Results 6,281-6,300 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am not certain but I got the impression from the Minister that he could bring forward these proposals without legislation, although I may be incorrect. One issue under consideration is whether there is a better and more efficient way of dealing with the register. The Deputy knows my view on that.

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The charities Bill will be introduced later this year. The Deputy knows he cannot convince me to bring in nuclear——

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The European Greens will not force me to bring in nuclear——

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I will do the Deputy a favour, I will not answer his question.

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I will tell the Deputy why afterwards.

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy was made aware several months ago why there was a delay in revising this legislation. He knows the answer to the question. The legislation is delayed.

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There is no legislation but the Minister stated that he would have a full conversation on this issue with all the interested stakeholders.

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There is no such legislation. The Garda Commissioner has given his views on the Garda reserve to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Minister has stated he will discuss the issue with the Commissioner but also with the representative groups. Those discussions will need to be completed before the issue of regulations arise.

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: In the meantime, the framework has been passed by this House and the Minister will be engaged in the consultations.

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: He has committed himself.

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It will be introduced later this year.

Interdepartmental Committees. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny raised the first issue on a previous occasion at which time I told him the Minister for Finance was working on an initiative. That is now complete and I will give some details of it. It is aimed at accelerating PPP projects for key capital infrastructural projects in central Government areas. A new centre of expertise will be established under the National Development Finance...

Interdepartmental Committees. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not agree with the Deputy's thinking on this matter. Public-private partnerships here and elsewhere are designed to involve the private sector more efficiently and speedily because it has expertise in undertaking such projects and to try to complete projects more quickly. There is a cost effect too because the State will always be able to make better loan arrangements than anyone else,...

Interdepartmental Committees. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: This committee does not deal with that particular issue but the committee on social inclusion deals with the housing and infrastructural programme for Travellers. The Deputy should put down a question to the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Fahey. There have been several discussions over the past six months not only at the Cabinet committee on that issue but...

Interdepartmental Committees. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is the centre for expertise.

Interdepartmental Committees. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources will answer the question on broadband. The issue regarding the directive is being discussed and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, will shortly bring forward proposals on that matter. The Government is totally opposed to nuclear power and has no proposals on that.

Interdepartmental Committees. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I note that many of the Deputy's European colleagues, the Greens, are beginning to press for nuclear power.

Interdepartmental Committees. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: However, I will resist it and hope that I can hold off the pressure as best I can from the Greens to bring nuclear power to Ireland——

Interdepartmental Committees. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——since it has been strongly forced by them. On Deputy Rabbitte's question concerning the centre for expertise, Departments still have responsibility for identifying the project. The difficulty is that all of them went to different locations to get advice, with no co-ordination. It is brought together around the Cabinet sub-committee on infrastructure but, by and large, officials and...

Interdepartmental Committees. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is part of the agency but involves an extension of the powers of the NDFA. Until now, the NDFA was able to give advice on the financing of the project, including relevant issues such as how best to finance it and the timescales involved. Now it will have a role in procurement. In some cases it has expertise but in others it will be able to bring in expertise and source the best place to do...