Results 9,621-9,640 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Public Order Offences. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I have no say in the granting of the orders and the Deputy is misrepresenting the situation by suggesting otherwise.

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: At the outset I wish to state the Government's absolute commitment to the principles of equality and the elimination of discrimination as enunciated in much equality legislation passed by the Oireachtas. I commend the work of the Equality Authority and I state my commitment to ensuring a secure and viable future for the Agency. The Government and its predecessors promoted the legislation...

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The ethos of my political party on its formation was to bring equality into a highly divided and class-ridden society. I take pride in the fact that all of the equality legislation that has been passed by this House has been introduced by Fianna Fáil-led Governments, of which neither Deputy Rabbitte nor his party, the so-called Labour Party, the party of the people, was a member.

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: As for the specific issue of the Equality Authority, Members on all sides, particularly those in the Opposition, have been constantly raising the valid issue of spending on public relations and consultancies. It will do no harm to refer to the 2007 report, which Deputy Rabbitte should have read before coming into the House, on the Equality Authority. In 2007, it spent €220,000 on public...

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Again, I revert to the point that I made previously——

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to finish my point, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I wish to again emphasise——

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I will revert to the issue later.

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: First, I will not take lectures from Deputy Rabbitte on the genesis of my party, particularly as I am not altogether sure what was his political genesis, given that he has been in so many political parties since he entered this House and beforehand. As for the Equality Authority, I validly listed out areas in which I believe savings can be effected because we are now in a different...

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: ——and I am keeping Garda numbers on the street. I wished to concentrate on the issue of policing and tackling crime.

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I stated that, unfortunately, all the other agencies that comprise the soft part of my Department were obliged to take a significant cut right across the Department.

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Yes. I made the point to the Equality Authority people——

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: ——when they came into my office recently——

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: ——that, to a certain extent, the fact that the Department only deducted 1% from the National Disability Authority has been hung around my neck. I made this point strongly to the members of the authority's board and the chief executive when I met them last week. I told them the Government had made a specific decision when preparing the Estimates and the budget that people with...

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: However, when one examines this expenditure, it is valid to ask a question on amounts such as €184,000 on publications——

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: ——€220,000 on public relations——

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: ——€184,000 on publications——

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: ——and €100,000 on consultants. No, I am not filibustering.

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I must say the Deputy is adding to the nasty——

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: ——leak that came from people.

Departmental Agencies. (18 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It reflects more on those who made such a nasty leak against a good public servant.