Results 7,041-7,060 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Bill will be debated tomorrow. I have heard what the Deputy has said.

Order of Business (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Next year.

Order of Business (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Whips can discuss it.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the general issue, as a requirement, every local authority in the country adopted a five year Traveller accommodation programme and was funded for the period up to last year.

Leaders' Questions. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: A total of 1,400 units of accommodation for Travellers were provided or refurbished in the first four years of the programme, which is by multiples higher than anything that had happened in the previous 20 or 30 years. Provisional figures indicate that, at the end of last year or at sometime during the year, the number of families on unauthorised sites formerly referred to as roadside was...

Leaders' Questions. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In addition to ensuring a cohesive and proactive approach to Traveller issues, the group has also provided a mechanism for driving delivery services to Travellers where the rate of progress is unsatisfactory. We will continue to do that throughout next year, as indicated in the Estimates a few weeks ago.

Computerisation Programme. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together. I welcome the opportunity to report on the implementation of the e-Cabinet project within my Department. The e-Cabinet system developed by my Department was deployed for use by all Departments in June 2004 and has been working well since. The project has never been about gadgets for Ministers, rather about seeking to achieve a...

Computerisation Programme. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The system is doing what it is designed to do. From a cost perspective, it has been completed at a substantially lower cost than estimated. It will be fully operational by Christmas and is at the last stages of enhancement. It has been fully operational but, along the way, a number of new capabilities and initiatives that people believed were beneficial to the system arose. I am advised that...

Computerisation Programme. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: InVision Research Corporation was the main contractor for the project. Its role was to develop the software applications and so it was fully involved in developing the software. A separate company did the work relating to security infrastructure. They are no different to our own major companies in that they win contracts wherever they win them. I have no concerns about confidentiality and...

Computerisation Programme. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: No. Its role was to develop the software and it is not part of the ongoing project team, to the best of my knowledge. Its role was to develop it at the outset. The total cost paid to the corporation for software development was €952,000. This sum did not cover any of the smaller enhancements afterwards which it provided but these would not have cost that much. The contract came in well...

Computerisation Programme. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy has broadened his question. There is a number of bodies involved. The Information Society Commission works within my Department and promotes the information society in the public domain such as schools. It ensures that people are not left behind in this area. The Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, and the former Minister of State, Deputy Hanafin, launched numerous programmes to...

Consultancy Contracts. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 11, inclusive, together. I propose to circulate with the Official Report a table which gives details of consultants engaged by my Department since 1997. A second table to be circulated gives details of consultants engaged by bodies under the aegis of my Department during the same period. A third table gives details of the number of contracts above...

Consultancy Contracts. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As the Deputy will be aware, the work of the strategic management initiative, which really commenced in 1992, was centred in my Department for the entire Government area. It was not just for my Department. That report started the work on the financial management in Departments, on the human resources management in Departments and on many other guidelines that have been set out for various...

Consultancy Contracts. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The procurement of consultancy services in my Department is subject to the public procurement guidelines of the Department of Finance and they are set out in the Guidelines for Engagement of Consultants in the Civil Service of 1999. There have been some amendments to those, but not many. Procurement of outside expertise in the public relations field is also subject to public procurement...

Consultancy Contracts. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The number is 70 consultancies across my Department, effectively for a nine-year period. That is about an average of eight per annum. A good number of those relate to the change management agenda under CMOD, as indicated in my answer to Deputy Kenny. Some of those are paid for by them as well as the performance and development issues. Some of them relate to the period for the year before and...

Consultancy Contracts. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As stated, there have been 70 consultancies over the period in my Department and I have given the breakdown. It represents an average of about €300,000 per annum. I have outlined most of the work involved. I do not have the details of some of the smaller projects and have just given the information on the larger ones. However, when the full schedules are available, I shall be pleased to...

Order of Business. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 15, motion re establishment of a commission of investigation into matters relating to and arising from the making of a confession by Dean Lyons (deceased); No. 28, Transfer of Execution of Sentences Bill 2003 [Seanad] — Report Stage (resumed); and No. 1, Railway Safety Bill 2001 — amendments from the Seanad. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing...

Order of Business. (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the proceedings on No. 15 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after two hours and five minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: the speech of a Minister or Minister of State and of the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael Party, the Labour Party and the Technical Group, who shall be called...

Order of Business (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: That report has been received. I will check with the Minister, but I believe he received it last week. I will ask my own office to inform the Deputy when it is to be published. The Bord Gáis Éireann Bill and the natural gas regulation Bill are due next year.

Order of Business (Resumed). (30 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I join with Deputy Rabbitte in recording our concern and sympathies. The search for Mr. Pat Colfer resumed this morning. Unfortunately, efforts to resuscitate Mr. Myler failed and he was pronounced dead at Wexford General Hospital at midnight. Although Mr. Ian Tierney is being treated for hypothermia, hopefully he will recover today. We send our concerns and sympathies to those who have been...