Results 4,341-4,360 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte asked me whether I am beholden in any way to any of the others who gave me loans, which I paid back in full with interest. I am not.

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: As I said, I will not go back over all of these questions. I have already answered in the public domain with regard to Michael Collins and I would only be answering the same questions. He is no relation of Tim Collins. What I said yesterday with regard to gift tax has nothing to do with these issues or any of the issues about which I was asked. On the Revenue question, I have been advised...

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy asked me that question yesterday.

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: He used exactly the same words. The answer today is the same as it was yesterday. The Deputy asked about legislation. The Government has over the past seven or eight years put several pieces of legislation on the Statute Book. We established the Standards in Public Office Commission, which carries out its work in a rigorous fashion on all matters. I and all other Members comply with it...

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We have already legislated.

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We have legislated in a way that was acceptable——

Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I made a statement yesterday and I will repeat it. It stated: I realise that my judgment in accepting help from good and loyal friends and the gift in Manchester, albeit in the context of personal and family circumstances, was an error. It was a misjudgment, although not in breach of any law. I apologised for those matters and I think there is nothing more to answer.

Departmental Agencies. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. The total projected cost of the communications unit for 2006 is €352,626. Some €153,757 is a direct cost to my Department, with on average €39,774 being borne by the five other Departments which have staff seconded to the unit. The cost to date in 2006 is €264,470. The unit provides a media information service to...

Departmental Agencies. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The communications unit is scrupulously apolitical. It is a Civil Service unit which provides a service to Government in its extended departmental sense, that is, to Ministers, Ministers of State and a large range of officials across Departments. It has not moved into Internet monitoring or similar services. It focuses purely on the national media and one or two of the bigger local...

Departmental Agencies. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: No.

Departmental Agencies. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Previous to the unit's existence, outside companies were used for many years to provide tapes of programmes and related issues. That would cost approximately €200,000. The communications unit provides the service of recording news programmes etc. That is all it does. There is no political analysis or monitoring. It operates strictly under Civil Service codes. The only reason it is not...

Departmental Agencies. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I would not say it is very sophisticated. It would probably not be nearly as good as political press offices, but the staff do their jobs as civil servants. If the Oireachtas Commission believes it would be useful, there are no great secrets in what is available. Perhaps it would save even more money.

Departmental Staff. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 7, inclusive, together. There are currently five special advisers appointed by me. The Deputies will be aware that one of my special advisers recently took up office with the Health Service Executive. No decision has yet been taken to replace this special adviser. There has been no increase in their number since I took office. Under the direction of the...

Departmental Staff. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The position on this has been clear for many years. The contracts for advisers always run to the formation of the next Government. They cease their duties on the night before a Government is appointed, if they are not reappointed, as happened in the last instance. If they involve themselves on a full-time basis in a campaign, they must take leave. They are not allowed to be working in the...

Departmental Staff. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: When I referred to specific departmental responsibilities I meant that each of them covers a number of Departments. One of them has responsibility for the Departments of Agriculture and Food, Finance, and Health and Children. They would liaise and keep in touch with the relevant issues. Another has responsibility for the Departments of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government,...

Departmental Staff. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: No. If they engage in that, it is done in their spare time.

Departmental Staff. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Katherine Bulbulia, who was a special adviser to the former Tánaiste, left office on 13 September. She was programme manager to the then Tánaiste and was based in my Department. I assume she will be replaced. My adviser has gone to the HSE. My thinking on that at this stage is that I will not replace that position but will reassign work within the Department. Some of the functions which...

Departmental Staff. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: He would need to be a senior counsel.

Departmental Staff. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is.

Departmental Staff. (4 Oct 2006)

Bertie Ahern: If somebody is contracted to a job and takes annual leave, outside of that they are entitled to do what they will, once it is within the law. They have to take annual leave, however, and cannot be involved in their day-to-day advisers' work during an election campaign when they are working on a party political basis. That is the distinction, so if they are working on a party political...