Results 6,941-6,960 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Financial Resolution No. 2: Income Tax. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: That is what is going on. That is what the resolution is about.

Financial Resolution No. 2: Income Tax. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It will not affect the people about whom the Deputy is speaking if they are paying it on the equitable basis on which they should be paying their taxes in Ireland. Did the Deputy ask about US employees?

Financial Resolution No. 1: Mineral Oils. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I move: (1) THAT for the purposes of the tax charged by virtue of section 95 of the Finance Act 1999 (No. 2 of 1999), that Act is amended, with effect as on and from 8 December 2005, by substituting the following for Schedule 2 to that Act, as amended by section 64 of the Finance Act 2005 (No. 5 of 2005): Rates of Mineral Oil Tax. Description of Mineral Oil Rate of Tax ...

Financial Resolution No. 1: Mineral Oils. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: By 1.8 cent per litre.

Budget Statement 2005. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Hear, hear.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will start at the end. I will not get into what the Minister of State did when he had responsibility for the elderly, where he worked hard, and for transport. I am more concerned about the issues that have come to light in recent days. I discussed these issues on Monday morning with the Minister of State, Deputy Callely. There were issues centering on his attitude to the staff in his...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny knows my standards are the highest standards. Anybody who holds the position of Taoiseach would like to keep to the highest standards. I am glad that is the standard I have operated for my party for 11 years. We are proud of those standards.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister of State, Deputy Callely, has worked hard in his job but he is surrounded by a number of controversies. Part of my standard is that I have a sense of fair play to listen to the Deputy but I am not impressed.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I met the Minister of State, Deputy Callely, on Monday morning and I discussed the two central issues which were the staff issues with which he clearly has had a difficulty in his Department. He gave me a written statement of his position on that matter. I discussed the issue of the inducement to a staff member to which he gave me an explanation. I think I made it clear on Monday that giving...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: If the highest standards equals putting a head on a plate and carrying it down the corridor I would not be into that because that is from old times.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In terms of giving somebody a chance to give his or her point of view I would follow that line. This Government has followed extremely high standards in everything it does, instead of using people's money in the wrong way. Deputy Rabbitte will appreciate that if I was to give an outline of the meeting with the Minister of State, Deputy Callely, there would not be much point in having a meeting.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I dealt with this issue yesterday and I repeat that Ireland cannot and will not allow any aircraft engaged in what are known as "extraordinary renditions" to land or refuel at Irish airports. That is the legal advice we received from the Attorney General. Ireland has not and will not facilitate any use of torture. We have used internationally understood terms and definition for torture for...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Chicago Convention, the air services administration order, the protocols used since 1959 are all in place. How we deal with these issues is a well built up practice. As controversial as these issue are, and as much concern as there is, everybody in this House and all members of the public would be deeply concerned, regardless of what countries were gone through, that any measures outside...

Irish Language. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. Is cúis áthais dom deis a bheith agam an Teach a thabhairt cothrom le dáta maidir le scéim mo Ranna faoi Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla. I am happy to have this opportunity of bringing the House up to date on my Department's scheme under the Official Languages Act. The scheme was confirmed by the Minister for Community, Rural...

Irish Language. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will do my best to follow the Deputy's question. I understand Deputy Sargent is asking about the delay between the publication of the Irish version of Bills and other documents. I am disappointed if that is the case and the Deputy correctly stated the Department of Finance has provided the resources to the Houses of the Oireachtas and to Departments to provide a translation service. A...

Irish Language. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I did understand the Deputy although I am not brilliant. Tithe an Oireachtais is a matter for the Houses but I stated there are five companies available to do work. How the Houses of the Oireachtas and the Department of Finance have deployed resources is a matter for the Houses of the Oireachtas. I stated what my Department is trying to do. A person who was previously in this position stated...

Irish Language. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Secretary General conducted an internal staff survey on how best to implement the scheme. While we had a core group of staff who were extremely proficient in writing, speaking and communicating in Irish, many staff members who were fairly good at Irish did not feel proficient enough to deal with it in everyday situations. Others identified themselves as moderately to very proficient. The...

Irish Language. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In reply to the first question regarding correspondence in Irish received in my Department, several members of staff can deal with such correspondence. However, we do not have people in every section in the Department who can do so. Such correspondence is dealt with on a departmental basis, which is not perfect. We would like to get to a situation — we include the Secretary General and most...

Irish Language. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: With regard to my Department, implementation of the Act must be kept under review. Deputy Rabbitte makes a fair point about the number of people who will even read the English version of many of the documents, not to mind the Irish version, although that is not to be disrespectful in any way. Another factor that we must watch closely is the overall cost because if it comes to the point where...

Irish Language. (7 Dec 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Subject to correction, the strategy statements of my Department were published in that way. I am not sure what document the Deputy has in front of him, but it is probably the Government mid-term review, which went to an outside company to be translated. I accept that for ease of reading, especially for people without particularly good Irish, it makes sense to have both languages on the same...