Results 7,421-7,440 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Programmes for Government. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In reply to the Deputy's first question on education, spending on education has gone up 120% in recent years and we have provided an extra 4,500 teachers and 3,000 resource teachers.

Programmes for Government. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Yes, but there has been an improvement in the pupil-teacher ratio. There has also been an improvement in the capital programme and in addressing disadvantage. Smaller class sizes are being introduced, particularly for the disadvantaged. A number of improvements have taken place. As I said in reply to Deputy Kenny, one would like to achieve even more, particularly for the disadvantaged.

Programmes for Government. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is happening and resources are being invested all the time. An enormous budget is being provided. In the education area much of the budget relates to people. Apart from the capital programme the bulk of funding is spent on teachers and this is improving the situation. The report indicates that 75% of what was promised in the programme for Government has been delivered. I accept there may...

Programmes for Government. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There is some inequality but equality has improved greatly and we are high on that list. Last week a report by German economists put this country number one in Europe in these areas. We are number one in the lifestyle area. There are areas in which we are lower down the list, and I accept that. Each year we should try to improve on them. The reason for being in public life is to try to...

Programmes for Government. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: My cold is gone. I apologise if I growled at Deputy Rabbitte last week.

Programmes for Government. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the health issue, the Government has carefully developed the health strategy in recent years and it has implemented the structural, institutional changes by moving from the health boards to the Health Service Executive. The key changes and positions in the HSE are being organised and implemented on a national basis. None of that has been changed. It was decided that this policy, by and...

Programmes for Government. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I said we did not have a ten-year plan. In December 2004 the Minister for Finance said he was prepared to examine such a plan. The multi-annual programme only covered three years and there was no way to resource a ten-year programme because of the costs. However, now we examine the indicative costs based on the best assessments by the agency.

Programmes for Government. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Looking back over the past seven to ten years, we can see the cost of the capital programme. We are much better placed to try and deal with it.

Programmes for Government. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte referred to the guidelines relating to what Ministers and Ministers of State can do. Any departmental advertisement must be based on information. The announcement earlier by the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Callely, set out the arrangements for Operation Freeflow and the availability of additional transport to assist the public, as happens at this...

Programmes for Government. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will elaborate on my reply, as I did not seek to play down any role. The care and maintenance arrangements are in place for the present North-South bodies to keep them operating and functioning. That does not preclude action in other areas. Like the Deputy, I would prefer a different arrangement but in recent weeks and months Secretary of State Hain and his colleague, Minister of State...

Programmes for Government. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I welcome Deputy Kenny's support on this issue, which is creating a high degree of frustration and concern for undocumented Irish, particularly those who left for the United States in the wave of emigration in the early 1980s. They are over 20 years in the country. As was the case last St. Patrick's Day, I will take every opportunity to raise this issue with key figures from the...

Programmes for Government. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy has raised a fundamental point that originates from the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924. It is an 80 year old provision which has been subject to deletions and additions. In its wisdom, the legislation provides that the State believes there are areas of responsibility that are better given to outside agencies established by Acts of the Oireachtas to deal with day-to-day affairs....

Programmes for Government. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: At a cost of €665, most of the third annual progress report provides a factual assessment of what progress has been made in the life of the Government through decisions based on the programme for Government, as well as giving an account of where such projects currently stand. I would have thought it was useful to provide an annual update for the Houses of the Oireachtas, the media and...

Leaders' Questions. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As the Deputy said, the negotiations in this matter have been going on for some considerable time. There has been a series of rounds of discussions both within the European Union and with the Americans. Throughout these negotiations we have taken the line that we are in favour of a successful round in the World Trade Organisation talks. We want to see the Doha round concluded. For the sake of...

Leaders' Questions. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Commissioner Mandelson has stated, following the special meeting attended by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, and the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Coughlan, that he would stick to the mandate of 2003. The issue was that he should not go outside that mandate. If we gave away too much, it would help Brazil particularly, and other countries. While we want a...

Leaders' Questions. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I join Deputy Rabbitte in condemning the actions of an employer of some sort, who abandoned a group of Latvians on an island off Skerries at the weekend. The status of the employer in question is not quite clear from the reports I have been given, although I have received a name. The people in question were abandoned off Shenick's Island, which is half a mile from the coast of County Dublin....

Leaders' Questions. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: If legislation is not in place to prevent or dissuade people from engaging in any kind of abuse in any area, we should strengthen the existing provisions. Most trade unions and employers have said that the current legislation is adequate in most areas.

Leaders' Questions. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On summary conviction, people engaging in such abuse can face a fine not exceeding €5,000 or imprisonment of up to six months, or both. In a case of conviction on indictment, people engaging in such abuse can face a fine not exceeding €100,000 or imprisonment of up to two years.

Leaders' Questions. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: A host of tough provisions can be used if a person is proved to have been in breach of the law in the Skerries case. The penalties in place in other areas are also quite strong. If the law needs to be strengthened, I will not have any difficulty with doing so.

Leaders' Questions. (8 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I accept that point.