Results 5,621-5,640 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It should. On Deputy Sargent's other question, 16 Bills are listed for this session. Some 24 other Bills were before the Oireachtas. This Oireachtas has a good record. The programme goes up to the summer recess. This Government has enacted 147 Bills. An enormous legislative programme is before the House but we cannot take all the Bills.

Order of Business. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I remember what I said to Deputy Stagg. I understood there was a commitment to bring the heads of the Bill before one of the committees but I will follow up on that. I will ask that it is done.

Order of Business. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty Bill is listed for this session. The heads of the national monuments Bill were approved some time ago but revisions and a new round of consultations were required in light of the reorganisation and enactment of the National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004 and the reorganisation of the heritage responsibilities. In regard to the other Bills, including...

Order of Business. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Those Bills are in section A and the heads should be finished. They are well advanced in drafting and should be ready before the next session.

Departmental Advertising. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The following schedule outlines the value of newspaper advertisements undertaken by my Department since June 2002. Year Amount spent on Newspaper Advertisements â'¬ 2002 (June to Dec) 10,299 2003 10,212* 2004 21,608* 2005 27,731 2006 (Jan to Mar) Nil *Included in the above figures are payments made by my Department for advertisements in newspapers which were recouped...

Departmental Advertising. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The national development plan advertisements are not placed by my Department. I issued a circular on the appropriateness and inappropriateness of advertisements during the last session, which should be adhered to. Nobody bothered to put my face on the list of advertisements placed by my Department and I was not upset about that.

Departmental Advertising. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am not too sure that makes much difference to the advertisements. Criteria, which are fair, are laid down for public information advertisements. The advertisements are placed for public information and not propaganda purposes. If those who design the advertisements feel they should include a Department's title or logo or a photograph, that is all right but they should not be used for...

Departmental Advertising. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I brought this issue to the attention of every Minister, Minister of State and Department. A notification was also circulated by the Standards in Public Office Commission. Ministers should follow the commission's request and that, on its own, should determine that people stay within the guidelines.

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 to 4, inclusive, together. I met Mr. Raymond McCord on 22 March in Government Buildings. This meeting followed a series of meetings between Mr. McCord and officials from my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs. I expressed my sympathy to Mr. McCord and his family on the loss of his son, Raymond. Since his son's brutal murder in November 1997, Mr....

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am aware of the issues raised by Deputy Ó Caoláin but, although they may prove to be factual, the Deputy will understand that I cannot stand over the facts at this stage. However, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, Ms O'Loan, has investigated the details to an enormous degree and has elaborated on them in a report she prepared over some months. That report is with the Director of...

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not know precisely when the report will enter the public domain but I understand from a number of sources that it will do so within the coming weeks and by some time in May. I am unsure whether that estimate is based on the fact the DPP will make a decision or on a time gap. It is seven months since the report went to the DPP. I do not know whether the issue is time or if it is a call...

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The meeting I mentioned was the meeting with the Prime Minister in Armagh to make him aware of our concerns about the case. On 9 November 1997, Mr. McCord's body was found in Ballyduff Quarry in Newtownabbey after he had been beaten to death by loyalist paramilitaries. He was a 22 year old Protestant resident of north Belfast and his father has fought his case since then. Since last year...

Commemorative Events. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 11, inclusive, together. As Deputies will be aware, the Easter Rising of 1916 was commemorated by a military parade in Dublin on Sunday, 16 April 2006. Approximately 2,500 personnel representing all branches of the Permanent Defence Force together with representatives of ex-service personnel and veterans of UN service were included. The parade also...

Commemorative Events. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I thank the Deputy for his comments on the commemoration. No decision has been made on the GPO or other suggestions. These matters are best discussed within the committee. It has been mooted by a number of people that the GPO could and should be used, either in part or in full, not just as a museum of 1916 but as a museum of the past 100 years or further back. There are many creative people...

Commemorative Events. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On Deputy Ó Caoláin's last point, I have heard no speculation. It certainly did not come from any of the issues with which I dealt. Arbour Hill is the resting ground of the leaders of the 1916 Rising and I cannot think why anybody would want to change that. I agree with the Deputy's comments on the Good Friday Agreement as I spend a huge amount of my time trying to do that. Deputy Ó...

Commemorative Events. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is a matter for everybody whether they can attend events. I confirm the Deputy told me he would not be there and that he would be represented by another Deputy.

Commemorative Events. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy asked three questions. I totally disagree with him on the first question, even more so on the second one and fundamentally on the third one.

Commemorative Events. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: With regard to the centenary of Michael Davitt's death, there will be a week of commemorative activities in the last days of May and the early days of June. Relevant people have been in touch with my Department with regard to support for the commemoration programme. There will be a conference commemorating the centenary, the Army is involved and there will be a number of other events. I...

Commemorative Events. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not know what will ultimately happen with the GPO. There is quite a lot of space and with modern technology, I do not believe the GPO will need all that space in the future. It is worth considering how it is best dealt with and whether it is just 1916 or whether it is a broader look back on Irish life. The best thing is that people give their views on these things and see what is best to...

Commemorative Events. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I will raise the matter with the archival people to see what they can do. Historians are very glad that a definitive list of the 1916 volunteers has been compiled, based on the applications for pension arrangements which were received not long afterwards. Such a list has not been available before now. We have given clearance for the list to be digitalised so historians can build a far better...