Results 5,261-5,280 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern
- Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: I stated yesterday that in 2003 we shared the concerns of others about the Iraq regime and its programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction.
- Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: The Government decided it could not consider participating in military action against Iraq without a further explicit UN resolution to that effect. Other Governments, including Australia, interpreted the legal position differently and Australia decided it would take part.
- Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: I also said the presence of Australian troops in Iraq now is on a different basis. Since then, it has been sanctioned by UN resolutions and requested by Iraq's elected Government, which has made it clear that the assistance of international forces remains essential. I wish the new Iraqi Government of national unity well into the future. The Deputy raised another issue on behalf of the...
- Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: I did not but, perhaps, if I get a chance, I will tell the Prime Minster to watch "Oireachtas Report" tonight.
- Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: Shannon Airport had nothing to do with the initiation of the war.
- Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: I was quoted correctly yesterday and I have outlined what I said.
- Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: What I stated is not in line with what Deputy Sargent said and he knows that well. The Government's position was that we could not consider participation in military action against Iraq without a further explicit UN resolution to that effect.
- Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: We went to great lengths to achieve that when we were members of the UN Security Council. We were useful in trying to maintain that position but when Ireland left the council, the situation moved in a different way. Other governments took a different position and they are entitled in a democracy to other positions.
- Leaders' Questions. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: I did not discuss all the issues raised by the Deputy. I do not know what the Green Party does in Iraq but it should raise those issues with its own Prime Minister. I will not act as a messenger boy for the Green Party of Australia.
- Order of Business. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: The Order of Business is No. 1,address by the Honourable John Howard MP, Prime Minister of Australia. Private Members' business will be No. 54, motion re drug abuse.
- Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: The work on employment contracts is 90% complete, but not on the overall deal. If people are reasonable on the other issues, we can reach agreement. There are some issues related to employment contracts on which employers have moved a long way, as have the relevant Departments and agencies. These are issues that involve the Department of Social and Family Affairs, the Revenue Commissioners...
- Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: We have not seen many wildcat or irresponsible strikes or one-man pickets since the 1906 Act was amended some years ago and the Labour Relations Commission and the conciliation services were established and strengthened. Nothing in the package will provide for bans because that cannot be done. All we can do is work towards an industrial relations situation in which we do not experience...
- Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: We have given resources to increase the inspectorate and to toughen the law. It has always been our policy to stop breaches whenever we can. Because far more people are working than ever before, there will be greater difficulty, but we must keep working to clean up all sectors of industry, including construction. All the issues around tightening up employment law have been examined at great...
- Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: There will be.
- Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: That is not the issue; these are pay negotiations. The Government tries to keep costs low but that is not the difficulty in these talks. The Government has fully honoured its pay commitments and the benchmarking process.
- Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: The Government has honoured its promises with regard to land under the social housing agreement. It has to work its way through the system. We must await the planning process before continuing. Concerning child care, long-term care, older people, disabilities, and employment for vulnerable people, the Government has honoured an enormous number of commitments. We have also provided resources...
- Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: I have not been in the House since Wednesday morning, and there has been some controversy regarding an issue that I raised in response to a question from Deputy Rabbitte. Since I comply with all Standing Orders and have been doing so for the past 29 years, I will do so now. I have always felt strongly that the perception that the then management of Aer Lingus was proposing to organise the...
- Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: Not a chance.
- Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, together. Discussions with the social partners continued up to Easter and resumed after the Easter break. Until recently, the first strand of the negotiations on pay and related matters focussed on concerns about maintaining and protecting employment standards in the context of a rapidly changing labour market, especially in light of the...
- Social Partnership. (23 May 2006)
Bertie Ahern: It is not the case that employees have done badly in any year over the past 19 years. Successive partnership agreements by successive Governments have shown that increases in workers' salaries and wages have far outstripped inflation and increases in similar countries. When taken with the tax concessions given during this period, the living standards of workers have increased dramatically...