Results 9,521-9,540 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the issue of the health reform programme, the Deputy is aware of the position on that. The Health Service Executive is up and running, and we now have the National Hospitals Office. The third part of the legislation has to go through this House later in the year on the quality issues of health. The history of the consultants' contract is clear and well-known. Junior hospital doctors, under...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have no difficulty with the methodology used. The only argument I would put forward is that it is not possible to compare like with like because it is not a case of being able to do so. As both reports state, the methodology employed is different and cannot be compared with earlier reports. I welcome the fact that they focus on the areas on which we should target resources. While there has...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not accept that analysis. The programme for Government sets down plans for every Department, Minister and agency to follow and endeavour to implement. An audit carried out each year on the huge number of areas and initiatives covered by the programme shows what has been completed. It is obvious that everything has not been completed and some initiatives are either more advanced than...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The major issue with the metro is its sheer size and the scale of the resources required. Almost the entire capital programme would be needed.

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There are other places besides Dublin and the resources must be spread around.

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Dublin Airport is doing better than anyone ever thought it would. Up to 20 million visitors passed through it last year. Only five or six years ago, people stated that this number might only reach 10 million. A huge amount of work was invested in preparing the national spatial strategy and the guidelines for every region and local authority area. Deputy Sargent is correct that the Kyoto...

Programmes for Government. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As regards the first question on the health issue and the thermal treatment plants, of course I acknowledge there is concern in all of these cases. Whenever there is anything new there is concern about these issues. However, the EPA study notes that the World Health Organisation dealt with these issues. They have been reviewed not just in Ireland but in many countries. I understand that...

Order of Business. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 5, Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2005 — Order for Second Stage and Second Stage; and No. 4, Criminal Justice Bill 2004 — Second Stage (resumed). Private Members' business shall be No. 44, motion re waiver scheme for domestic refuse charges (resumed), to conclude at 8.30 p.m.

Order of Business. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As I said earlier, the Supreme Court has ruled that the Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill is unconstitutional. I have had no chance to talk to anybody about it, as all I have received is a note informing me that there has been a 93-page judgment. I welcome the clarity which the court's ruling will bring. When the meeting of the Council of State took place, the Tánaiste and I said it was better...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Subject to correction, I understood we passed legislation some years ago making touting illegal.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I remember we debated the issue then. For as long as I can remember, touts, of whom there are plenty around my part of the world, have always been fearful of gardaí and try to avoid them. I presume there is some reason for that and that there is some law in existence on the issue.

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: However, I cannot recall hearing whether the law is enforced rigidly or whether there have been prosecutions. There is an issue. U2 and rugby tickets are like gold dust. It is almost impossible to get tickets for the Ireland-England match and this is a real problem. I wanted to build a national stadium so that a large number of people would fit in it and we would not have the problem. At...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have no problem looking at that. As I said, an old law exists but I accept it is probably ineffectual as the fines and confiscations provided for have little effect. My colleagues inform me they believe a Bill was accepted in principle but was never passed. We can look at that. Deputy Kenny has raised the matter of the practicalities of distribution which is a very difficult issue. Ticket...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We have promised and continue to pursue the commitment to reduce class sizes. The average class size in primary schools has now gone down to just under 24. It was previously over 27. This is the smallest class size in our history. We are determined to lower class sizes even further to below the international best practice figure of 20. In recent years we have invested resources in special...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As stated in the programme for Government, best international practice is a class size of 20 children per teacher. We have significantly reduced class size to 23.9 children. Deputy Rabbitte is also aware of the policy to support small rural schools, of which there are 600 or 700. That has been a good policy. These one or two-teacher schools are small but they are based in their communities....

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Government is committed to accelerated delivery of all infrastructure which is necessary to underpin economic growth and it is placing emphasis at the top of the waste hierarchy with waste prevention to the fore. We are dealing, once and for all, with integral and illegal waste activities by putting in place the necessary structures to deal with individuals and companies who are breaching...

Leaders' Questions. (16 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: All over the world thermal treatment plans are a key part of modern waste management systems. The most environmentally-friendly countries, with the best environmental standards and which are quoted in all the international reports, have thermal treatment as an integral part of their plans. If the Deputy examines any of these programmes or the presentations prepared by NGOs on this issue, he...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (15 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There are no funds and grants available from this Department or its agencies to support initiatives to combat anti-social behaviour.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (15 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Further to my reply on 1 February 2005, the following table details departmental expenditure by credit card since June 2002. â'¬ 2004 101,730 2003 65,386 2002 31,623 Records indicate that a total of 809 official transactions were made in the period. Of these, 161 transactions, amounting to €54,597, related to travel expenses and 395 transactions, amounting to €78,722,...

Written Answers — Regulatory Reform: Regulatory Reform (15 Feb 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In 2004, the Government published the White Paper, "Regulating Better", which commits to six principles of better regulation and outlines an action programme to implement these principles. As I stated in answer to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 10 to 15, inclusive, on 16 November 2004, a better regulation group of senior officials has been established to oversee implementation of the White...