Results 1,401-1,420 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (13 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The heads of the Coroners Bill are expected by mid-2005, while the Bill is due by 2006. I recognise the Bill's importance and I will raise the possibility of fast-tracking it with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

European Council: Statements. (13 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I attended the European Council in Brussels on 22 and 23 March 2005. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, and by the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Deputy Treacy accompanied me. The Presidency's conclusions at the European Council have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The spring European...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, together. There was an expectation among Members that the first parliamentary questions to be answered would be on Northern Ireland issues. However, due to the rules regarding questions, I am required to first answer those on the spring European Council meeting, postponed from last week. I gave a detailed statement to the House last...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There was no particular discussion on the constitutional treaty but, as Deputy Kenny said, a number of countries have decided to hold either consultative or full referenda. Spain has successfully held a consultative referendum. Seven other member states as well as Ireland have confirmed they will hold a referendum. They are Portugal, the Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Denmark, Poland and...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The services directive has been around for some time. It has been indicated that it would not get sufficient support in its present form. That view has existed since the Irish Presidency of the EU last year. Everyone agrees that a services directive is required, but in all such directives it is the balance that is at issue, what one can live with. Commissioner McCreevy almost immediately...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I supported strongly my good friend Jacques Chirac in the debate. We were in favour of the services directive, but so was President Chirac. At the meeting, very few people argued that it should stay in its present form. I can only recall two or three who spoke in favour of it staying in its present form. Prior to Christmas, the Commission conceded that it would not get sufficient support in...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The conclusions as they relate to the Lisbon strategy for this year have followed the process I outlined in answers to questions last week. We have had two reports: one following our request last year for Commissioner Wim Kok to undertake an update for the mid-term review, and the Commission's comprehensive assessment of where the Lisbon Agenda currently stands. Ireland is by no means the...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Yes, Joschka Fischer has strongly supported that move in Europe and supports it eloquently.

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We would have preferred to see the climate change targets retained. There was a major debate on the issue. Some people thought the target date was too far away, others did not want one and others thought it meaningless to set a date of 2050, which is 45 years distant. It was felt moves should be made more quickly and that the 2050 date would be seen as a pious aspiration. The original target...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: People felt that 2050 was too far away and that action should be taken much earlier. There is not an agreement on when people should achieve them, but EU policy is that they should be achieved and as much progress as possible made within the period of this plan. Then we can have a review to see where we are at and have another planned period set to step it up. It is not meant to try to press...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the first issue, research and development, I will make three comments. First, because we did not have the resources, effectively until 1998, research and development only had a small budget. Now the budget is several hundred million euro, but probably the budget will never be sufficient. Hopefully, what we have done in Science Foundation Ireland and in the PRTLI programmes will allow...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I would like to take the second question first and return to Irish language provision thereafter. We want to have a PEACE programme after 2006 and raised the question over the last year. I managed to insert it into the conclusions of the European Council last June, when I was in the chair. I would not have been able to do so had I not chaired the meeting. Since that time, the Irish and...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I remind the Deputy that the veto was not used. The Government reached an understanding with the company, which did not want to pursue a full investigation or inquiry into the matter. An understanding was reached that the Government would not pursue that approach. The comments I made earlier were relevant to the Leixlip project and other projects. Regardless of any cases which might be made...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: For a long time, this country has had a policy of not supporting the nuclear industry. In so far as any resources have been committed at European level, it has only been done to help deal with old reactors in eastern Europe or in some of the new accession countries that are still under discussion. At European level, there is rarely any attempt by countries to fight any nuclear line,...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister received a preliminary report but the detailed report from the European Union inspectors will not be available for some time. They provided a preliminary oral briefing to the Department of Transport on the outcome of the inspection last Friday but the written report will take a number of weeks. However, the oral report probably deals with most of the important issues. The...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The present terminal was built to cater for 20 million passengers per annum and the new terminal is scheduled to cater for between 20 million and 30 million passengers. Decisions on that issue are imminent. The 60 additional screeners have equipment and this should speed up the operation. There is also a balance in the security checks undertaken. Last weekend, the screeners were reused so...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte is not correct that rule 42 was voted on previously by the GAA. There was no internal debate or discussion on that issue on the previous occasion. I am glad we are not in the position we were in when Deputy Rabbitte had a say in matters, when we spent €17 million on sports here. At least we can do a few things now.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I welcome the GAA's decision. I congratulate Seán Kelly on what was achieved last weekend. Having put more than €100 million into Croke Park to see it being made available when required to assist soccer and rugby, it is a very welcome decision. Last year, the Government decided to provide €190 million for the development of Lansdowne Road. We used to spend £13 million a year on sport...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Government gave €110 million of the €260 million.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Yes, it was taxpayers' money. Croke Park has now been finished for GAA activities, including camogie and ladies' football as well as hurling and football. Thanks to the GAA, the stadium will now be opened up while Lansdowne Road is under development. The Government has already made a decision to put €190 million of €290 million into that development. Although the issue has moved on, as I...