Results 4,601-4,620 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Across the country, young men and women, whose future depends on the quality of leadership politicians can give them, have recently completed their examinations. Over the next few weeks, they will nervously await the results that will determine the immediate future options that are open to them. Here in Leinster House, we have our own end of term ritual. The Opposition fills in the...

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Tonight, the Opposition members have come into the House to try to justify themselves once again. It might not be fair or accurate, but it is the kind of politics and the level of debate that we have learned to expect from an Opposition that has nothing to offer the young people awaiting their exam results, planning their future and anticipating their turn to lead Ireland forward. The...

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——the recruitment of 2,000 extra gardaí, extending medical card eligibility, improving our school buildings, providing child care places and delivering to disadvantaged communities through community employment and RAPID. Three years later, on all of these issues and many more——

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——there has been real measurable progress of which the Irish people can be proud.

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Garda numbers have already increased by almost 2,000 and will expand further in the year ahead, reaching a level of 3,500 more than when Deputies Rabbitte and Kenny sat at the Cabinet table and agreed a cut in Garda numbers. There will be 4,000 extra primary school teachers in our schools next September compared with 2002, which means there are 7,000 more teaching at all levels today than...

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: In addition, we have introduced the GP visit card for low income families. On child care places, we have met and passed out our commitment. A total of 30,000 child care places have been provided.

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On disadvantaged communities, some 250,000 people, including 100,000 children, have been lifted out of consistent poverty. A total of 21,000 places for people in CE schemes have been provided and a refocused RAPID programme is building stronger communities and supporting people at the margins.

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Where Deputy Kenny and Deputy Rabbitte have done nothing except complain, mislead and promise everything to everyone, this Government has worked with the people to deliver success. Tonight, the Opposition members have a different list of issues, but they still have the same tired and cynical script. They attack and attack, but they offer absolutely no alternative, policy or substance.

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I was, unfortunately. They accuse the Government of what has yet to be done on crime, health, child care, education, the economy, house prices, road safety, social inclusion and farming.

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I understand the Opposition members have a duty to hold the Government to account. That is an account I am glad to give, and I will. Tonight, however, they are posing as an alternative Government in an election they claim they want now. If the Irish people know absolutely nothing about what this alternative Government plans to offer for the future, they do remember what they offered in the...

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On a night when we are being asked to think about broken promises from this Government, let us think about the nightmare scenario if Fine Gael and Labour had been given the opportunity to keep their promises and implement their programme from the last election. Their promise in the last election was to borrow more, spend more and tax more. Labour wanted to double capital gains tax.

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Fine Gael wanted to pay off everyone from taxi drivers to Eircom shareholders.

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Their programme for Government——

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Not at all.

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Their programme for Government was a reckless, cynical gamble with the future of the young people who have completed their exams and are setting off in life this July. Looking back on the last motion of censure from the Opposition members three years ago and the issues they highlighted then, one thing is clear. If this Government does not have instant solutions to all the challenges we face...

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On the issues, the facts speak for themselves. On crime, more gardaí and increased resources are being delivered effectively.

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: In a population that has increased by 14% since Deputy Kenny and Deputy Rabbitte sat at the Cabinet table, crime has dropped in relation to our population.

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: What has also changed is that unlike then, we now have a Government that knows that any level of crime, especially violent crime, is unacceptable.

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We are determined to tackle crime, build jails and put criminals behind bars.

Government Record: Motion. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On health, radical reform is in progress and real results are being delivered in many areas. Waiting lists have been successfully reduced to months instead of years.