Results 4,481-4,500 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: It was announced before I got my holidays.

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: Last December, the Government announced that it intended to make modest changes to the way in which money from the dormant accounts fund would be disbursed. This announcement was made when the Houses were still in session. To my disappointment and despite my efforts to inform those in the media, the announcement was absolutely ignored by the media.

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: Yes.

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: That is the Senator's opinion; I do not agree. The announcement was made in December and was totally ignored by the media until such time as the Opposition chose to cynically distort the facts.

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: Even the press release from Deputy O'Shea did not receive any publicity for about ten days. Some media people asked me for information and were satisfied with what I told them. While it got one or two small mentions, the matter was knocking around for weeks. The Government was absolutely clear until some media person picked up the term "slush fund" and suddenly people started running around...

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: The only thing it changes was that the information was known and was supplied in answers to parliamentary questions. Let us make up our own minds about matters and not just jump up and down in response to a newspaper headline. The information had been given to several Deputies. We knew it and everybody seemed happy. However, suddenly we got excited when we read it in a newspaper.

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: I would like to put a number of facts on the record. Disbursements are continuing under the current arrangements.

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: The disbursements will continue until the new legislation is passed. We had originally indicated that the board could allocate about €30 million per year. It has about 300 applications and has allocated about €2 million to about 20 groups thus far. Despite the comments in the media and from the Opposition, I can absolutely confirm that no decisions on disbursement will be made under the...

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: It amazes me to hear Senator Ryan say how worried he is about what we will do in the future. This is not meant as a fund for any election. The Senator must not be too hopeful about his party being in Government in the future if he is so certain we will corner this fund for eternity.

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: There will be full transparency and procedures will be put in place to ensure proper spending of the funds. If there was any doubt about this matter, why would the Government propose that the board be asked on a regular basis to monitor spending under a number of criteria, including adherence to the objectives of the plan, additionality and impact? There will be a double-lock system in place...

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: There will be accountability to the dormant accounts board, in terms of its role under the proposed Act, and to the Oireachtas directly. Listening to the debate in recent days, I wondered about the underlying objection of the media and some Opposition politicians to these changes. All of us who work in the State system, as employees or elected representatives, are subject to a stringent...

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: It will also target the areas in which those people live. That is what we want to achieve. What is wrong with Ministers——

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: What is wrong with Ministers, in this or any other Government, exercising decision-making powers? Are we not elected by the people? Are we not answerable to the people? Are we not responsible and accountable to the people?

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: We are here representing the people. We take actions in their name and we answer to them. What is the big deal? I cannot understand why people are so——

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: I ask people to cop on and have some respect——

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: The people in here are all members of the same profession. I find it difficult to understand how some of them seem to have an amazing belief in any independent board out there but are full of distrust about our own ability——

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: I certainly would blame the Opposition. I cannot understand where it is getting its ideas.

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: Am I speaking? I am sure the Senator will have his turn.

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: I do not mean to lecture, but people in here should cop on. They should have more respect for our own ability to make decisions. People on all sides of the House are knowledgeable about what is happening on the ground. They know the problems and the issues. They know where there is disadvantage and they have ideas about how to deal with it. I do not see why we should always be bad-mouthing...

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Noel Ahern: I attended its first meeting. Its members seemed decent, knowledgeable people with much experience in the community and voluntary sector.