Results 6,301-6,320 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Interdepartmental Committees. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The initiative has delivered over 1,100 units to date, including those through Part 5.

Interdepartmental Committees. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is estimated that over 2,000 houses will be provided under the initiative this year and 3,000 in 2007. Unfortunately, we have not yet found a way where one can hand over State land on Monday, get planning permission on Wednesday and build them on Friday. We have not yet found that mechanism.

Leaders' Questions. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Targeted campaigns work. Last year in the case of the nursing homes, the Tánaiste highlighted the situation and there was an enormous take-up. On a number of occasions in recent years we have pointed to areas where reliefs could be availed of. It was done on the water rates issue and there was a significant take-up on that. I have no problem, in conjunction with the Department of Finance and...

Leaders' Questions. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: A number of amendments will be discussed on Committee Stage of the Finance Bill, today, tomorrow and on Thursday. I cannot give any commitments to change any of the thresholds, as these will be discussed by the committee. A threshold was brought in some years ago for charitable donations. In fairness, there never was a tax allowance for this area previously. It was introduced to help...

Leaders' Questions. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am aware of the late arrival of tax certificates. The Minister has given a report on this today to the Select Committee on Finance and the Public Service. I am not aware of the underpayment-overpayment of tax by those on the Houses of the Oireachtas payroll. I will ask the Department of Finance to check this. The new child care scheme which we have introduced will be ready by the due date,...

Leaders' Questions. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Revenue Commissioners do not exhort individuals to avail of the artists exemption tax relief scheme or other property-based tax reliefs under section 23 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. It is solicitors and accountants who discover where tax reliefs exist and produce promotional literature on the night of, and the morning after, the budget. It is also untrue to say that no information...

Leaders' Questions. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The expert group on mental health policy has completed its work on the preparation of a new national policy framework for the future development of mental health services and its report has been published recently. The Health Act 2004 provided for the establishment of the Health Service Executive, which has responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services,...

Leaders' Questions. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The work of the expert group on mental health policy has been completed and approved by the Government. It decided that the ten or 15 mental institutions around the country should be closed over the next five to seven years. The resources obtained should be transferred into the community and spent building a good and proper mental health service. This year we will spend approximately €800...

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 8, motion re referral to joint committee of proposed approved by Dáil Éireann for a Council decision on the accession of the European Community to the Hague Conference on Private International Law; No. 9, motion re referral to joint committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of a proposal that section 17A of the Diseases of Animals Act 1966 shall continue in...

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: As I said many times, the Government always tries to publish the legislation as early as possible. We do so with most Bills. As more than half of what is included under the 50 heads of the Bill was in the budget at the beginning of December, no one should be taken by surprise. Admittedly, the child care allowance, which is not a normal element of the Social Welfare Bill, is a new aspect....

Ministerial Staff. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. There are six special advisers appointed by me. There has been no increase in their number since I took office. Under the direction of the programme manager, the primary function of the advisers is to monitor, facilitate and help secure the achievement of Government objectives and to ensure effective co-ordination in the implementation of the...

Ministerial Staff. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There are six.

Ministerial Staff. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I have one special adviser, a programme manager and four others. One of the advisers liaises with the Ministers of State. That adviser's role relates to them, given that Ministers of State do not have advisers. The total salaries of all advisers is €974,122.

Ministerial Staff. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am satisfied with the work. Between them, they cover the entire range of Departments, with three or four each. They liaise with Ministers and Ministers of State as well as groups inside and outside the various Departments. This involves a range of meetings and I am satisfied with the work they do.

Ministerial Staff. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I agree with Deputy Kenny that reports should be published quickly where issues of confidentiality are not involved, as is normally the case. There was an urgent reason the report he mentioned should be published quickly because it was holding up the decision on the release of the development of the hospital. It was correct that it was published immediately to allow for consultation and the...

Ministerial Staff. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: One of the special advisers is a programme manager and another co-ordinates directly with Ministers of State. Each of the special advisers has responsibility for a number of Departments and liaises with them on items of the Cabinet agenda and issues that are working through sub-committees of Cabinet. They also deal with groups that wish to make representations to me and with areas where there...

Ministerial Staff. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: They do not all come from north Dublin.

Ministerial Staff. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There is no overlap between advisers and constituency office staff. Practically all the people in my constituency office, with the possible exception of one junior person, are civil servants. Quite a few of the staff in a constituency office work on personal computers and carry out filing work so they would not be engaged in constituency work in terms of contacts. There is no overlap between...

Ministerial Staff. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: As the Deputy is aware, there are far fewer advisers and programme managers now than was the case previously. Both numerically and cost-wise, the numbers involved are now much lower, but I will not go into that matter. The people who remain in my Department co-ordinate the work which would have been carried out by advisers and programme managers in each Department. They deal with a number of...

Ministerial Staff. (21 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: In a given period, legislation must be prepared across a range of Departments and there are ongoing meetings of Cabinet sub-committees with various items on the agenda. For example, on the cross-departmental team dealing with infrastructural issues, an adviser would work with the Minister and the officials in my Department to try to co-ordinate efforts on items on the agenda, including...