Results 9,761-9,780 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Bord Gáis Éireann Bill will be before the House next year. I do not have a date for the electricity Bill, although its heads have been approved and it is being drafted.

Order of Business. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The heads of the building control Bill have been approved for some time and it is scheduled for mid 2005. On the referendum, a spring 2006 referendum is the probable preference of the British Government, although it is not final. There will probably be an election before then. It is advisable for us to hold our referendum before then, although we have not decided on a date. We are, however,...

Order of Business. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: There is no legislation planned for this area and we must wait to see if we can conclude the comprehensive settlement to look at issues that surround it. There are no proposals in the area but the Government continues to put significant resources into the Border, midland and west, BMW, region to help economic development in those regions. In our multi-annual and capital programmes, large...

Order of Business. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Criminal Justice (Inter-national Co-operation) Bill will be taken in this session. The heads of the criminal justice (miscellaneous provisions) Bill are expected before Christmas and the Bill will be introduced in the new year. We are also working on a criminal justice (protection of confidential information) Bill for next year but the criminal justice (miscellaneous provisions) Bill will...

Order of Business. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister for Foreign Affairs was not involved in this issue today but the Department has made contact. I will ask for a note to let Deputies Howlin and Sargent know what progress has been made.

National Security. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In considering modern terrorism and security issues, one can never know what someone might do or whether threats will be carried out. The interdepartmental group, which is an advisory group under the chair of the Secretary General of my Department, is the first port of call for feeding in information which comes from various quarters. It exchanges such information. It is a very tight group,...

National Security. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: There is now an office of emergency planning under the Department of Defence, which was not there heretofore and which feeds into all agencies and groups. In addition, the taskforce on emergency planning also feeds into that group. Under the aegis of my own Department, there is a group to which I referred earlier, including the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Department of...

National Security. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The committee has no political role. The committee does its utmost to protect and safeguard the country from a defence and security point of view. It exchanges information. It is not involved in the politics of the matter, nor is the office of emergency planning which constantly tries to ensure the State is protected and to oversee emergency planning generally. Therefore, the questions raised...

National Security. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: There has been no change in the terms of reference. I am not involved in the day to day work of the advisory committee. It is always looking at new threats and militant groups because there is always concern about new groups in the Middle East that surface on an almost monthly basis. Intelligence is exchanged on an ongoing basis but the terms of reference of the committee have not changed....

National Security. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: If the Deputy wants to pursue that matter, he should put questions to the Minister for Transport. I do not have the figures.

National Security. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: On the issues of concern to the Deputy, there are no difficulties with Shannon that feed into the wider system. Flights from the United States and elsewhere also land in German bases. The House is well aware that the position when the war started, when there was no UN resolution, was that we believed there should have been a resolution and have consistently supported Mr. Kofi Annan at every...

National Security. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In reply to Deputy Rabbitte, I have no information whatsoever about prisoners being moved to Guantanamo Bay or elsewhere.

National Security. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Approval has been sought in that regard as per the schedule used for that purpose from both the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Transport. However, I have no information about prisoners. I do not have the number of overflights, but I am sure Deputy Kenny is aware that nowadays, with long flight capability, many are going to Germany, and are also overflying France, incidentally. On the UN...

National Security. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: ——across the table in Hillsborough and in the White House. It was not something he wanted to hear, perhaps, the first few times, but in any event we made that point very clear. It is a lesson for the future. As regards any of these conflicts, all the divisions within the European Council, the hostilities and difficulties in parliaments could have been avoided, I believe, if sufficient...

Leaders' Questions. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In recent years the economy has annually turned in one of the best economic performances in the world. From 1997 to 2003 the economy has grown by more than 8% per annum in real terms. These are genuine increases for the economy and for business. For the current year we expect Ireland to maintain its global economic position. The mid-term review of the economic outlook forecast a growth of...

Leaders' Questions. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: On the professions, we know this is an area of high cost. The Competition Authority, as Deputy Kenny knows, has produced its interim reports for each profession and will produce the final reports. On regulatory reform and the concept of regulatory impact analysis on legislation and other areas, we published a White Paper last January in which we are committed to having a thorough regulatory...

Leaders' Questions. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I remind Deputy Rabbitte that the stars are coming to this country because of the good tax regime, they are not flying in the other direction.

Leaders' Questions. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I am sure Mr. Daniel Day-Lewis or any other stars will have little difficulty in dealing with the remedial issues mentioned in the Radiological Protection Institute review. It is a serious issue and has been for some years. The Radiological Protection Institute has undertaken several reviews that highlight how people can take preventative measures with regard to this issue, at minimum cost to...

Leaders' Questions. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I do not wish to be flippant. An issue is either serious or it is not. There are other concerns in this area and asbestos is probably a more serious issue than radon gas. I believe, subject to correction, there was a proposal about a grant but no such grant was paid to anybody.

Leaders' Questions. (23 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Such a grant was never paid to anybody. It is great to have a theory but no money was paid out.