Results 9,761-9,780 of 13,375 for speaker:Pat Rabbitte

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 180: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the recent report by the decentralisation implementation group and the announcement that 2,000 civil servants will be moved to 29 new locations by the end of 2007; his views on whether the original target of decentralising 10,300 public and civil servants to 53 different locations has been put aside; his further views on meeting 20%...

Order of Business (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: Will the Taoiseach allow time to debate the situation at Aer Lingus?

Northern Ireland Issues: Statements (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: I acknowledge the work and effort of the two Governments, especially that of the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister, Mr. Blair, who have invested a great deal of time in the peace process over the past decade. There have been so many false dawns in recent years that it was very welcome to see the St. Andrews talks conclude on a positive note last week. We all want to see the process...

Northern Ireland Issues: Statements (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: It is disappointing that the Good Friday Agreement has not led to the strengthening of the political centre in Northern Ireland as many people had hoped, and that the principal political beneficiaries appear to have been the parties of the extreme. We owe a great debt of gratitude to parties like the SDLP and the Ulster Unionist Party, which kept the process alive through the many dark days...

Appointments to State Boards. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 4: To ask the Taoiseach the persons appointed by him since 1997 to State boards or other agencies under the aegis of his Department; the criteria used in deciding to make an appointment to such a board or agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31612/06]

Appointments to State Boards. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 5: To ask the Taoiseach if, in respect of any appointment made by him to a State board or agency under the aegis of his Department, he has ever made a declaration of interest as required under the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 and the Standards in Public Office Act 2001; the appointments in respect of which such declarations were made; and if he will make a statement on the...

Appointments to State Boards. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to ask the Taoiseach about paragraph 24 of the code which states that if an office holder, the first office holder, or a person acting on his or her behalf proposes to make a request to a second office holder with regard to the performance of a function by the second office holder and the first office holder has actual knowledge that he or she or a connected person has a material...

Appointments to State Boards. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: That is not the point. The material interest arises from the fact that the Taoiseach was in receipt of gifts, loans or whatever from a number of persons on behalf of whom he made representations to a colleague Minister to have them appointed to a State board. Under paragraph 24 of the code, the Taoiseach was required to make the statements to which I referred. Did he make them?

Appointments to State Boards. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: The Taoiseach had a material interest.

Appointments to State Boards. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: The Taoiseach named a number of them. I do not wish to name them here. It is written in black and white under Article 24. Did the Taoiseach furnish the statement?

Standards in Public Office. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: Question 8: To ask the Taoiseach the plans he has to amend or update the code of conduct for office holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30873/06]

Standards in Public Office. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: This is not the Order of Business.

Standards in Public Office. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: The Taoiseach may have said when it is proposed to introduce the amendment to the ethics Act.

Standards in Public Office. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: Let us call a spade a spade. The amendment is a face-saver for the Tánaiste in light of the recent controversy. We do not need legislation to——

Standards in Public Office. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: Yes. Do we need legislation to get someone else to adjudicate on whether a gift should be accepted? It is a face-saver and a fig leaf for the Tánaiste, although I do not want to confuse the different parts of his anatomy.

Standards in Public Office. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: It is nonsense. If we are to make an amendment to get past what was referred to as last week's little turbulence, will the Government include the commission's request to be allowed to investigate matters where a complaint is not formally laid?

Standards in Public Office. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: There is no doubt that the Taoiseach is good; that is a plausible line. Let us put it on the record.

Standards in Public Office. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: I do. It is difficult to see the loophole, but I do not want to argue with the Taoiseach. If he is intent on this and the Tánaiste is happy, I too am happy and the Labour Party will support the legislation.

Standards in Public Office. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: We are introducing amending legislation of little importance. If we are refurbishing the legislation, why will the Government not take on board the explicit recommendation of the commission to the effect that it needs the power to initiate investigations if it is to do its job? Is it being suggested that the eminent members of the commission would embark on a mischievous inquiry for the...

Standards in Public Office. (18 Oct 2006)

Pat Rabbitte: He claimed that I rang his wife and complained about the letter, but I never made any——