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

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 9, motion re referral to Select Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2008; No. 10, motion re referral to Select Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the report by the Minister for Defence regarding service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations in...

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Tánaiste is attending the ECOFIN meting in Brussels today. Departments are allowed to carry over to the following year unspent capital up to a maximum of 10% of the voted capital. Statutory provision for capital carryover by way of deferred surrender to the Exchequer was made by section 91 of the Finance Act 2004, to which this relates. The €126 million is a small proportion of the...

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I discussed this matter with Deputy Kenny. I will be replying to the letter he sent to me; it should be with him today. My understanding from Ministers involved on my side is that it is impossible to get substantive agreement. Deputy Shatter has been very helpful in discussions but it is their view that to put this question we would not alone have to make a decision, but we would also have...

Order of Business (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The view is that we cannot ask people to decide on a substantive issue like this, and there are a number of very important issues, without spelling out the comprehensive legislation. We have done that in all cases since the divorce referendum. It is a practice we followed in a number of other referendums; the Deputy pressed me to do that. We would not be listening to the NGO groups if we...

Departmental Staff. (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. The position in relation to permanent staffing in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government is set out in a table which I propose to circulate in the Official Report. There are currently 19 permanent staff and four consultant drafters serving in the office. In December 2002, 18 permanent staff and four consultant drafters...

Departmental Staff. (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: A number of points are raised; if there were a far bigger staff maybe it would ease the burden on the office. It is and always has been a very busy office. As Deputy Gilmore said, its title has changed from the Office of the Parliamentary Draftsman to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. In three of the past four years it received increased posts and an increase in staff but overall...

Departmental Staff. (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The problem is with suitable staff. In the last Public Appointments Commission interviews for assistant Parliamentary Counsel in December, there were five vacancies. Three candidates will take up office from this. Only three qualified in the previous competition, of which two took up office in mid to late 2006. I am informed this is not unusual. In the last competition across the water,...

Departmental Staff. (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: In answer to the Deputy's first question, some Departments have people with experience and expertise in drafting legislation, which is very helpful in the preparation of Bills, particularly in areas such as social welfare and tax law. In these areas, some Bills appear in the same format every year, so they are not as complex and difficult to draft as, for example, a Finance Bill or the...

Departmental Staff. (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Very little legislation is contracted out. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform does so because it has the lion's share of Bills every year. That must still be vetted and cleared before approval by the parliamentary counsel. One gains some time but it does not alleviate the workload of the Department. Very few other Departments contract out legislation and most of it is done...

Departmental Staff. (12 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It is not correct to say that we stopped that. The heads of two very substantial Bills were put out last year. That helped the Charities Bill, which was one of the largest Bills passed by the House in recent years, and the Broadcasting Bill, which was dealt with by way of a consultation process on the Internet. I am in favour of publishing the heads of Bills and having consultation on...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I visited South Africa between from 13 to 15 January, 2008 accompanied by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin T.D., and the Minister of State for Overseas Development, Michael Kitt T.D. While in Pretoria, I met with President Thabo Mbeki and the Deputy President, Mrs. Mlambo-Ngucka. President Mbeki and I noted the positive bilateral relations between our two...

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: As I said earlier, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government launched a major review of archaeological practice and policy a few months ago. A number of seminars have been held and some reports and suggestions made. It is intended the recommendations arising from those submissions will be brought forward in legislative proposals to be put to the Government. That has...

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I will ask the Chief Whip to arrange that.

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It is not for me.

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: No, but a report is being prepared and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will bring forward proposals to deal with that in the next few weeks.

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The electricity (transfer of transmission assets) Bill is listed as promised legislation but I have no date for it.

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I do not think so.

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny is well aware the Government does not force anyone into the High Court.

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: When parents choose to take a case against the State and the Department or agencies involved are satisfied that what is being provided is correct, the latter must defend the action, which is what has happened in a number of cases. Obviously, to answer Deputy Kenny directly, the Government believes that as each child with autism is unique, such children should have access to a range of...

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The commitment is for the continuation of the initiatives in the 12 pilot schools. That does not mean that, by extension, there are no new ABA places because ABA is offered in the mainstream schools. The whole point is that ABA is not just available in the pilot units or what will become mainstream schools anyway, but that one can also get that educational opportunity in a mainstream school.