Results 6,841-6,860 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The fines Bill will be taken next year. The heads of the health Bill are expected and the legislation will be published after Christmas.

Order of Business. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It will be taken in the new year.

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. Reflecting the consideration at the European Council during discussions on the draft treaty and conscious of the evolved change in our society, the Government considered that it would be of value to institute an open, transparent and regular dialogue with churches and non-confessional organisations. Accordingly, my Department...

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy will recall that this was to be part of the European constitutional provisions. Unfortunately the constitution did not go ahead because of the defeats in the early summer in the Netherlands and France, so that matter is in abeyance. Notwithstanding that, we engaged in dialogue and reached agreement, having consulted with all the churches and all the faith groups. There is a long...

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I would not see an issue. I would consider an issue like that in so far as there is the normal dialogue between church and State, but in this case there is also a legal question and the legal process is involved. In answer to the Deputy's question, there is no proposal before Government to review the arrangement on the compensation to those hurt people who were affected. The State was...

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As I stated in my reply to Deputy Rabbitte, those issues are dealt with in the normal course of discussions between the churches and Departments, in this case, the Department of Education and Science. This issue will need to be discussed and debated with the churches. A number of new religions are now being practised in our country because we have a large immigrant population, including...

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There are a number of questions in that. The proposal is being brought to fruition. The Government signed off on it in June and made the churches aware of the proposals, and they made some response. The churches have an arrangement — traditionally, the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Ireland, Presbyterians and Methodists, and in the past few years the Jewish community — where if...

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not think there is anything secret in it. It will probably be published, but I am not sure of the date. All this has happened in discussions with them.

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the Deputy's first point, I will engage with all churches, whether they are Catholic, Protestant, Educate Together, Muslim or any other group——

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: No. In terms of education I am speaking of any group that provides education to children — it does not matter which one. I am the politician who has dealt most with such groups since they first started up in this country, as Deputy Burton knows. On the other issue raised, I have no difficulty with people holding alternative views or with their not being members of any church. It is entirely...

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Correct. Deputy Joe Higgins asked for my view, which I will give. I totally respect his view and he has just said he respects mine. An empty secularism that denies the importance of religious belief and practice may, in the wrong circumstances, give rise to an oppressive public culture. Fortunately, we have a political and civic culture here that holds no institution above the law and...

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: "Yes" is the answer to those questions. On the idea of the constitutional amendment, we made a decision earlier in the year, in spite of the fact that the draft constitution was defeated in some countries and is in abeyance at this stage. The idea was that the legitimate role of all of the churches and faith communities in public life would be acknowledged and that the participatory principle...

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Yes, I did. I explained to the Pope that we were continuing with our position on the constitution. Needless to say, he was very seized of what was happening at European level because the church was deeply involved in discussions in that regard. This proposal moved on from a period when some countries would not recognise the concept of Christianity or God in the preamble to the constitution....

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have already explained it. I said that an empty secularism which denies the importance of religious belief and practice is not good and can create difficulties. In terms of development and international issues, when churches wish to put forward their views this would be a good source of dialogue. Some churches are very involved, and the dean of the diplomatic corps here is the papal nuncio....

Government-Church Dialogue. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have not been involved in the discussions with the Catholic Church with regard to the Ferns Report.

Diplomatic Representations. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 14, inclusive, together.

Diplomatic Representations. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: With regard to Question No. 6, I have had no contacts with the US Administration since the question was last asked. I continue to make contact with all the political parties in Northern Ireland. Most recently, I met the SDLP on 5 December. Before that I met Sinn Féin on 1 December. At both meetings we discussed the way forward, the restoration of devolved government and other matters of...

Diplomatic Representations. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have reported to the House on the issues in which I have been involved with the American Administration this year. There are no other issues. The Minister for Foreign Affairs answered questions on this subject. He has had numerous meetings with the administration on which he has reported to the House. The EU Presidency has worked on several of the issues raised by the Deputy and the...

Diplomatic Representations. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Good Friday Agreement dealt with how prisoners would be released. From that time, the issues of on-the-runs was in the public domain. At Weston Park in 2001, we agreed to bring forward the scheme when progress was made on other issues. At that stage, an enormous amount of debate surrounded the issue. The issue has been in the public domain for the last four and a half years. The scheme as...

Diplomatic Representations. (13 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will take the Deputies' questions relating to Nos. 6 and 12 together. When I go to the United States in March each year there is a more complete agenda within which I deal with a number of issues, but I do not deal with the United States on any of the other issues during the course of the year. That is why my officials would, correctly, have put these questions together. I totally defend...