Results 661-680 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Departmental Expenditure. (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: That is the type of project we usually support. The film is just one aspect. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions and SIPTU, in particular, has a comprehensive plan for Liberty Hall, one of the most important sites relating to 1916. The ICTU has a project in train as regards rebuilding Liberty Hall, while keeping the cultural and artistic centre it opened a number of years ago. That project...

Ireland-US Relations. (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 10, inclusive, together. I was deeply honoured to be invited to address the US Joint Houses of Congress this year. While the arrangements have not yet been finalised, I expect that it will be sometime around the end of April or early May. I met with former President Clinton on Saturday, 17 November in Government Buildings. We discussed developments in...

Ireland-US Relations. (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Deputies are probably aware that it is unlikely there will be a resolution of the immigration issue in the US before the presidential election. All of the main players and all our supporters in both Houses of Congress have made that clear to us since last year. We were very disappointed that efforts by the US Congress to pass the comprehensive reform legislation were unsuccessful, because...

Ireland-US Relations. (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy and I have the same end result in mind in this regard. Two years ago I looked very closely at the models where there are bilateral agreements in other countries. Many of the bilateral agreements that could be used would not help many of the old cases. That is the problem. One could get a bilateral agreement like the Australian one for young people, with a certain number of...

Ireland-US Relations. (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Senator John McCain took a very forward view but he had to reverse at high speed and I understand why. I think, however, at another time he will come back as a supporter. What we have to do here in a political way is to work as best we can on our friends on the Hill because there is no chance of getting this together if we do not have Republicans and Democrats on our side. We need both and...

Ireland-US Relations. (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy is referring to the arrangements we have for citizens who emigrate. That is a major issue. The Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Foreign Affairs and Enterprise, Trade and Employment work closely on that issue. We have the green card here for people coming in who are required in various professions and businesses. We have a liberal regime on that but on other...

Ireland-US Relations. (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I agree with Deputy Kenny on immigration. It is a matter of trying to work our way through the issue and reach agreement. While I see the sense of the Deputy's point on the North, I am not sure of the legal issue or what that would open up to the other citizens of the UK if we were to reach a bilateral agreement as it would be open to anyone in the UK. Nonetheless, I take the point and...

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 10a, motion re ministerial rota for parliamentary questions; and No. 2, Finance Bill 2008 — Second Stage (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that (1) the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. tonight and business shall be interrupted on the conclusion of Private Members' business, which shall be No. 29, motion re health services...

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Three in a week sounds excessive. I will not argue against that.

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: This motion concerns the Minister, Deputy Mary Coughlan, who will attend the Agriculture Council meeting on the issue raised earlier by Deputy Sheehan, namely, the WTO talks. In a normal case, nobody would argue against this. I will raise the issue with Ministers, who should try to avoid this problem arising. For my part, I try hard not to miss the days I should be here. Ministers should...

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: More than anyone in Europe.

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The education (patronage) Bill is listed for publication later on this year. The criminal justice (cybercrime and attacks against information systems) Bill seeks to transpose the EU framework decision on attacks against information systems, but the heads of the Bill are currently only in draft form.

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It is down the line. On the other issue raised by the Deputy, one must always watch the security position but I am not being given any more than the normal caution. As the Deputy knows, there is a dedicated group of very dangerous people who do not desist, but there is nothing new I think.

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Sunday.

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: A number of issues arose from the discussions on this legislation last year. I am not sure if they were constitutional issues but my understanding is that they were certainly complex legal issues. The Attorney General advised us at Christmas time that he was satisfied those issues had been resolved.

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Last autumn, the Minister launched a major review of archaeological practice and policy with a number of seminars. It is intended that the recommendations arising from this review will be brought forward in legislative proposals to be put to the Government. We are, therefore, awaiting the outcome of that review.

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I am told that the legislation will be published late this year.

Order of Business (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The legislation is being prepared and we are hoping it will be brought to Government the week after next. I will raise the point made by the Deputy with the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (5 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 185 together. The statutory bodies for which I have had responsibility over the past five years are: The Commission of Investigation (Dublin and Monaghan Bombings 1974); The Law Reform Commission (1975); The National Economic and Social Development Office (2007); The National Statistics Board (1994); and The Moriarty Tribunal (1997). The Commission of...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (5 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 to 188, inclusive, together.Taskforce on Active Citizenship:The Taskforce on Active Citizenship was established in April 2006 and completed its work in March 2007 following a phase of public consultations on the extent to which citizens engage in the issues that affect them and their communities. This Government has committed, in principle, to...