Results 10,281-10,300 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is a matter for the Whips.

Order of Business. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Work is under way on the drafting of the heads of the Bill. It is expected during the course of 2004.

Order of Business. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The local government (rates) Bill will standardise, modernise, streamline and consolidate rating law. The heads of the Bill are expected during this year and it could be next year before it is drafted.

Order of Business. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The pensions (miscellaneous provisions) Bill is now called the public service superannuation (miscellaneous provisions) Bill. It implements the public service pensions reform package announced by the Minister for Finance in the Budget Statement last December. The Bill will be before the House in this session.

Order of Business. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: That Bill will be incorporated into the Health Act.

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I will visit Northern Ireland on Thursday, as I do regularly. I have a number of engagements which have been arranged for some time. I will be in Coleraine University, Derry and Belfast to discuss the Belfast partnership and a number of other issues. One of the engagements I have is in Omagh. The Nally report was to be debated by the House last Friday so had that gone ahead it would have been...

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Whether or not there are photographers in Omagh is a matter for the photographers. Needless to say, I could not care less. I met representatives of the Omagh groups as far back as 22 August 1998 and continue to do so. As far as the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform or me for that matter, being able to brief people on facts and information regarding the Nally report — although it...

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The heads of the legislation have been approved, but I am not sure when the Bill will be before the House. The plan for the dormant accounts board was published in early November and, as Deputy Rabbitte stated, it was to be used for those affected by economic and social disadvantage, educational disadvantage and persons with a disability. These were the three categories highlighted in that...

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In the context of the need to ensure appropriate capacity and to evaluate the applications——

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: ——and to ensure that there is maximum transparency of disbursements, the Government's view was that the objectives of disbursements should remain unchanged, that we would make decisions on disbursements and that the Government would have an involvement in that. One of the main reasons for that was that an applicant or organisation could apply under half a dozen different categories under...

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I do not know if the legislation will even be through before summer, but the important thing about the dormant accounts fund——

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: ——but the important decisions——

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The important issue is that the moneys be used for areas of disadvantage. If Deputy Rabbitte thinks that the dormant accounts money will resolve some of the major projects, like Ballymun where we are spending €250 million, then he has another think coming. The money in dormant accounts fund should be used to greatest effect in areas of need.

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Ministers are responsible to the House and to the Committee of Public Accounts for moneys that are spent, and it will be the same for this money. I do not see the difficulty of having the money with an independent advisory group that will work with the Minister. It is a small amount of money in the overall context——

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is €30 million.

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is less than €30 million annually.

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is small in terms of what is spent on the youth services facilities fund, CLÁR, RAPID and other schemes for social inclusion.

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: We are spending €250 million in Ballymun and the entire fund would not cover it. The advisory board is in place. I do not see why anyone would get excited about how the resources are allocated.

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy asked me one question in his contribution: whether I said yesterday that I did not see the logic of the stoppage. I said this. Yesterday's dispute was about the fact that an independent chairman had not been appointed. That is what I passed comment on and that is what the dispute was about. All the other issues the Deputy raised are interesting and I hope they are debated in due...

Leaders' Questions. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: As with most Members, I would be genuinely concerned about the conditions and future of workers in Dublin Bus and other parts of the transport sector. It is for this reason that we should be honest with them and inform them that, for a number of years, the legal view has been that the 1932 Act will be struck down sooner or later — as has happened in other areas — and will open up the...