Results 8,481-8,500 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy asked about the 1990 Act and the regulations of 1993. They are being examined in the context of the Bill I mentioned earlier. The amendments will be made in that legislation. Those issues, including the reviews, will be dealt with in the health Bill providing for the establishment of a health information and quality authority and social services inspectorate.

Order of Business. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The energy Bill is due this session. The heads of the Bord Gáis Éireann Bill are expected later this year and the legislation will be ready next year. The broadcasting authority Bill, to establish a broadcasting authority of Ireland, is being drafted and will be ready next year. The natural gas Bill will be ready next year.

Order of Business. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I am here to answer questions so the Deputy need not be lonely.

Order of Business. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We will try to arrange it for this session.

Order of Business. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We will try.

Decentralisation Programme. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together. There are no proposals to decentralise any section of my Department or any of the bodies or agencies operating under its aegis. A significant part of the Central Statistics Office is located in Cork. A total of 42 staff from my Department have applied through the central applications facility to relocate under the decentralisation...

Decentralisation Programme. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is a fair number of staff. My Department is not large, employing approximately 232 staff, and 42 represents a significant proportion of the overall number. I do not have the figures for other Departments but some people are opting to leave Dublin while others, who are in the regions, are opting for other regional locations. More than 8,500 expressions of interest were received but many of...

Decentralisation Programme. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Nobody has been transferred.

Decentralisation Programme. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The staff would like to move as soon as possible but, while it is 17 months since the announcement, three separate reports have been conducted and a fourth is due. The sites on the early list have been located and the staff involved will want to move. Some of my staff move whenever vacancies arise in existing locations but few arise each year. However, every year a small number of staff is...

Decentralisation Programme. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: All the staff must be replaced by civil servants of a similar grade from other Departments who do not wish to decentralise. Mr. Finbarr Flood has taken over the chair of the decentralisation implementation group and reports to the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen.

Decentralisation Programme. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The mix is composed of six assistant principal officers, nine administrative officers, four higher executive officers, 11 executive officers, three staff officers and nine clerical officers. I accept the point about the professional grades. While it is not relevant to my Department in this instance, it was when the Central Statistics Office was decentralised to Cork in June 1991. Some...

Decentralisation Programme. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The situation in my Department is somewhat simpler as no section of its work is to be decentralised. No one is under pressure to leave and any who leave wish to do so. It is obviously different in other Departments. The issues relating to volunteers are being dealt with as part of the implementation process. They must be discussed and agreed with the public service unions. Possible options...

Decentralisation Programme. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There is no payment system in place and any questions arising on that issue will be discussed with the trade unions. There is no scheme at present and I do not envisage one being set up. I do not have the figure for transfer applications for February, but if Deputy Sargent maintains that it is 45, the explanation is that there are always a number of people in any Department who are moving...

Decentralisation Programme. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: At the outset there was a Cabinet sub-committee dealing with the issues, composed mainly of personnel from the Department of Finance and the Office of Public Works as well as a number of other relevant Departments. Since the decentralisation implementation group was set up under the chairmanship of Mr. Finbarr Flood, it has been co-ordinating the project and dealing with various Ministers....

Air Services. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 8, inclusive, together. The Cabinet sub-committee on Aer Lingus last met on 9 December 2004 and there are no arrangements for it to meet again.

Air Services. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Regarding the first question, all the matters after that were dealt with by the full Cabinet. The Minister for Transport made it clear to the House last week that he and the Minister for Finance will move quickly to appoint advisers and deal with the issues. This was dealt with at the Cabinet. There is no need for the sub-committee. It had a job to do and it dealt with it. The matter has...

Air Services. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It was made by the Cabinet as part of the overall decision of two weeks ago.

Air Services. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will respond briefly. The Minister for Finance has moved to appoint advisers to advise on the size, type and timing of the sale. The decision on the process will be based on the advice that is given. Other than our statement that we will hold 25%, how we proceed will be based on the outside advisers' recommendation. The timing for proceeding will be decided in conjunction with the board.

Air Services. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy must understand that a Cabinet committee is sometimes established to deal with a particular aspect of a decision. In this case, it dealt with a Goldman Sachs' report and related issues. As soon as that issue was dealt with, the committee ended. The Cabinet dealt with everything else. When the report comes back from the Departments of Finance and Transport, it will be dealt with at...

Air Services. (31 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The work of the Cabinet sub-committee took three or four weeks. The sub-committee is not in existence, and will not be unless we need to revive it for some other purpose. The full Cabinet is dealing with all of the issues.