Results 2,761-2,780 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I do not want to make any comment about what happened in the trial. That was a matter of the evidence before and the judgment of the court. The individual concerned in the case received an 11-year sentence for manslaughter, as well as two concurrent five-year terms for wounding and possession of firearms. He has been under the control of the authorities in Portlaoise Prison and Castlerea...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Towards 2016 programme was only launched formally a few weeks ago but the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and his Department had set up a separate unit to engage with the social partners and move on legislation to address issues in a number of areas. The collective redundancy Bill will deal with the issue relating to Irish Ferries. The Employment Permits Act which we passed...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte is wrong as usual. The legislation has already been passed by Government, will be published shortly and will deal with these issues. The Minister has just told me Jack O'Connor, who briefed Deputy Rabbitte on these issues, is in direct consultation with him. Mr. O'Connor sought that consultation before we published the Bill.

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: When he telephoned Deputy Rabbitte he forgot to say he sought consultation and that is the reason the Bill has not been published. I am sure he will say that to the Deputy in the next telephone call. What I said last week is the case. We are employing 90 inspectors.

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I did not interrupt the Deputy. This year the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has given priority to putting all its additional staff into the inspectorate. As I understand, the only reason there is a delay——

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Does the Deputy want 90 inspectors or not? He is more interested in the number there was.

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: If Deputy Rabbitte really wants to be helpful, he could put a word in with a few of his party members who are actively involved in the public service unions and who could help us to deal with some of the difficulties in the filling of the 90 posts because there are some restrictions. We will have 90 inspectors, as promised in Towards 2016. The labour inspectorate is doing a very good job and...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I welcome the support of the leader of the Labour Party in trying to force decisions on this from the public service unions. We are prepared to do so in negotiations. The money is there to enable us to do this. If we can remove some of the issues in regard to recruitment, we will able to move very quickly.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I understand the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is examining the sections in question.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: No decision has been made but the matter is before him.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: He is being urged to make a decision.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is not promised at this stage. With regard to the report, we could take it if the Whips created time but that will be difficult.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The House is sitting until 11.30 p.m. tonight.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: People are giving out about how late it is.

Order of Business (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We could debate it between 11.30 p.m. and midnight.

Northern Ireland Issues. (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: On the report of Mr. MacEntee SC, I agree with Deputy Rabbitte. The quicker we can clear the report for publication, the better. However, I must go through those statutory procedures. With the report of a committee of investigation, I need not go through the select committee. On the Barron reports, I had to go through the Select Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights....

Northern Ireland Issues. (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We have had many meetings about the reports on collusion, particularly those conducted by Mr. Justice Barron into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, the murder of Seamus Ludlow, the Dundalk bombings and others. Many of the summits have dealt with the issue of collusion and a large part of all our meetings is about the public inquiry we are still seeking into the Finucane case so that Judge...

Northern Ireland Issues. (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: On a separate summit and collusion, in the past year or two, a large part of all the summits has been on collusion. Practically all the meeting on 30 January was on collusion. There were a few other items but most of it was on Nuala O'Loan's report, the Finucane case and other cases. We have continued to be very active on these issues as well as setting up the independent commission...

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Both issues will be addressed later this evening in the House. In response to the Supreme Court decision in the CC case in May of last year, the Government passed emergency legislation in early June, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006. On 1 March, Deputy Rabbitte properly identified the deficiency in that legislation in that the new Act did not apply the offence of soliciting or...

Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: If he thought it was a minor offence, the Tánaiste would not be introducing the legislation. Although it is not a section that has been used, it is clearly not a minor matter and that is not the impression the Tánaiste gave in the discussions I had with him. The Government is not satisfied to leave any gap in our laws governing sexual offences and the protection of children because,...