Results 9,041-9,060 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Rule 42 was not the issue of the debate in 2001 and Deputy Rabbitte is incorrect in that respect. Eircom Park was rejected by the FAI. It was not considered. It voted democratically on that issue, as the GAA did last week, and voted against Eircom Park. As a result of the Government supporting it with taxpayers' money to the tune of more than €100 million, Croke Park has been redeveloped. I...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Tomorrow, many of these issues will be discussed at the Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights, under the chairmanship of Deputy Ardagh. The committee is having a full day's hearing on many of these issues and Deputies will no doubt debate them when the committee meets tomorrow at 9.30 a.m. I agree with Deputy Sargent on the concept of children going to school at 7 a.m....

Leaders' Questions. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Regarding Deputy Sargent's first point, it was because the groups who looked at the issue four years ago were unable to reach an agreement on a scheme that the Government decided the best way forward was to put resources into child benefit. That left child care decisions with families. A person who reared a child at home all of the time got increases in benefit at the same level as others....

Leaders' Questions. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: No. That is the current figure.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Many families still have difficulties because the private schemes are costly. That is why the interdepartmental group is looking to see if there are other ways in which the State can alleviate the burden for those people who opt to work, and pay for private child care. Those discussions are ongoing.

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the first issue, research and development, I will make three comments. First, because we did not have the resources, effectively until 1998, research and development only had a small budget. Now the budget is several hundred million euro, but probably the budget will never be sufficient. Hopefully, what we have done in Science Foundation Ireland and in the PRTLI programmes will allow...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I would like to take the second question first and return to Irish language provision thereafter. We want to have a PEACE programme after 2006 and raised the question over the last year. I managed to insert it into the conclusions of the European Council last June, when I was in the chair. I would not have been able to do so had I not chaired the meeting. Since that time, the Irish and...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I remind the Deputy that the veto was not used. The Government reached an understanding with the company, which did not want to pursue a full investigation or inquiry into the matter. An understanding was reached that the Government would not pursue that approach. The comments I made earlier were relevant to the Leixlip project and other projects. Regardless of any cases which might be made...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: For a long time, this country has had a policy of not supporting the nuclear industry. In so far as any resources have been committed at European level, it has only been done to help deal with old reactors in eastern Europe or in some of the new accession countries that are still under discussion. At European level, there is rarely any attempt by countries to fight any nuclear line,...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, together. There was an expectation among Members that the first parliamentary questions to be answered would be on Northern Ireland issues. However, due to the rules regarding questions, I am required to first answer those on the spring European Council meeting, postponed from last week. I gave a detailed statement to the House last...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There was no particular discussion on the constitutional treaty but, as Deputy Kenny said, a number of countries have decided to hold either consultative or full referenda. Spain has successfully held a consultative referendum. Seven other member states as well as Ireland have confirmed they will hold a referendum. They are Portugal, the Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Denmark, Poland and...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The services directive has been around for some time. It has been indicated that it would not get sufficient support in its present form. That view has existed since the Irish Presidency of the EU last year. Everyone agrees that a services directive is required, but in all such directives it is the balance that is at issue, what one can live with. Commissioner McCreevy almost immediately...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I supported strongly my good friend Jacques Chirac in the debate. We were in favour of the services directive, but so was President Chirac. At the meeting, very few people argued that it should stay in its present form. I can only recall two or three who spoke in favour of it staying in its present form. Prior to Christmas, the Commission conceded that it would not get sufficient support in...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The conclusions as they relate to the Lisbon strategy for this year have followed the process I outlined in answers to questions last week. We have had two reports: one following our request last year for Commissioner Wim Kok to undertake an update for the mid-term review, and the Commission's comprehensive assessment of where the Lisbon Agenda currently stands. Ireland is by no means the...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Yes, Joschka Fischer has strongly supported that move in Europe and supports it eloquently.

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We would have preferred to see the climate change targets retained. There was a major debate on the issue. Some people thought the target date was too far away, others did not want one and others thought it meaningless to set a date of 2050, which is 45 years distant. It was felt moves should be made more quickly and that the 2050 date would be seen as a pious aspiration. The original target...

European Council Meetings. (19 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: People felt that 2050 was too far away and that action should be taken much earlier. There is not an agreement on when people should achieve them, but EU policy is that they should be achieved and as much progress as possible made within the period of this plan. Then we can have a review to see where we are at and have another planned period set to step it up. It is not meant to try to press...

European Council: Statements. (13 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I attended the European Council in Brussels on 22 and 23 March 2005. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, and by the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Deputy Treacy accompanied me. The Presidency's conclusions at the European Council have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The spring European...

Order of Business. (13 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Ground Rents Bill is not proceeding at present because the Supreme Court decision may have implications for it. Regarding Deputy Mitchell's question, I understand the Cape Town Convention Bill will be published today.

Order of Business. (13 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Report Stage will be taken as soon as possible. It is an important Bill.