Results 5,321-5,340 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Departmental Bodies. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny will appreciate that the number of groups, bodies and organisations that wanted to have a member on the task force was enormous, which was encouraging. At a time when it is difficult to get people to serve on what used to be seen as attractive boards, that was not a problem with this task force. The issue raised by Deputy Kenny came up but while the membership of the task force...

Departmental Bodies. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: That is a very good point. I know that many of the sporting organisations, some of which I know well, certainly in the inner city communities, such as the FAI and the GAA, have a positive policy of working to include the new ethnic communities and minorities. Many of the primary schools in the inner city have pupils from over 20 different nations and there are no difficulties with people...

Departmental Bodies. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Was it last year that the full-back for the Dublin under-16 team was Nigerian and the full-forward was Chinese?

Departmental Bodies. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is happening. Some of the best under age——

Departmental Bodies. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: My Galway colleagues tell me they have some of the best up and coming Brazilian footballers in rural parts of Galway. That has happened. They are integrating into the communities.

Departmental Bodies. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Briefly, on the question of integration I agree with the comments made by Deputy Rabbitte on education. For that reason, the Minister for Education and Science and her Department have put an enormous amount of teachers into these schools and into the language learning initiative to help with English skills in schools. It is working relatively well. Deputy Rabbitte mentioned his constituency....

Departmental Bodies. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Part of the preparation for this involved the small unit pulling together the resources that exist for supporting community and voluntary groups. It is only when one sees it all together, one realises how many exist. The community and voluntary sector spends approximately €300 million annually, outside of sport. It is spent on community issues, such as the resources which went into tackling...

Departmental Bodies. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is an interesting position and we should foster and build for the future.

Departmental Bodies. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am open on that issue, and the question is how a representative can be found. There are many people from different groups, but the amount of groups makes it difficult. Perhaps it should be left to Ms Davis and her group. They may feel there is someone who could take a broad representation and would be acceptable. I do not always agree with the theory that this is about people who are...

Departmental Bodies. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: They are active citizens too. It does not follow in practice that this is the difficulty. Some people are committed and interested, and the effort should be to get more people to give a little bit of time to help. That makes good practice for active citizenship.

Departmental Bodies. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: That is an issue, as any voluntary group cannot afford to pay huge prices. I accept it is a difficulty. That was a reason for the State lands initiative. Local authorities should try to give some of their land. The committee chaired by Des Geraghty, in the context of the affordable housing initiative but it has a wider application, said that where there is much land that is not zoned,...

Order of Business. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Order of Business is No. 2, Institutes of Technology Bill 2006 — Second Stage, resumed. Private Members' business will be No. 51, motion re primary education, school places and class sizes, resumed, to conclude at 8.30 p.m.

Order of Business. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I would be very glad to.

Order of Business. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Chief Whip has proposals if the Opposition is prepared to accept them.

Order of Business. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: That particular legislation will be brought forward this year. On the first question, which the Ceann Comhairle has ruled in order, the Department of Health and Children is currently studying the implications of this important case. The ruling clarifies that authorisation to travel abroad for hospital treatment cannot be refused where the treatment in question is normally available in the...

Order of Business. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The heads of the charities Bill were approved about two months ago and it has been given priority drafting.

Order of Business. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is a very large Bill with many legal complexities but a number of the difficulties around charitable donations and bequests and some other legal difficulties have been overcome. I understand it is hoped to get the Bill into the House in the autumn and the Minister is anxious to do so. The other legislation was-——

Order of Business. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is not possible to indicate when that legislation will be taken.

Leaders' Questions. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, correctly said that the school bus fleet has had a good record over the years. What Deputy Kenny said is also correct, last year has been worrying. There have been five incidents and in two of those children were killed. In another incident, children got out of the back of a bus and yesterday there could have been an enormous tragedy. We must count...

Leaders' Questions. (17 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Earlier in the year the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy de Valera, outlined the procedures that will be introduced. Obviously, if seat belts are introduced for children on school buses, it will affect seating capacity on the buses and some children will not be able to travel on them. In the incident in which a child fell out of the back of the bus, there...