Results 7,561-7,580 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: At the end of June we asked the Attorney General to prepare his preliminary advice. He has also got advice on this because it is international law concerning the European Court of Justice, on how we can put together a case, who will join the proceedings, the limits and risks involved. That work has been done and we are due to get that report. We do not make available the Attorney General's...

Order of Business. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 17, the Criminal Justice Bill 2004 — Second Stage (resumed); No. 16, the Employment Permits Bill 2005 — Second Stage (resumed); and No. 18, the Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad] — Second Stage (resumed). Private Members' business shall be No. 44, motion re delivery of health services (resumed) to conclude at 8.30 p.m.

Order of Business. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Whenever the Minister makes an announcement I am sure questions can be tabled and he is answerable to the House on the issues.

Order of Business. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Tunnels all over Europe are four metres high.

Order of Business. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We should not be allowing high trucks into this country, wrecking the place.

Order of Business. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In this case, it would be appropriate to have time for a debate. If the Whips can work out a suitable time for it, I would certainly support that. As I said this morning, not alone do we have to deal with the Dublin issue, but we also have to examine the remit and manner of dealing with some other issues. We have not yet worked out how that should take place. Based on Mr. Justice Murphy's...

Order of Business. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Government is not.

Order of Business. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will see what we can do on that. The Deputy has a point and we should try to move it on.

Order of Business. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will pass on the Deputy's comments to the Minister.

Order of Business. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The hepatitis C legislation is scheduled for this session. As regards the alcohol products (control of advertising, sponsorship and marketing practices) sales promotions Bill, voluntary agreements have been reached with the advertising industry. Therefore, the Department wishes to hold off on the introduction of this legislation pending the outcome of these voluntary agreements to see how...

Order of Business. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: If the voluntary agreements do not work, the legislation will be introduced. However, it would be better to try to get voluntary agreement on the matter. It would be far more effective.

Order of Business. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: No.

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I appreciate that Members of the House only received the report when we were dealing with leaders' questions yesterday. I had a chance to read a very large part of it last night, particularly the accounts of the witnesses; I had obviously read the recommendations prior to the Cabinet meeting. As I said yesterday, the report is a catalogue of serial abuse and gross dereliction of duty in the...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I assure the Deputy that we all have to learn from the mistakes of the past and especially but not only the church. The reality is that none of these issues was ever reported within the church authorities and even in the Garda authorities or in the health boards. Until 1990 it was a very different situation. This report, like other reports in other areas, has highlighted this issue. In regard...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I note the decision of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions not to accept the invitation to enter talks on an agreement to succeed Sustaining Progress. I note the intention as proposed by SIPTU that clarification should be sought on what was envisaged in my letter to the president of ICTU. It did not, as Deputy Rabbitte said, reject that letter. It wanted clarification on issues of protection...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have repeated it many times outside the House. The leaders of SIPTU have met the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and discussed at length the issues of the legislation. The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has also given his best assessment on it. We have also agreed with ICTU and SIPTU to exchange our legal situations on the matter to see precisely...

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There are all kinds of arguments around that. Irish Ferries maintains it is not bringing in people on low wages. Its existing non-Irish staff are on quite large salaries; they are not paid below the minimum wage. The company has shown me the evidence and I must be fair in these matters. However, it is creating a difficulty and we are doing our best to resolve it.

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I dealt directly with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and SIPTU so I know what the concerns were. I will not listen to the Deputy telling me——

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: They told me the issues. The Labour Party was one of the parties in this House that advocated going outside the country to bring in construction companies and was very strong in its support for that.

Leaders' Questions. (26 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Of course any company operating in this country should comply with the law. I also readily admit that the culture in the country now is different from that in the past. Ireland was a country of emigration and high unemployment, and we did not have foreigners working here. It is now a different economy. There is a strong argument for improving the legislation we have. We have already given...