Results 1,601-1,620 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Freedom of Information. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: An official might mention that such a request was received. However, other than that, they do not. For that reason I do not bother using the credit card because people would know whom I was with.

Freedom of Information. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Overall that might be an interesting study for the Department of Finance to carry out. In the early years my Department received an enormous number of requests relating to historical issues. People were going back using procedures, even current ones, to find out what the procedure might have been in the past. It was obvious they would go through the system and after a few years fall out. So...

Freedom of Information. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: One had no records.

Freedom of Information. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The average cost as calculated by the Department of Finance is approximately €425 at 2004 levels. As the fee for each request is €15, it is a very unprofitable and costly business, and the fee represents a very small fraction of what it costs to process requests. I believe there have been freedom of information requests regarding Media Lab. This information was either released following...

Freedom of Information. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy asked specifically about 2005. We have not issued any certificate in 2005 and the Secretary General of my Department has never signed a certificate relating to the deliberative process. While the provision exists, we have not used it.

Public Private Partnerships. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 12, inclusive, together. At the March meeting of the cross-departmental team on housing, infrastructure and PPPs, the main agenda items were: housing, particularly in the context of recent reports from the National Economic and Social Council and the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution; strategic national infrastructure, especially...

Public Private Partnerships. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will deal briefly with the three issues raised. The Stability and Growth Pact as it now stands allows an increase in funding. If one performs an arithmetical exercise, the potential figure is something like €1 billion. All the other criteria of capital projects would have to be fulfilled, but it allows for a greater level of funding. The Members should remember that we are already...

Public Private Partnerships. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The categorisation of second houses is broad. One cannot infer from the figures that a second house is a house that someone lives in at weekends. Many second houses are bought for investment purposes. In that broad categorisation, the Deputy put forward figures which are probably accurate, but he is including people who have bought houses for investment purposes which are then let out in the...

Public Private Partnerships. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the other point, the Government has addressed the NESC report and the all-party committee report. As I stated earlier, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will bring forward a position on the issue shortly. I have already stated that the matter will be debated in the House when we do so.

Public Private Partnerships. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The issues the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Callely listed are issues that have been discussed in the ten-year multi-annual transport review. The Department of Finance and the Minister for Transport will make a final decision over the coming weeks. The Minister announced the multi-annual programme in the budget last December and the debate on the decisions to be...

Public Private Partnerships. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Regarding the first issue raised by Deputy Rabbitte, there has been a review of the critical infrastructure Bill and an updated and reformed version of the legislation will be brought forward. A considerable amount of work was carried out by the Minister over the last six months which has improved it. The Department of Finance is assessing the Stability and Growth Pact and will examine the...

Public Private Partnerships. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Government is very aware that supply, which was the crucifying problem for many years, has reached 80,000 units and is double what anyone believed seven or eight years ago could be achieved. This is having a knock-on effect on affordable housing because supply and demand are becoming more evenly balanced, as are the changes that have been made with regard to stamp duty and other...

Order of Business. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 15, Sea Pollution (Hazardous Substances) (Compensation) Bill 2000 — Order for Report and Report and Final Stages; No. 4, Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005 — Order for Second Stage and Second Stage; and No. 16, Commission to Enquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005 — Second Stage (resumed). Private Members' business shall be No. 41, motion re class sizes...

Order of Business. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will request the information on the various sections of the Children Act about which Deputy Kenny asked and forward it to him. On the commission of investigation, my officials have discussed the issue with Justice for the Forgotten. The group would prefer broader terms of reference but we have taken as terms of reference what happened in the Oireachtas committee and the issues that had been...

Order of Business. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Bill will be published in this session and I thank Deputy Rabbitte for raising the issue.

Order of Business. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will ask the Minister for Transport to note the Deputy's comments.

Order of Business. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill is being prepared but it will probably be next year before it is before the House. The Postal (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill was taken off the list and I am unsure of its current status. I will request information about it.

Order of Business. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Ó Caoláin has been beaten by Deputy Joe Higgins in this round.

Order of Business. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy wants to come in to say how excellent the minimum wage is in Ireland, but as soon as I corrected him on that he moved to the tax issue.

Order of Business. (27 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We will have it this year.