Results 141-160 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Constitutional Amendments. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I hope I will not even be doing that. Perhaps there is a case for examining this area. I am not against this, I have already said that the report that has been published in this area should be shared with the all-party committee. I am not sure if this has happened, but I have no difficulty with it. Many of the points are small and will not make much difference, and there is a reason the...

Constitutional Amendments. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I have given my views on this issue many times and Deputy Higgins knows exactly what those views are. We await publication of the all-party committee's report, which I understand is due in a few months. The process has not been under way for seven years. The committee started its work about 16 or 17 months ago. The Kenny report was produced about 30 years ago. More houses have been built, by...

Constitutional Amendments. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: There are competing views as to how the numbers in the Seanad should be made up. I gave my views to the committee last September on the issue. I understand from the subsequent debate that took place and from meeting the committee on a number of occasions over the past six months that it will recommend that what is known as the Taoiseach's 11 be used in a different way and also that the...

Constitutional Amendments. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I am not against examining such a proposal. The Seanad can be used in a broader way to take account of representative groups. Some of these perhaps feel they should be represented in this House, but the Seanad can give them a part and role to play. I am not against that idea. I have always been in favour of the recommendation that people from outside of the State could hold seats in the...

Constitutional Amendments. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I faced their wrath many years ago when I told them that, while others told them the opposite. I will not change my mind on that issue. I will endeavour to process the Seanad report as soon as it comes out. I believe it will make new recommendations on the Taoiseach's 11 and the overall formation of the Seanad.

Constitutional Amendments. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I do not envisage any change in the format for the presidential election in October. There will be no change from the present position, either constitutionally or legislatively.

Constitutional Amendments. (17 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In response to Deputy Sargent's question we will endeavour to bring forward amendments. There are several constitutional issues to be dealt with in the coming years and the best way to deal with those will be to group some of the issues arising from the report with those, in as many instances as we can.

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.