Results 7,441-7,460 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business (20 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Not in the foreseeable future.

Order of Business (20 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The protection of employment Bill is marked for priority drafting and will be circulated this session.

Order of Business (20 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: No.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (20 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Since the introduction of the decentralisation programme, 10 former members of staff from my Department have been assigned to decentralised posts. The Deputy will be aware that the Department of Finance is responsible for the overall decentralisation programme. The Deputy will also be aware that there are no proposals to decentralise my Department or any of the bodies under its aegis.

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Yesterday, I stated that four of the 52 acute hospitals were having difficulties this week and I acknowledged the work the staff have been doing with the substantial additional resources, beds and facilities they have been given to make an enormous improvement on the waiting list this winter. They have brought down the length of stay in accident and emergency departments by over 50%. I also...

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The HSE does its utmost all over the country to provide step-down facilities and is continuing to do so.

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: In reply to Deputy Kenny, not the Labour Party,——

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: In reply to Deputy Kenny, in 2007 the HSE is providing 360 extra beds by way of contracts with the private sector — it is not a question of 50 beds. Of these, 220 are in the greater Dublin area, 100 in the south and 40 in the western region. It is not a question of 50 beds.

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is not a question of 50 beds in Beaumont Hospital.

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: One should talk to the people who know the position. Public capacity has been increased by some 446 beds. It is not, therefore, a question of 50 beds. The HSE is very aware of the problems at Beaumont Hospital and has been working with it to try to increase capacity. As I stated yesterday, to try to avoid the problems experienced by the accident and emergency staff, the out-of-hours...

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: There will be difficulties in some of the hospitals on some days and there is no point running around to whichever hospital has a difficulty trying to highlight it. The HSE and the staff are doing their utmost to address the problem.

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I will answer them.

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: First, St. Joseph's Hospital is in Raheny, not Fairview.

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I will answer the question because that is the easy part; however, it does not solve the problem. The 100 beds in St. Joseph's Hospital are being commissioned and will be ready this year. There is no problem about this. The St. Mary's Hospital development is under way. The people dealing with these tasks will complete them.

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: This year.

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: On St. Joseph's Hospital, the work is happening but it will not solve the whole problem.

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I do not need to do anything in respect of the two commissions; both are under way and being fast-tracked, with many other schemes. I would love to be able to tell Deputy Kenny that the completion of the two jobs will solve all the problems. That is the point. Given the age profile and population structure in the catchment area of the Dublin teaching hospitals——

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Practically every night an average of 100 patients could be discharged but, because of their family circumstances, they are not. They really require a step-down facility. Consider the third step the HSE is taking. As the Deputy knows, there are ongoing talks about Leas Cross and efforts are being made to recommission the beds. That will probably happen this year also. The institution will...

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The HSE is also in discussions with other current and prospective private nursing home providers with a view to securing beds to allow additional discharges from hospitals. Most are private but one cannot be certain about them because they are not in the hands of the State. It should be noted that, in respect of addressing the problem of delayed discharges in acute hospitals, approximately...

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The medical admissions unit was among the ten points listed. As I understand it, most of those issues are on track.