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

Order of Business (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I do not think there is legislation promised.

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: As for the figures used in the various assumptions that are being put forward, a point that has been lost is that they are based on the premise that all developers have put in place arrangements so that no stamp duty liability could have arisen in respect of any conveyancing. This pertains to the projected figures that I have read in articles recently. However, this does not represent...

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Stamp duty statistics are taken from instruments presented to the Revenue Commissioners from stamping. This is where it applies and if there is no obligation to present documents for stamping, there is no way to estimate accurately the amount of duty that could have been collected, had the provisions been changed.

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The Goodbody report points out there are no official data sources on the value of development land sales. Therefore, it gives an indicative estimate of the total value of development land in 2006 of between €7 billion and €8 billion. It goes on to point out how one can calculate the figures in a realistic manner, in so far as is possible. It is nothing like the projected figures. As I...

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: ——be negative for the market, employment and first-time buyers. An independent analysis has vindicated that position.

Official Engagements. (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 13, inclusive, together. I travelled to three European capitals between 26 and 28 February. On 26 February, I travelled to Ljubljana for a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Janša. Slovenia currently holds the European Presidency. During our discussions, we covered a wide range of issues including bilateral relations between our two countries,...

Official Engagements. (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I raised many of the issues to which Deputy Ó Caoláin referred, although not all of them. The Deputy asked a large number of questions. Regarding the first general group and the review, the Minister for Foreign Affairs has continually pressed and prepared for the review of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, which is due in two years time. Our position has been strongly opposed to...

Official Engagements. (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: On the last question, Deputy Ó Caoláin would acknowledge that I fought very hard to make sure the Charter of Fundamental Rights, which is the main benchmark for probably the next 20 or 30 years, was part of the constitution treaty and by extension is now part of the arrangements for the reform treaty. This gives the protections for the future that are key to everybody's rights, workers...

Official Engagements. (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I know the Deputy does not believe that. The reality is that the continued progress on growth and jobs in the European Union is the issue, which is very welcome. That is what the Lisbon strategy has been about, particularly at a time when much of the globe is experiencing financial uncertainty. The key objective of the new cycle that we agreed at the Council meeting in March is to build on...

Official Engagements. (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I thank the Deputy for her remarks about the employment laws and the issues with which I have been involved over the years. I appreciate her remarks. She asked me about four issues. Tibet was not discussed at the meeting of the Heads of State, it was discussed by the Foreign Ministers at the European Council. It was discussed also last weekend at a very lengthy and important informal...

Official Engagements. (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Regarding UN reform, they should try to implement the work left over by Kofi Annan and the work done on a regional basis around the world before starting on any new initiative. Much effort has been put into this since 2000 up to the appointment of the new Secretary General. It is crucial these are implemented over the next few years. On the Chinese situation and the protests over the...

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I thank the House for providing an occasion for expressions of sympathy to one of the House's distinguished and liked Members for many years, Mr. Gene Fitzgerald. I convey my sincere condolences, and those of my Fianna Fáil colleagues, to his widow, Noreen, his children, Áine, Aileen, Aindrias, Niamh and Eimear, his sister, Mamie, his brother, Dan, and his grandchildren on their loss at...

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I thank Deputy Kenny for raising the matter of the particular hospital. In my tenure as Taoiseach I have been in hospitals, homes and community homes up and down the country. I have seen the enormous improvements and successes but also the enormous challenges. I have seen some of the community hospitals that, by their location or the age of the clientele, have pressing needs. I have also...

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: As I said, the hospital in Leopardstown is a particular hospital. I think that Deputy Kenny knows we have 53 acute hospitals across the country and very few of those have not had major capital refurbishments and an injection of capital in recent years. Leopardstown has its own development plans. Recently, it has had its own campaign in inviting Deputies from all sides of the House to look...

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: There has been an increase of almost 45,000 staff in recent years in the health service.

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: In a short number of years, there has been an increase of 30,000 staff and many of those people have gone into dedicated sectors. As to why it takes so long, as Deputy Kenny knows, a lot of the difficulties lie in the fact that it takes a long time from an approval being given by the Department of Health and Children or the HSE and the appointment of a design team to going through the stages...

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The reality is that any major development from start to finish takes seven or eight years. That is the lifespan involved. There is also incessant demand. Even when one improves the facilities to cater for the numbers that one wants, people come back and look for far more additional staff to do the same work in a new building. That has its own difficulties and delays. It has delayed and...

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: In practically every part of the country we are seeing new facilities. Leopardstown has its own development plan and is going through its own phases with the HSE and the Department of Health and Children to try to get its plan. I will get an update on how that stands. From the Government's point of view, in this year's capital programme, even in tougher times, we are pushing ahead with the...

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: This matter has been around for some time. It is not true to say that it has only been raised in the past year or two. Buyers of development land can reduce stamp duty liability through mechanisms such as licensing, resting on contract and long-term lease arrangements. Under these mechanisms, land is purchased for development without conveyancing, transfer of legal title or submission of...

Leaders' Questions (9 Apr 2008)

Bertie Ahern: There are arrangements for maintaining the current arrangements in the long term, because of the negative impact of the provision on the availability of development land and the supply of housing. The Government must weigh up the balance between the benefits of the tax revenues that would arise from the introduction of this section and the potential loss to the Exchequer——