expect the European Commission, which was part of the convention, would support its own constitution document in which it was...

Leaders' Questions. (12 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As I have stated before, for one reason or another, accident and emergency facilities are not up to scratch but it is not the situation in all hospitals. New accident and emergency departments have been opened in hospitals such as St. James's Hospital and Blanchardstown but problems still exist in a number of hospitals. Deputy Kenny asked me to state the present position. Approximately 3,300...