Results 9,501-9,520 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As I have mentioned a number of times outside the House and I repeat it inside the House, there are no differences between the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and me on this issue whatsoever. I get detailed briefings on security issues, but they are broad briefings. I do not get detailed intelligence reports every day like the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform...

Leaders' Questions. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny asked me three questions. I dissociate myself totally from any derogatory remarks about the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform made by any Fianna Fáil councillor.

Leaders' Questions. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is obvious that the person in question does not know what she is talking about.

Leaders' Questions. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and I have spent more hours working on these issues than we would want, particularly over the last two years. I recall weekends when we sat around, mostly waiting for people to get back to us on certain issues. I think we spent approximately 30 hours working on these issues, waiting for briefing notes, etc., over the course of one weekend,...

Leaders' Questions. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In the last two years — it is almost March again — I have been doing almost nothing other than trying to deal with this. That is not a good idea for me or the Government. We need to get to an end to this. Everyone in this country understands what the Ministers, Deputies Dermot Ahern, Cowen and McDowell, and I have been doing for the last two years. They all understand it now. We should...

Leaders' Questions. (23 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not want to get into political points but I hope Deputy Rabbitte is not saying Government confusion was responsible for the bank robbery by way of nit-picking statements made by the Government over the course of two years, thus trying to find contradictions suggesting it has changed its line. The Government has been at one for years on this issue. I remind Members of the House, including...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (22 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The total number of PR consultancy contracts entered into by or on behalf of this Department in the past three years was 13 — three by my Department and ten by bodies under the aegis of my Department. Details of the contracts awarded by my Department are listed in Appendix 1, and details in respect of bodies under the aegis of the Department are listed in Appendix 2. The PR consultancies...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (22 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: My Department does not have a figure for the total weight of waste disposed of per year. We have a figure for the quantity of paper waste disposed of — the amount in 2004 was 104,000 Kg. All paper and cardboard waste is recycled. Paper waste is disposed of through a private contractor, Leech Papers Limited. This contractor also removes cardboard free of charge for recycling. Redundant...

Written Answers — Seachtain na Gaeilge: Seachtain na Gaeilge (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Tá an Rialtas, faoi mo stiúir, an-ghníomhach ag cur na Gaeilge chun cinn. Titeann freagracht laethúil cur chun cinn na Gaeilge ar an Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta. Tá gach tacaíocht tugtha agam don Roinn sin ina gcuid oibre ar son na Gaeilge. Tá Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 achtaithe anois, chomh maith le iarratas déanta ar stádas oifigiúla oibre don Ghaeilge...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We have probably one of the most open processes in the world with regard to planning issues and I agree with that, though it takes time. The systems of local authority, of planning, of courts and of the EPA are all open and transparent and all issues have to be considered by them. That does not take from the fact that we are making substantial progress in dealing with the waste issue. I have...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Unfortunately, the reality is the waste issue must be dealt with.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We are using the best international standards in every system in this country. The regulatory system and the independent system are there to oversee that.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: This is a modern economy which must deal with waste of all kinds if we are to have 2 million of our citizens working every day. To say we do not have to deal with it is running away from the issue. We should be looking at the best environmental standards. This is the right thing to do and we are doing it.

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together. Progress on the implementation of the Government programme is kept constantly under review. Deputies will be aware that for every full year that Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats have been in Government, we have published an annual progress report. The second such report of the current administration was published on 1...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will not quibble but I think we did hold a debate on the spatial strategy. I think the Deputy is asking where we will go in that regard in the future. I am not saying the matter should not be debated in the House or in committees but the whole concept of the spatial strategy is that the local authorities in the first instance would have a large input into the basic guidelines which form the...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I assure Deputy Kenny that all Departments and agencies must now work to the national spatial strategy in their overall planning, as must local authorities. I know there is always controversy when one tries to do something, but one works to the best international standards. It is envisaged that we will need four or five thermal plants for a country with a population of 5 million. In other...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will give a general reply, though I am also aware of the specific issues. Deputy Joe Higgins and everyone else must realise the economic development happening and the scale of infrastructural work. As I said yesterday, we are spending over €10 billion under the five-year plan, an enormous sum. That can be broken down into individual contracts, figures and areas, but we are spending...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There will always be pressures.

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I assume it is one of the committees under social partnership, of which there are many. I am not involved in it but the Deputy heard the Government's response last night to the proposal for a national waiver scheme. It is not one we support. I presume the purpose of the discussions is to examine some of the difficulties in terms of individuals being hit for these charges. I presume that...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have to acknowledge that, obviously, we have not got a comprehensive settlement that ends these activities. That is the sad reality. In terms of punishment beatings and acts of violence, thankfully they have not reached the level they reached in the past. They are taking place at a time when we thought we would have eliminated them. For now and for the future, we have identified clearly the...