Results 10,341-10,360 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It is a High Court matter. There is no control over it. What was Deputy Rabbitte's second question?

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: All Ministers and all Members have known for several years that out of all of these issues there could be serious positions about tax evasion. Nobody had any particular information and I got no particular information from the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, or anybody else. It has been general knowledge, as somebody said here when Deputy Kenny raised the...

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: ——but I still did not find out what happened. The matter is before the tribunal. Even in the newspapers last week there were different views. I thought for years that the cheque was made out to Fianna Fáil and in more recent times I heard it was made out to cash.

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I heard it because, like everything else, it is doing the rounds from papers that have been leaked.

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte's third question was about the £50,000. What is in dispute is precisely who was the intended beneficiary. The Deputy asked me if I asked Mr. Gilmartin about this matter. Quite frankly, I have no recollection of the conversation with Mr. Gilmartin. Mr. Gilmartin said he rang me to ask me to assist him. I think he also said he rang me again to thank me, so he did get some...

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I am not sure what the Deputy is asking me. If Mr. Gilmartin had mentioned to me in 1989 that he had given a donation to Pádraig Flynn or to Fianna Fáil, I would have assumed he was giving it to Fianna Fáil through Pádraig Flynn in his capacity as treasurer. If a donation of £50,000 was given to a Minister which was not going to a political party. I can only visualise that if it was...

Order of Business. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Order of Business today shall be No. 14, motion re appointment of An Coimisinéir Teanga; No. 18, Civil Registration Bill 2003 — Order for Report and Report and Final Stages; and No. 1, Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003 [Seanad] — Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. tonight and business shall...

Order of Business. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The commissioner is appointed by the Government.

Order of Business. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: While I am not against the point, we need to take the motion today. However, we have already agreed to hold a special debate in Irish during seachtain na Gaeilge in a few weeks, at which this can be discussed. It might be best to debate it at that stage.

Order of Business. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: As Deputy Neville pointed out, there was a long debate on the Bill on Committee Stage. The Bill is due in the Seanad on Thursday and, given that the Minister is accepting a number of the amendments put forward on Committee Stage, we need to conclude it this evening.

Order of Business. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I am not aware of the report but will bring the matter to the attention of the Department.

Order of Business. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: It will be introduced this session.

Order of Business. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Bill is being drafted. It should be ready this year.

Business of Dáil. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I propose that notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, the proceedings of No. a18, statements arising from the Mahon tribunal, on the second supplementary Order Paper, shall be taken today immediately at the conclusion of Leaders' Questions for 55 minutes. The following arrangements shall apply: the statements shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 40...

Leaders' Questions. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy asked two questions. Deputy Cooper-Flynn will make a statement to the House regarding the allegations about her that have appeared in the media. Like everybody else, she is entitled to make that statement. She is neither above nor below the law. Most people would accept that she is entitled to due process and that there should be full accountability.

Leaders' Questions. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Neither I nor anybody else should rush to judgment until we have all the facts. Allegations were made previously. Deputy Cooper-Flynn appealed her case and it was on that basis that the Fianna Fáil Party re-admitted her to the parliamentary party following the general election. We await the result of that appeal. On the second issue, I will speak later when I will explain about the...

Leaders' Questions. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: As I said, Deputy Cooper-Flynn is neither above nor below the law. Most people would accept that she is entitled to due process and that there should be full accountability. Neither I nor anyone else should rush to judgment until we have all the facts. Deputy Cooper-Flynn took a civil action for defamation and we are aware of the outcome. She subsequently chose to appeal the decision. Her...

Leaders' Questions. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: No offer was made.

Leaders' Questions. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I want to do my best to answer all of the questions. Everybody was aware that allegations were being made against Deputy Cooper-Flynn. That is why a whole module of a tribunal is examining the issues.

Leaders' Questions. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: At all times yesterday and today I have attempted to make time available to debate this. There was some debate about how that time could be made available. I made it clear that I wanted to make time available, as I have done several times in this House, unlike what was done in previous years. As regards Pádraig Flynn channelling £50,000 through bogus accounts, there should be no doubt about...