Results 6,781-6,800 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern
- EU Summits. (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 16, inclusive, together. On 20 October I attended the informal meeting of EU Heads of State or Government in Lahti, Finland and the working dinner that followed with the President of the Russian Federation, Mr. Vladimir Putin. The meeting in Lahti was not a full European Council and did not, therefore, adopt formal conclusions. However, it provided a...
- EU Summits. (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: There were three questions on non-proliferation. We were disappointed and spoke quite clearly about the lack of progress to date. We are one of the countries that has pushed this issue recently and we have reiterated the Irish position. It was not discussed at the Lahti meeting and it will not be discussed at next week's meeting. It has been discussed at the General Affairs and External...
- EU Summits. (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: In respect of the first matter, extraordinary rendition was not discussed at the recent meetings. It was raised this time last year by the Minister for Foreign Affairs at the General Affairs and External Affairs Council. The EU wrote to the Americans. Following this, the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, visited Europe and gave assurances. I reported on the previous meeting on St....
- EU Summits. (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: On the first questions, the matter was not discussed at the meeting of the European Council. The Parliament's compromise and the modification to which it has agreed have moved on and have received strong support in the Parliament.
- EU Summits. (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: We have the second highest, if not the highest, minimum wage. The legislation we had worked out with the social partners is under preparation. The first part of it was put to the Government today. Separate units are working on two other parts and we are committed to the arrangements we came to. I hope the services directive will find its way into the various policy initiatives by the...
- EU Summits. (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: I do not expect the Netherlands or France to accept the EU constitution exactly as it is. If they wish to, these states could have protocols written and attached as addenda to the constitution to cover the points they coherently argue created difficulties for them. They would get agreement for this. The European Parliament and Council would be open to supporting that position. Some said it...
- EU Summits. (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: Is this on the open skies?
- EU Summits. (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: Those proposals are still live but I do not know when they will come to parliament. The Commission's view still is that this is a big area of concern for emissions. It is sticking to its policy and, I think, it will continue to do so. I do not think it is listed. On the aviation area, it had hoped to put forward a whole package of measures, but this has been deferred because of what has...
- EU Summits. (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: To respond to Deputy Kenny's question, that matter is always discussed in detail at the spring Council, which is given over to it totally, and there are always some updates on it at the other Council meetings. I do not think all the targets will be reached by 2010 but substantial progress has been made in many of the areas. All member states are still very committed to the ongoing issues of...
- EU Summits. (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: On extradition, there are a whole range of people. Part of the problem in this is that the United Kingdom, as I understand it, has given residency to an enormous number of former KGB people. They are legally in the UK and this is part of their difficulties in dealing with these issues. Last week the Minister, Deputy Roche, had detailed discussions with the relevant Commissioner on our...
- Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: The Deputy has raised a large number of issues but under Standing Orders, I can reply to only one. He concluded on the mental health issue. The Government and the HSE have made it clear a number of times that we are concerned about the length of waiting times for child psychiatry services. The Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, has expressed these concerns.
- Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: He is supporting new management actions to reduce waiting times, with substantial funds being provided this year and next. That is the only way to resolve these problems. More has been done in the mental health area in recent years than in any other period.
- Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: The HSE is carrying out an exercise to assess what must be changed in particular areas to reduce waiting times. It has confirmed that child mental health services in County Kildare succeeded in greatly reducing waiting times following the appointment of an advanced nurse practitioner who worked in close collaboration with a local multidisciplinary team to improve service access. The HSE is...
- Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: We are trying to improve the mental health service rather than act against individuals who are doing their jobs.
- Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: For Deputy Kenny's information, the mental health tribunal is up and running and there are inspections. I have given impressive figures relating to teams. The Deputy has correctly stated we are in a better financial position and that we have trebled the resources available for mental health services. We have an additional 98 consultant posts, with the number moving from 210 to 308, a...
- Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: If Deputy Rabbitte wants me to deal with the issue of mental health by stating that because the Minister of State does not have all the resources or staff required, he has an inability, I will not do so. The Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, does the job to the best of his ability and effort. Jumping on what he stated in an interview as against what he did in recent years is totally...
- Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: For Deputy Rabbitte's information, I was in London last night and I did not see the programme. However, this morning I received a full report on the programme and I heard the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, on the radio. Previously, mental health was not referred to because people spoke about cancer, maternity and cardiac services. It did not receive resources. In the mid-1980s...
- Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: I am talking aboutââ
- Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: The National Treatment Purchase Fund normally deals with a waiting list issue where there is no follow on and is not involved in assessment where it is continuing on with a programme. If there is a quicker way of doing it, there is obviously no difficulty opening this up. I cannot let Deputy Rabbitte's first question, which stated that we have been here for ten years but that nothing has...
- Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)
Bertie Ahern: I am reading from the Department of Education and Science's note, but perhaps Deputy Rabbitte has more knowledge than the Department.