Results 3,761-3,780 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The heads of the animal health Bill were agreed some time ago, but I do not yet have a date for the legislation. In the past five or six weeks, I have acceded to requests for several debates. The Whips will have to reach agreement on how much time they might allocate. There is not much point in me agreeing to them if we cannot fit them in.

Order of Business (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: If we can agree on the time, we will have them.

Leaders' Questions (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I will not be partisan about it either. I do not believe that Deputy Rabbitte can fairly make a political point that if I got information in September and dealt with it immediately, that was delaying it. They did not present this information. They did present other information over the years, which successive Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and Justice,...

Leaders' Questions (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——but the relatives put forward their own claims in their submission. I cannot supply an exact date in respect of this matter. My officials have been trying to press the people who have the relevant technical competence to deal with this matter.

Leaders' Questions (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We have accepted that the information has been provided in good faith. However, I cannot make an assessment because I am not a forensic scientist, an architect or an engineer. I have given careful consideration to the matter, taken on board the submissions and listened to the relatives, their advisers and Mr. Greg O'Neill. I spoke to the relatives and understand the hurt they have suffered...

Leaders' Questions (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: When Deputy Joe Higgins and other Members of the House raised this matter a few years ago, I supported the carrying out of a further examination of the safety and security issues and the procurement of outside and independent international advice in this regard. The Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, spent a year carrying out such an examination. I am aware that the site development work...

Leaders' Questions (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I have no reason to argue with the Deputy about this. He knows the legislative, governance and safety processes have been gone through extensively. The Government was anxious that safety issues would be re-examined and international experts were independently hired following a procurement process——

Leaders' Questions (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——to undertake a detailed analysis of the entire case and that has happened.

Leaders' Questions (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: They examined the issues in minute detail. Deputy Joe Higgins is aware this has happened. I have made it clear that work should continue on the Corrib gas field, which is a major national infrastructural project.

Leaders' Questions (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The project also has the potential to play a significant role in the economic and social regeneration of Mayo and the north-west region.

Leaders' Questions (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The project will facilitate the improvement of the region's infrastructure and increase local employment in both the short term and the long term.

Leaders' Questions (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The development will also increase security of energy supply by providing a reliable and secure indigenous source of gas. Deputy Joe Higgins correctly said I hope some day to look after my baskets and flower pots but I hope the horticultural industry will have the benefit of gas from Bellanaboy and the Corrib field rather than Russia by then because that would be much better.

Cabinet Meetings. (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. It is not possible to distinguish the cost of Government meetings generally from the overall costs associated with the operation of the Government secretariat. Where Cabinet meetings are held outside Government Buildings, additional costs may arise. The cost for my Department to date in respect of the meeting which was held in...

Cabinet Meetings. (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On average, only one meeting a year is held outside Dublin and the cost is low. The meeting in Wicklow was held during the Wicklow 400 celebrations and we met those involved in organising them as well as local community representatives. We have met in Cork and Waterford cities. My ministerial colleagues regularly hold meetings in commuter towns. They commute themselves and it is an issue...

Cabinet Meetings. (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: My colleague, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, commutes seven or eight hours to his home a few times a week.

Cabinet Meetings. (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister is more familiar with commuting than the Deputy who takes a handy route on the motorway to Swords.

Cabinet Meetings. (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The intention is to have a good reason and, normally, an invitation. It is in cases such as that of Cork during its year as the European capital of culture that we tend to have meetings outside Dublin, but it is a rare, once a year occurrence.

Cabinet Meetings. (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I remind Deputy Kenny that Deputy Timmins of the Fine Gael Party asked me to go to Wicklow.

Cabinet Meetings. (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I was near Deputy Rabbitte's constituency where we all keep an eye on him. The other day, I went to Abbottstown to watch schools going up before houses are built. The construction of the new commuter station is well advanced before other developments occur. I have seen ideal planning and development.

Cabinet Meetings. (22 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There has been enormous change. The metro west will be in that area to take plans into the future. I watched commuter trains on the rail line speed off to the west. People travel in record times now compared to the past. If I had time, I would gladly have more meetings in such places to see the quality of life and ideal communities there.