Results 441-460 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The heads of the criminal justice (miscellaneous provisions) Bill were approved some time ago but it was necessary to undertake a restructuring of the Bill to make provision for other matters and requirements that were not originally anticipated at that stage. The heads of the Bill had been approved before that decision was made. It is expected to publish the Bill in mid-summer. I do not...

Order of Business (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The heads of that Bill have not yet been drafted. Its purpose is to bring into effect the comprehensive legislation to address noise pollution, but it has not advanced very far.

Order of Business (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I answered the second question, yesterday. The heads of the civil partnership Bill are in preparation. On the Údarás na Gaeltachta Bill, the legislative proposals in regard to the powers and functions of Údarás na Gaeltachta are being considered in the wider context of recommendations contained in the linguistic study of the Gaeltacht. A Cabinet sub-committee, chaired by the Tánaiste,...

Order of Business (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Fines Bill was published on 30 January 2007. I am not sure why it is not being taken, but I understand it has been published. The draft heads of the intoxicating liquor Bill are in preparation, as I mentioned earlier.

Order of Business (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Bill is due this session. I am not sure precisely what week it will be published, but it is due this session. I understand there was some consultation around Christmas with the organisations, but perhaps that is not correct.

Order of Business (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The merchant shipping (miscellaneous provisions) Bill is to provide enabling powers for maritime safety provisions. The draft heads have just been approved by Government and the Bill has gone for full drafting.

Order of Business (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It will be the middle of the year.

Order of Business (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It will be the middle of the year.

Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: In fairness to the staff of the IBTS, they were conscious that the service's blood banking computer system required improvement and they set out to do that. They went to where they had been advised were the best records in the world. What happened was unfortunate but these things happen. Everyone will say one can hack into anything nowadays——

Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: ——but the IBTS and the NYBC strongly believe this is an extremely remote possibility. However, they will take all the necessary precautions. I agree with Deputy Gilmore that the credibility of the system and the security of the data of people who give blood are important. Public service bodies, as well as other organisations or individuals who hold personal data, are subject to the...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together. I propose to circulate in the Official Report the information sought by the Deputies regarding the statistics on freedom of information requests received in my Department. All freedom of information applications received in my Department are processed by statutorily designated officials in accordance with the 1997 and the 2003...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The dates I gave on that issue were the dates I got from the Irish Blood Transfusion Service. I would say the Department of Health and Children was informed at the same time. In fairness to the organisation, it acted promptly. It is clearly concerned about its own security and credibility and the importance of the good work it does. It has been very careful. Its representatives have said...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The breakdown is usually between individuals and journalists. Personal data comprises approximately half the requests. Other Departments receive a large number of requests from business interests but that is not relevant to my Department.

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: That is true of most of the questions asked by Deputy Ó Caoláin. Specific recommendations about appeals, access and other issues that have been made by the Information Commissioner are for the Department of Finance and a question to that Department will elicit considerations it has on them. In my Department, designated senior people act as freedom of information adjudicators. Freedom of...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The ninth report of the Information Commissioner is her most recent. All of the issues relevant to my Department would have been examined by the relevant officials. There are 18 key decision makers at assistant principal level across the divisions of my Department. Outside of the directives issued by the Department of Finance, any of the commissioner's recommendations relating to...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The extension of the Freedom of Information Act is an ongoing process involving the Department of Finance. Last year and the year before — in the largest ever extension of the Act — its provisions were extended to 137 further bodies. As a result, more than 520 bodies are now covered by the Act. This compares with a figure of 67 when it came into operation a decade ago. In such...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: That is a question for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: What I stated is that in each of the past number of years, we have increased the number of bodies to which the Act applies. From the low number covered at the outset, more than 520 bodies now come under the Act. The process is ongoing and any individual issues should be taken up with the relevant Minister, namely, the Minister for Finance. Issues relating to the Garda should be taken up...

Freedom of Information. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: That is a matter for the Ministers for Finance and Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Departmental Bodies. (20 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I am circulating in the Official Report a list for the information of the Deputy detailing the principal cross-departmental teams and Interdepartmental committees on which my Department is represented. Principal cross-departmental teams and Interdepartmental committees on which the Department of the Taoiseach is represented. No. Interdepartmental Group Sub Committees under Interdepartmental...