Results 8,601-8,620 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Death of Students: Expressions of Sympathy. (24 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: With the permission of the House and in agreement with the party leaders, I want to say a few words about the terrible bus crash yesterday and express sympathy for the victims. Yesterday five young girls left their parents and homes to go to school. It was probably a normal day like any other school day but it was not to be so for very long. Those young women were not to return to their...

Order of Business (Resumed). (24 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Voluntary Health Insurance Board (Corporate Status) Bill is to alter the corporate status of the VHI. I do not have a date for it but I will bring the issue to the attention of the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children.

Order of Business (Resumed). (24 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The broadcasting authority Bill is to establish a broadcasting authority and amend the RTE provisions. The legislation is due next year. The other Bill was taken off the list.

Standards in Public Office. (24 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The code of conduct for office holders was drawn up by the Government following consultation with the Standards in Public Office Commission. It has applied since 3 July 2003. As I have stated previously, I have no plans to amend it.

Standards in Public Office. (24 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Yes. The recommendations in that report have been made known to all office holders. I think we have had just one case since. It now applies that the recommendations in the new codes have to be followed in communications contracts or anything relating to the public relations domain.

Standards in Public Office. (24 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I am saying the code of conduct has only been in place for two years. We went through long and detailed consultation over two or three years with the Standards in Public Office Commission. The code of conduct has applied for the past two years. Obviously, a code of conduct must always be kept under review in case an issue arises in connection therewith. I can say without breaking the Ceann...

Standards in Public Office. (24 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The code of conduct applies to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, Ministers, Ministers of State, the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil, the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad and their deputies. We have not passed resolutions to extend it to include the Chairmen of committees. That is ultimately a matter for the House to decide. That is what the code of conduct is but, as I mentioned, there are guidelines...

Northern Ireland Issues. (24 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 to 25, inclusive, together. Since the results of the British general election became known, my priority has been to renew contacts with a view to getting the peace process back on track. I did not have the opportunity to meet the Prime Minister, Mr. Blair, at the VE celebrations in Moscow, but I spoke with him shortly after his re-election and I extended my...

Leaders' Questions. (18 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Government has invested in Aer Lingus, putting substantial resources into the company in the 1990s, only a decade ago. We have also worked with Aer Lingus on the survival and redevelopment plans. The Government will remain part of the company. Equity injection is not a wholesale sell-out, but aims to build the airline for the future. Ireland is an island nation and while it may be small,...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (18 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. The costs incurred by my Department during the first quarter of 2005 in respect of the Moriarty tribunal amounted to €670,094 and the costs to 30 April 2005 amounted to €976,139. The estimated costs for the tribunal for 2005 amount to €4 million. However, provision for an additional €6.5 million has been made to cover...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (18 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As regards the Deputy's first question, I cannot be certain and I cannot control it totally. However, in the negotiations that were instigated by the previous Minister for Finance on all the tribunals, he set down a new schedule of fees that would take effect subject to negotiations that the Office of the Attorney General would have with the various chairpersons of all the tribunals. In the...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (18 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte makes a valid point about the tribunals. I assure him this was not my intention — as anybody who looked at the record would also conclude — when I participated with others in setting them up, although obviously I had responsibility as Taoiseach. As some of my staff have shown me a number of times, at that stage all of us indicated that two years seemed to be an awful long...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (18 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: That is very likely given the way things are going. I can only give the Deputy an answer based on the current position. As I stated in my reply, I have optimistically provided €6.5 million this year to cover the costs of publication and the award of legal fees on the basis that we will get to the new position. Obviously, however, I cannot promise Deputies that we will do so.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (18 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The figure refers to total costs; legal fees are not the only costs.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (18 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the previous occasion that I answered questions on this issue I had not asked my Department to update the costs. The figure of €142.38 million I cited in February was in respect of legal costs. A further €54.48 million related to other costs, giving a total cost of €196.86 million. The figure for legal costs includes some €60.7 million in respect of third party legal costs awarded...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (18 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: That issue arises but I can just give the House the agreement that was reached.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (18 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The only date that I have for the Moriarty tribunal is 11 January 2006.

Tribunals of Inquiry. (18 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have literally no control over it, I have no idea. I do not know if clerical staff are involved but the only record I have for the Moriarty tribunal states that it has two senior counsel, one junior counsel, four research counsel and a solicitor. Those are the up-to-date figures, including additional staff, agreed when the Attorney General and Minister for Finance were dealing with this...

Official Engagements. (18 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 31, inclusive, together. I travelled to Madrid on 28 April last to have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Zapatero. The meeting provided the opportunity to discuss various issues on the EU agenda, including the European constitution, the financial perspectives and UN reform. While in Madrid, I also had the opportunity to lay a wreath at the memorial...

Official Engagements. (18 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have no other meeting scheduled for this year with President Bush. I will meet Mitchell B. Reiss on Northern Ireland issues. There is ongoing contact with him, which we appreciate. He has been very active on issues over several months and particularly in recent weeks. Over the next few days, he will have a series of meetings in London, Belfast and Dublin. Last month, following the St....