Results 8,661-8,680 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The rule regarding the making of regulations has been stated. I am not sure whether the 21 days is effective from the date the regulations appear on the Order Paper, or from the date they are made. That can be easily checked. I will find out why there was a delay and will shortly inform the Deputy about that matter.

Order of Business. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Further heads of this Bill are expected. The Bill was almost ready but other issues are under examination. I do not know what those issues are but the Bill is likely to be published early next year.

Order of Business. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The McCann report is not yet with the Government but the Minister for Transport will attend a conference about that matter at the weekend. He may have the report now. There is no date for the transport reform Bill, to reform public transport. The work on draft heads of the transport (increase in CIE borrowings) Bill is under way and the legislation is expected later this year. The Department...

Order of Business. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Bills will be before the House in this session. The Foyle and Carlingford fisheries Bill is a large Bill but will be here in this session. The employment permits Bill will be available soon.

Order of Business. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Bill will come before the House later this year.

Order of Business. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Up to last week the report had not been published. It will be part of the ten year multi-annual transport plan.

Leaders' Questions. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Ó Caoláin knows that he is mixing points up.

Leaders' Questions. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy has had his three minutes.

Leaders' Questions. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy is only allocated one minute and has spoken for three minutes. He knows he is mixing up issues.

Leaders' Questions. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The legislation goes far beyond anything to be found anywhere else. I mentioned the one area which it cannot cover. It has an independent assessment of need and a statement of services to which they are entitled.

Leaders' Questions. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It has access to an appeals process to deal with complaints about the assessment of service statement. Ultimately, it has access to the courts to enforce the decisions of an independent appeal. It has transparent multi-annual funding commitments of capital and current expenditure. It has clear and transparent sectoral commitments.

Leaders' Questions. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Every one of those issues is in the legislation.

Leaders' Questions. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is the same old question and Deputy Ó Caoláin should be honest. He and his party never believed that the Government would introduce the Employment Equality Act, the Equal Status Act, the Equality Act 2004, the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill, the Comhairle (Amendment) Bill and a very good Disability Bill. He clings on to the hope that he can get some political...

Leaders' Questions. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will answer the point today. Deputy Ó Caoláin is being entirely dishonest in this debate.

Departmental Website. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: My Department's three websites are updated regularly and new information and publications are added as necessary. Each division is responsible for ensuring the information on their own area of the Department's websites is accurate and up to date. There are four people within the Department with access to update the content on the websites as required. The Department's websites are regularly...

Departmental Website. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will not argue with Deputy Rabbitte about this issue. The website should be updated all the time. For their own reasons, the departmental staff do not put up every statement. They tend to put up major statements on the programme. They do not put items up on a daily basis as I have seen for myself. The www.bettergov.ie website, which concerns modernisation and better regulation also seems to...

Active Citizenship. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 to 6, inclusive, together. It is widely accepted that the quality of life is significantly enhanced by the willingness of people to become involved and active in their communities across the wide range of issues and interests which make up our civil society. It is equally recognised that there are many pressures which can inhibit such participation....

Active Citizenship. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have not announced the membership. However, a large number of organisations have pressed for this since the publication of the White Paper on volunteerism two years ago which at the time was chaired by Chris Flood. A large conference of all of the organisations active in this area was held recently. It was organised as the annual conference of The Wheel, a body which draws on...

Active Citizenship. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There is already extensive public funding of voluntary organisations across a wide range of Departments and the majority of jobs in voluntary organisations are directly supported by public funds. Some people have even argued that this tips the balance away from direct voluntary participation in some organisations. I do not subscribe to that view because I do not see how organisations can...

Active Citizenship. (11 May 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I accept there are deep social and cultural factors which can hamper people's participation in various organisations. For example, a change in work and community patterns is a major factor in that. However, there are examples of sporting, cultural and social organisations which have an enormous impact on people's lives and whose members put in a considerable amount of effort into their work....