Results 6,541-6,560 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Government decided back in December 2004 to report on a total appraisal of all the reliefs that have been in place for the past 17 or 18 years. It was agreed to report on and publish the documents in full at the conclusion of the deliberative process and with the publication of the Finance Bill. The three sets of documents were published yesterday. They demonstrate for the first time the...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I will explain to the House the reason I do not accept the Deputy's view. Given that the number of people working here is double that when many of these schemes started, we are not paying the same high levels of taxation or interest on the national debt. Savings of hundreds of millions of euro have been made in the economy. We have primed an economy to a state where there is investment,...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Members of the Opposition complain that the 9% stamp duty is driving investment out of the country. These initiatives were designed to keep people investing here. When the then Minister, Mr. McCreevy, announced he was curtailing film relief, which is not a sector that creates the highest number of jobs, this House was delirious with condemnation that this could be done. We cannot have it both...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: In some of those cases that has been driven by some issues.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I have declined to get into the debate over who introduced certain schemes.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: People did that for the best reasons at different times. Not all the schemes worked but the overall health of the economy has been good. We could have had economic analyses that would have stifled everything but we would still be on 18% unemployment. There are too many people in State jobs who can sit down and tell one why not to do things.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The point about the stamp duty is that investors state that the reason they pushed money out of this country has nothing to do with first time buyers.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Government examined the position that pertained over the past 20 years. The last review of shelters and tax allowances was undertaken in 1992, which did not cover all the schemes. We have gone back to Goodbody, Indecon, the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners, and have examined all the schemes and have comprehensively reported on them. The results of those reviews were...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: A number of changes were made, as the Deputy knows.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Only a small number of people started them.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am not here to condone people who used the schemes like that.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: These reports are before us for debate because the Government has undertaken this fundamental review going back over 20 years. We have put them into the public domain and whatever other decisions we have to take, we will take.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: That has been a good day's work by the Government.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I will not deal with all the points made but the following is the position. We have taken a historical and a current look at all the schemes in every area and made changes to some of them. Some are gone or are being phased out. Others will remain for continual appraisal by the Department of Finance to see their merits over time. Some will live on because they are beneficial. The cap on...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The anniversary of that tragic night is a week away and the thoughts of all are with the families of those killed or injured in the Stardust tragedy. As we approach the 25th anniversary of a terrible night, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform understands the families' concerns regarding the background, and his Department has been working with and assisting the families in a...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is not what the individuals want to hear during this week. It is a remembrance of the tragedies of the night. The evidence of what has happened was found in the intervening period. However, it has been a long period and the service is entirely different and invested in now. The Government will continue to keep in touch with the families as is necessary.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I remember well the night of the Stardust disaster and the issues surrounding it. As the Deputy knows, it was not a matter of ambulances. It was one of the best co-ordinated efforts by the emergency services of this city and one of the best ever seen.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The fire service's ambulance service has radically changed. There have been massive improvements and significant additions to the fire service, such as fire appliances, emergency service rescue equipment. There have been improvements in the number of personnel involved and the level of training and the number of facilities in Marino, Athlone, Bray, Clonmel and some of the other parts of the...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——that people can ever stop. There are 3,400 fire service personnel in the country compared to quite small numbers in many areas then. Premises are being inspected. The new Building Control Bill 2005 deals with a significant number of issues. I reiterate that the Government is very sensitive to the families. It always has been and has always dealt with them. It will continue to do so....

Order of Business. (7 Feb 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 11, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Official Languages Act 2003 (Public Bodies) Regulations 2006; and No. 3, the Finance Bill 2006 — Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 11 shall be decided without debate and supplementary questions Nos. 10 to 23 addressed to the...