Results 10,161-10,180 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Work on the testing will continue during the next couple of months.

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister for Health and Children will, under the National Development Plan 2000-2006, oversee the spending of some €2 billion for the provision of infrastructure in the hospital system. It is an ongoing matter for the Minister not only to provide for buildings and equipment but also to cater for running costs in the years ahead. This issue is ongoing in several hospitals. The Minister...

Leaders' Questions. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Ó Caoláin asks if resources are likely to be allocated. In the last seven years the health budget has increased by 20% per year. There has been an increase of 188% in the health budget since 1997. The health service is extraordinarily well resourced. The Government now spends €10.5 billion on health. This has nothing to do with what will happen in the next six weeks. The Minister...

Order of Business. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 8, motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions; and No. 17, Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004 — Order for Report and Report and Final Stages. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 8 shall be decided without debate; and that the Dáil on its rising today shall adjourn until 12.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 5 May 2004, and the...

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 8, inclusive, together. I understand Mr. Justice Barron will report next, at the beginning of June, on the Dublin bombings of 1972 and 1973, together with the Clones, Belturbet and Pettigo bombings of 28 December 1972 and four other bombing incidents that took place before May 1974, as well as the murder of Brid Carr in November 1971 and the murders of...

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The reply states that work is well advanced on the second report and some contacts remain to be made. While I do not have a date, I assume it is not too far in the future. I understand he has most of the drafting done and he just has some outstanding contacts to make. That will cover a number of the cases. It will cover the two bombings in Dublin 1972 and 1973. It will also cover the Clones,...

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In the first instance, the Government has not considered the report formally. We have stated we will await the Oireachtas debate on this issue. It must be debated in both the Dáil and Seanad. In the report of the sub-committee, the work of which I commended, it is stated that once the committees of investigation legislation is passed through the Houses, the sub-committee will be in a...

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Whether Mr. Justice Barron will make himself available is a matter for his consideration. As Deputy Kenny said, he has been quite helpful in coming forward to the sub-committee, answering questions and elaborating as much as he possibly can. I am sure he will do that again. Everyone who looks at these issues will say there are other matters which should be examined. If this moves to another...

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I do not have an up-to-date position on that matter but I can get one for the Deputy. As I understand from replies to cases I referred to the commission, work is ongoing. I will obtain a note for the Deputy in that regard. On the other issue raised by the Deputy, it will be a matter for the House following debate and the Government's consideration in terms of the way forward. It is the...

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy raised three issues. I outlined, in reply to Deputy Rabbitte, the position regarding the first report. It must first be debated in the Dáil and Seanad and then by the Government in terms of recommendations and processes for moving on. That includes the full substance of the first report. His second report deals with events which occurred before 17 May 1974. It covers the Dublin...

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: That recommendation was made after the debate in this House and it goes back to Government. If that recommendation is adopted, the report recommends that the matter be taken up by a committee of investigation. We must await the examination of the report in the House and by the Government.

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I hope it will happen shortly.

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Yes, is the answer to Deputy Gregory's first question. I keep in regular touch with individuals from the Justice for the Forgotten group. I also have formal meetings with the group. Like Deputy Gregory and all Members of the House, I would like to see a full and complete end of this matter. We have agreed a process for that. The report must be debated in the Dáil and Seanad and then...

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: As stated, the response from the Secretary of State, Mr. Paul Murphy, is that Mr. Justice Barron has been given all the information the British Government has. I do not think the British Government has considered yet the recommendation in the report by Mr. Justice Barron. A good reason for that is that the Government has not yet done that. However, the British Government is aware of it and...

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I answered that question when I stated the report will be debated by both Houses of the Oireachtas before it goes to Government. That process is set out in the findings of the committee. The other reports should be processed in the same way. Ultimately, we will have to consider how best to bring the matter to finality, as Deputy Gregory stated. In my view this is as good as any other way,...

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Is that issue dealt with in a separate part of the report?

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I will bring attention to that, if it is not part of the process. My understanding is that the full report will be debated in this House and in the Seanad and will then be considered by Government. I assume all of it, including that part, will be discussed.

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: That is as I understand it.

Commissions of Inquiry. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: On the debate in the House, it is a matter on which we must agree. There needs to be a debate which presumably will be based on the committee's report either to support or amend its recommendations. There was an agreement that the matter would be debated prior to bringing it to Government for final consideration and action on it. This should take place as early as possible. We will try to...

Freedom of Information. (4 May 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 10 together. There were 11 freedom of information requests received in my Department for the first three months of this year as compared with 80 requests received for the same period last year. All requests for the first three months of this year have been acceded to. Eight freedom of information requests were received during February 2004 compared with...