Results 101-120 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: ——cannot make——

Leaders' Questions. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: A Cheann Comhairle, I am trying to answer questions.

Leaders' Questions. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The party's committee cannot be an alternative investigator or tribunal. It can only deal with matters when duly established tribunals or inquiries actually deal with them. That is the party ruling as passed by the Ard-Fheis in 2000, as a matter of interest.

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I thank the House for the opportunity to make this statement. A serious and unfounded accusation has been made against me. It is alleged that I delayed the workings of the Mahon tribunal for five years. This is totally untrue, it is a nonsense and, as I said yesterday, it is untrue. The tribunal was established to find the truth about accusations of grave wrongdoing against people in public...

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I am happy to continue co-operating with the tribunal and I look forward to the conclusion of its inquiry so that I can get the public vindication to which I am entitled.

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: None of the letters from the various tribunals to the Government secretariat seeking papers, files and diaries regarding a number of events before them have ever been shown to me, on the basis that the tribunals mark them "Strictly Confidential". None of the letters has ever been seen by me. I am not saying the Deputy said anything in this regard and I am not replying to the Deputy but other...

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The first question Deputy Kenny asked me was about my use of the words "no delay has arisen". I did not use those words for any particular reason. When I made a statement to the tribunal on 27 January 1999, I gave all the details in that case. Most of the details, some five or six points, I gave in full — the letter from Martin Macken, former general secretary, to Pádraig Flynn; the...

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: An enormous number of people are dealing with these procedures and investigating them on behalf of this House. We delegated that authority from this House so the Deputy should not ask me to run a separate tribunal. I cannot do that.

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I can give the resources. I can co-operate and I can help with the function——

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: ——but I cannot set up a separate tribunal. I have to live by the strictures and rules, and the Deputy must understand that as a Member of this House.

Mahon Tribunal: Statements. (10 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The issue of the NIB report is a matter for the High Court. I understand the final report is due this summer. That is the latest position.

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.