Results 10,061-10,080 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I accept Deputy Kenny would not have been briefed on all the matters. I do not think he would have been briefed on OTRs or the McCabe issues. I reiterate — I understand people can be uncomfortable with these issues — over the years in many of these circumstances I have had to give clearance at Christmas time and other times for the release of republican prisoners. The Christmas before the...

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Government has been assessing the republican movement. I may be wrong but I think even since last October, people are facing up to moving towards the end position. That will come to fruition only when matters are completed. The issues in the Joint Declaration, such as equality, policing and so on are very difficult. To answer Deputy Rabbitte's question, I think republican thinking is...

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: A willingness.

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Independent Monitoring Commission has given its report and we have seen what it has said, including what it said about the ten killings last year, practically all of which were loyalist. There are issues. It is for me to give a fair position. There were a large number of events in Northern Ireland this weekend to which little or no attention was given. I will not give a blow-by-blow...

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I could give an equally long answer. The answer to most of those issues is "yes". I have answered some of them already, in my reply to Deputy Rabbitte, about loyalist activities. I mentioned the SDLP because that incident happened this weekend. It is the latest in a series of issues which I have also mentioned. I would prefer to expend my energy in moving on. If we keep going back on these...

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I will answer Deputy Ó Caoláin's question. If I had managed to convince the Prime Minister — the Deputy said I did not do so actively enough — to get things up and running just after Christmas it would have come back down again through the actions of people associated with the Deputy and his party.

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It would have done.

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Ó Caoláin asked me a question but he did not like the answer.

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I am sorry. I apologise.

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Government continues at every level to make progress on the issue of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. I have raised this again with the Prime Minister and will try to make as much progress as possible on this. He is aware of the recommendations of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights, which I support. We must see what progress we can achieve on...

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The SDLP plan for the restoration of the Assembly, the North-South ministerial bodies and the British-Irish Council through the appointment of an administrative panel to run the Departments is being raised in the review. The party will pursue it further when the discussions resume. There are several other constructive suggestions and proposals. Every party has put forward comprehensive...

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I answered questions on this issue the week before last. As I said in my earlier reply, we discussed Northern Ireland and European matters at this meeting. We did not discuss Iraq, but when I previously answered questions on this matter I stated that we formally and officially condemned and signalled our outrage at what had happened in the prisons to the UK and US authorities. The Deputy...

Leaders' Questions. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I will take the last question first. Yes, I can give that confirmation. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform feels the comments he made were not taken in context. The Tánaiste made it clear today that there will not be any compensation. On Deputy Kenny's first question, last Tuesday I indicated my intention to propose a motion or motions today regarding Judge Curtin in the...

Leaders' Questions. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In reply to the first question, the letter refers to the present state of health of Judge Curtin. That letter and all the correspondence will be given to the House before any vote on this issue. The issue is about the solicitors being allowed to give their views on the process that will be adopted. The procedure is that I have given until 2.30 p.m. on next Monday afternoon to receive...

Leaders' Questions. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: There is nothing to suggest the Minister made any inquiries or received any representations on the appointment of Judge Curtin. Judge Curtin was one of a list of persons approved for appointment to a vacancy in the Circuit Court by the judicial appointments advisory committee. At the time of Judge Curtin's appointment, the Minister, who was then the Attorney General, was aware of no matter...

Leaders' Questions. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In response to the question regarding the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, an issue which Deputy Kenny raised with me, I stated that there was no foundation to the suggestion that the Minister made any inquiries or received any representation on the appointment of Judge Curtin. I have outlined the procedure. Mr. Brian Curtin was recommended for a vacancy which he was later...

Leaders' Questions. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Attorney General has given his views on what would be considered as incapacity. The Deputy is correct that the letter mentions the state of health of Judge Curtin, but it gives no evidence. The Attorney General has given his view that there would have to be evidence of incapacity and it could not be taken in a general form. There is no sustainable medical case. Whether that will come...

Leaders' Questions. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: They are hypothetical issues. I do not claim to be either a legal or medical expert but it could be of a short duration which would hardly be what the Constitution regarded as a permanent incapacity. One could argue either way and I do not think the solicitor has argued it in a way that shows the ultimate argument. That will be brought forward in due course. The Deputy asked me another question.

Leaders' Questions. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Oireachtas must conduct its own examination. There are legal issues involved and the Deputy will appreciate that, in my position, I have heard of some of the issues but am precluded from referring to them. The Deputy is correct that I was asked about these issues, but I refused to give the evidence to my party or to the media. If I were to be asked as a lay person whether substantial...

Leaders' Questions. (25 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Yes.