Results 5,581-5,600 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The RPII has been very active in promoting its plan through its literature, which I have seen. A public information leaflet on what to do in a nuclear emergency was distributed to all households a few years ago. A new print run of the revised leaflet is to be distributed to public libraries and citizens' information centres. The full emergency plan has been disseminated by the Department of...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: As regards the fire service and emergency plans, the fire service has been involved in many exercises and I have no difficulty with any of those issues which are for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The Deputy knows there is a renewed debate across Europe about the viability of nuclear energy and he knows our view on it. We do not see it as a solution. Its...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Let us be very clear about this. As a result of the cases, actions and meetings at official and ministerial levels and at my level, the British Government is very much aware of our position. The British Government, as a sovereign one, has announced details of a review of energy policy, including nuclear energy, for an updated energy policy which will be published in a few months' time. We are...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We robustly represent the concerns of the people on any proposals which have a negative impact on public health. The Deputy may think writing a letter is better than setting out our position. I would say to the Green Party that, thankfully, this side of the House did not have to wait until its formation to take a position on non-proliferation. This side of the House has been doing that since...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——which was about 40 years before we ever heard——

Northern Ireland Issues. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 20, inclusive, together. I met Prime Minister Blair on the margins of the EU summit in Brussels on 24 March. At that meeting, we discussed our plans for the restoration of the Assembly and the Executive, which we announced on 6 April. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and I met the leaders of Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the Alliance Party on 30 March. These...

Northern Ireland Issues. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The short answer to the first question on the IMC report is that this was always going to be an important report because while the last one was positive, there were a few areas which created concern. I highlighted those at the time and there was much focus on them. This report covers the period from the end of last year up to the first quarter and it has been a positive one across all the...

Northern Ireland Issues. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny asked a number of questions, the first of which raises an important issue. He is correct in that the view is the Provisional IRA has built up a considerable asset base over the past 30 years and its resources are somewhere. Powers of investigation exist and it is a matter for the CAB and other bodies to engage with this issue and investigate it fully. The powers are very strong,...

Northern Ireland Issues. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy raised three different issues. On Oireachtas participation, as I said in my reply, I will be in touch with party leaders with revised proposals. Last year I agreed I would consult with everybody and we listened to what people in the North said as well as the parties in the House. We have worked on a cross-party basis on many of these issues. A joint Oireachtas report was prepared...

Northern Ireland Issues. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: No. Everybody has to play a part. The more Deputy Ó Caoláin's party cosies up to the DUP and the DUP cosies up to his party, the easier my life will be.

Northern Ireland Issues. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not want to be the meat in this sandwich. I have been doing that for a long time. The more Sinn Féin and the DUP can smile at each other in the Assembly and talk to each other nicely, the easier my life will be. I will not be in the Assembly, but I wish the parties well on 15 May.

Northern Ireland Issues. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: As I said, I have not had an opportunity to discuss the privatisation of Sellafield with the Prime Minister, Mr. Blair. The issue has been raised by the Minister for Foreign Affairs at official level, however. Issues of this nature are regularly raised at meetings attended by officials from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and their counterparts in the UK. I...

Northern Ireland Issues. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Government has consistently held the UK Government accountable and responsible for the continued operation of the Sellafield complex. It has submitted some very detailed papers, admittedly in the context of the cases taken under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The UK Government is well aware of the Irish position. I have had endless discussions with the British Prime Minister...

Northern Ireland Issues. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I appreciate that. I was referring to the toing and froing that always seems to happen. We have no difficulty with giving briefings on any aspect of the process and we are always available to do so. Our officials are always glad to discuss the various matters because they appreciate the support they get from Members on all sides of the House as they engage in their detailed work.

Northern Ireland Issues. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I agree with Deputy Crawford that the policing issue is very important. It is enormously important that communities support and ultimately participate in policing. That is the best way to address and ultimately to defeat criminality and so, policing is a key issue. I welcome the new announcement of the Policing Board and I wish it well in what is a challenging responsibility. It is important...

Order of Business. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 10a, motion on membership of committees and No. 11, motion on accident and emergency services. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 10a shall be decided without debate; the proceedings on No. 11 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 7 p.m. and the following arrangements shall apply: the statements of a...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I join Deputy Kenny in observing the 20th anniversary of Chernobyl. Our thoughts are with the families who died or suffered and who continue to suffer, as we have seen in the programmes broadcast in the past week. Thousands of families in Ireland have become personally involved with children and families from the region through the efforts of Adi Roche and many others who worked on this issue...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Our national plan has been audited, tested and validated internationally in line with best practice. That is a continual process. On Deputy Kenny's point about co-ordination of the various organisations such as the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, the Garda and the Defence Forces, the plan sets out how these should...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I will deal with the two points on which Deputy Rabbitte questioned me yesterday. I was fully briefed on the first point. The second question he asked was when the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform knew about this matter. I stated yesterday that I did not know and that it was a matter for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. A spokesperson for the Minister for...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: A decision in regard to proceeding with a trial or a retrial is exclusively a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions.