Results 2,821-2,840 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: This is the Green Party again. It never——

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It ignores what we are doing on wind energy——

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Green Party wants us to pursue wind energy. Wind energy has gone up by 600%, and now the party is against wind energy.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Green Party is for it.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I was asked a question on smart metering and I confirmed that we are in favour of it. We have established targets for wind renewables and we will exceed our EU target by 2010. Many of the Green Party's supporters believe that what we are doing in that area is enormously important. We are being seen to lead the way in this, and I do not doubt that the party will continue to support our...

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——when the party goes to communities that are against these things, I am sure its members will have the brazen attitude to stand up and say they have a consistent policy.

Strategic Management Initiative. (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. In December 2006, the Government approved a major review of the public service, which is being undertaken by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD. Its two main objectives are to benchmark the public service against those in other comparable countries and to make recommendations on future directions for...

Strategic Management Initiative. (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Most of the work on the initiative has gone on over many years. The steering groups involved mainly comprise officials, Secretaries General from the Civil Service and the Revenue Commissioners. They are pressing the initiative out to agencies under the aegis of the Civil Service. They have improved staff training, undertaken modernising public service premises, ensure people are treated...

Strategic Management Initiative. (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Usually I have nothing to do with this question, which is decided entirely at the level of the Civil Service.

Strategic Management Initiative. (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Under the 1924 Act, taoisigh are responsible for all actions of all 350,000 civil servants every day and everywhere. I had therefore better not say that I am not responsible. It is not about that, as I will try to explain. The Deputy will be familiar with good customer service and the various subgroups in the Departments, each of which has a departmental charter. Civil servants are meant...

Ceisteanna — Questions (Resumed) (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The review is not a substantive audit of sectors, such as health, education and local government. It is, rather, focusing on the connectivity between various sectors, as I told Deputy Rabbitte, including central and wider sectoral areas. It is examining the effectiveness of arrangements through which Government objectives are translated into outputs and outcomes by means of collaboration by...

Ceisteanna — Questions (Resumed) (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Account will be taken of the NESF report and any other previous work, which will feed into the OECD's work. In the first instance, the OECD is consulting with the high-level steering group which is at Secretary General level. That group, comprising Secretaries General across Departments, including the Revenue Commissioners, has been set up to oversee the review. The driving force behind...

Ceisteanna — Questions (Resumed) (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: If the group has views on practices in any of these areas it can provide them in the report. There will be no restrictions and there is nothing to stop the group giving its views on embargos or other matters. The Deputy asked about Mr. Appleby who is in the process of getting additional staff. He has 36 staff at present and is getting additional numbers. The reason he is not getting them...

Ceisteanna — Questions (Resumed) (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: He has 36 so it seems extraordinary that he could want another 20; one would not receive such an increase in any Department. He will have to wait his turn because we have given priority to the labour inspectors and other commitments under Towards 2016. We have waited a long time for these so a new organisation can wait a few more years if the staff are required.

Appointments to State Boards. (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 11, inclusive, together. The information sought by the Deputies concerning the names of the persons appointed by me to State boards and agencies under the aegis of my Department, together with their occupations and dates of any such appointments, since June 1997 is set out in a schedule which I propose to circulate with the Official Report. The relevant...

Appointments to State Boards. (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: They are all my friends.

Appointments to State Boards. (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: No, thank God. Some such appointments must be checked with the Taoiseach under statute but I am afraid I read about most of them. Most of the people appointed by the various boards and bodies under my Department arrive via nominating bodies and I have a minor influence in such cases.

Appointments to State Boards. (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I do not control the NESC, the NESF, the Oireachtas, the farmers, trade unions and employers. I always try to encourage the appointment of more women but if I made suggestions other than that on who to appoint I would not get my wish. It is usually a hard job to find relevant people to take up positions on some of the other boards under my aegis, such as the National Statistics Board. I...

Appointments to State Boards. (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Appointments to boards are made on the basis of the knowledge, expertise and experience individuals can bring to a board. In many cases appointments are made on the basis of nominations by relevant groups, such as social partners, and the individuals involved agree to serve out of a sense of public duty rather than monetary considerations. In most boards there are no monetary...

Appointments to State Boards. (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I do not agree with it and do not think it is a good idea.