Results 4,701-4,720 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy English put out literature that helped him to get into this House endorsing the equipment, and he stated that it was as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am sorry to frustrate the Ceann Comhairle. I would not have mentioned anything about Deputy English if he had not kept interrupting me. It was reported in the national newspapers that the Fine Gael candidates, including former Deputy John Bruton, endorsed the machines and stated they were as simple as 1, 2, 3.

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I was trying to answer the point raised by Deputy Rabbitte that this was a system which everybody was against from day one. This was satisfactorily used in elections.

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: People were very happy with the system.

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Government will make its decisions in due course, based on the report when it is examined. The Nedap electronic voting system was used satisfactorily on the Continent, for example, in the recent elections in the Netherlands and in Germany.

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Angela Merkel told Deputy Kenny she thinks it is an excellent system.

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The system is currently used in 90% of the electoral areas in the Netherlands. It is used in Cologne, Dortmund, Brandenburg and Anhalt.

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The machines have been used in elections in the Netherlands. The system was used in the EU referendum in 2005 and it has gained federal certification in the US which enables the product to be used in elections there.

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Is the Deputy anti-US as well?

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Since nobody in the Opposition is thankful for the work of Mr. Justice Smith and the commission, I thank them for producing this report. The Opposition is upset that it has not given them the ammunition that they wanted, but perhaps at least they will deliberate on the system, as the Government will, in the weeks ahead.

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I will answer Deputy Sargent directly on this issue. I was in favour of the Kenny report many years ago. I am still in favour of it.

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Can I answer, please? I am in favour of the conclusions of the report of the all-party committee. The report of the all-party committee states that we should be able to deal with the fundamental issues by legislative means.

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is being drafted. I am pressing to get on with it and I do not disagree with what Deputy Sargent stated in that regard. A significant number of people state that such legislation, on which I hope we will come to a conclusion over the summer, could well be challenged. If that is the case, we would need a constitutional referendum——

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——of which I also would be in favour of trying. It was put forward by the committee — we debated the matter many times in the House — that we should try the legislative route and we are trying it. The Attorney General has not given me a final version of the report, but I hope we can do it by legislation and we will try to do it by legislation. I will try to address it over the summer....

Leaders' Questions. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am aware he asked a serious question.

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. On 26 April 2005, the Government appointed Mr. Patrick MacEntee SC as sole member of a commission of investigation to examine specific matters relating to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974, including aspects of the Garda investigation and missing documentation. This was in accordance with the recommendations of the Joint...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Regarding the first question, Mr. Justice Barron presented his final report to me in February 2006, as stated in the March reply to parliamentary questions. The report was considered by the relevant Departments and officials reviewed the report and held a meeting with Mr. Justice Barron to discuss the issues that needed to be addressed before the matter was brought before the Government. This...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The only changes made related to the structure of the report. The last module was solely about the Dundalk bombing. However, in the course of his work, Mr. MacEntee had come across these other issues. It was suggested that rather than producing another report, it was best to structure the report to include all these issues. This has resulted in a change to the layout of the report. This...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I promised the committee that I would try to move it directly to the committee. It has been cleared by the Cabinet this morning and the procedure is that it will be sent directly to the committee.

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (4 Jul 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There was some criticism that I took all these inquiries together, so I took a full session on the Finucane case here two weeks ago. I will not say anything further on the matter today. There is nothing new to add. On the independent commissions of inquiry, first we went through the reports under the late Mr. Justice Hamilton and then Mr. Justice Barron. I am very grateful for their work in...