Results 7,301-7,320 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 10, motion re referral to joint committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann for a Council framework decision on the European evidence warrant for obtaining objects, documents and data for use in proceedings in criminal matters; No. 17, Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002 [Seanad] — Second Stage (resumed); and No. 1, Employees (Provision of Information and...

Order of Business. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: To explain, all we ask of the House is to approve the motion so that the matter will be referred to the committee and debated in that forum. By so doing, much more time will be devoted to it. While the measure must be passed by December, this motion will permit its referral to the committee where it can be debated.

Order of Business. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is impossible to debate all matters in this House. Moreover, attendance at the committee is open to any interested Member.

Order of Business. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As for the first matter, while I do not know if it will happen for every Bill, the Government intends to publish the remaining Bills by the start of the next session, which is the period covered by the list referred to by the Deputy. As for the second matter, it is the intention of both the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Government to proceed in respect of the proposed...

Order of Business. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: No legislation is involved.

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together. The Government appointed Deputy Tom Kitt as Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at my Department and at the Department of Defence and Deputy Noel Treacy as Minister of State at my Department and at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for European Affairs. Deputy Kitt, as Chief Whip, is primarily...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is 23 years since I was Chief Whip so I can hardly remember how the system works. It is meant to work in such a way that Ministers and Ministers of State on official business can seek pairs. The Chief Whip deals with Opposition Whips to arrange those pairs so thatthe Ministers and Ministers of State can continue to engage in official business on behalf of the Government. From time to time,...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: With regard to the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, the work of Europe goes on. Much of it is carried out in the Department of Foreign Affairs, where the Minister of State stands in for the Minister for Foreign Affairs and attends meetings on European initiatives. In my Department the Minister of State chairs the meetings of the interdepartmental co-ordinating committee on EU affairs, which...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: My Department has no proposals in that regard, although I changed roles and responsibilities at the last change of Government. I do not want to discuss this matter in detail as it is outside the scope of the question but, with regard to the responsibilities of other Ministers of State, from time to time we consider it appropriate to switch around or change ministerial functions, as was...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: To the best of my knowledge, and subject to correction, the staff complement referred to by the Deputy is four. The Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, has an adviser, but the number of constituency staff is four and the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, has the same number. While the EU constitution work is not proceeding at the same level, there still is a reflection period, and Deputy Treacy...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The content of the two questions about advertising procedures was raised last week. I have just been checking again what the procedures are. In the case that came up last week, it was the Dublin Transportation Office that organised the advertisement. I am conscious that such issues should be restricted to the Departments concerned so that unnecessary arguments do not arise. We must keep...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is. The Department of Finance always had an old rule that once an election started, photocopiers and printers could not be used for anything that was directly related to an election issue. That extended to circulars that were sent out during an election period, so if something was to be sent out about a traffic problem outside election time, that was allowed, otherwise it was not. That...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: This sounds like a Government without me.

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There have been many traditional procedures in the House that have worked well. The pairing arrangements in the Dáil are not dissimilar to other parliaments, where the major parties operate pairing arrangements based on rules set out from time to time by the Whips. These are based on urgent business and the domestic situation as they see fit. In my time in the House, the Whips have run this...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The historical connection is that there was a link between the Department of the Taoiseach and the Defence Forces. The responsibility rests with the Minister of State. As far as this connection to civil defence is concerned, the President has a key role as the Taoiseach meets the President monthly. I believe that the Civil Defence probably would have been abolished 20 or 30 years ago, had it...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As to the first question, this obviously refers to a meeting where Deputy Kitt was acting as the Minister of State at the Department of Defence. At meetings which he attends on behalf of the Minister for Defence, he reports to that Minister. Both my ministerial colleagues concerned have informed me that the meeting in question pertained to peacekeeping in the EU.

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Keeping the peace is not an easy task and all aspects must be examined, which is what was being done on that occasion. As regards Deputy Kehoe's question, I meet the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Kitt, every day and I meet the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Treacy, several times a week.

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (9 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The firm concerned has not been engaged by my Department.

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (9 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The consultancy service concerned has not been engaged by my Department.

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (9 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: No officials from my Department have attended as VIP guests at this conference.