Results 7,541-7,560 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Strategic Management Initiative. (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Yes. On that issue, one will never stop a company from running into difficulties. One will encounter more of that given the huge range of operators in the market. There will be change and rationalisation; some will pull out of the market, while others will expand and there will also be takeovers. This will not stop. The study of this has moved on and we have looked at the detail. A...

Strategic Management Initiative. (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Boyle has got the wrong idea. I did not refer to the number of regulators who were recently established. I refer to our overall legislation which brought into existence approximately 120 regulatory authorities. I do not refer to a handful of regulators.

Strategic Management Initiative. (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We are; last year, we added 11 more. We have been trying to reduce the number of regulators in recent years. Instead of appointing new regulators, we have been trying to assign new duties. Many of the existing regulatory authorities are local authorities such as urban councils. However, there are too many in terms of trying to do business or answer to them. I do not have precise figures...

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: On some matters I can give details to the House, while on others I cannot do so. I join with Deputy Kenny in saying that this is a very disturbing and worrying matter and the information, in so far as I have it, fits both categories. The House can be assured that the Garda is conducting a painstaking investigation into the serious allegations that have been made. The reports, as outlined...

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I acknowledge the correctness and speed with which the mother in this case acted. It has been difficult for her. Obviously the Garda must undertake a painstaking investigation into very serious allegations which are being treated in a very serious manner. People in positions of trust must understand that they have to be seen to be far removed from anything that breaks that trust. This is...

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: There has been no review of the decision of last summer. The position some years ago was that there were three children's hospitals in Dublin, each providing secondary care services for their respective catchment areas, and two providing tertiary care services on a national basis. Following its establishment, the HSE set up an external review of paediatric tertiary services. This review...

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy asked me whether there is a change in the position and I said there is not. I am sorry I cannot tell him anything new. The Deputy is well aware of the history of this issue, as am I. The position several years ago was that we had three hospitals in Dublin providing secondary care services for their respective catchment areas. I do not see any change in the Tallaght position,...

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: There will not be one hospital. There will be children's services in a range of hospitals, including Tallaght Hospital. The latter will not change.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The external review of paediatric tertiary services recommended that the population and projected demands of the country could support only one world-class tertiary paediatric hospital. It did not mean there would not be children's facilities or beds in other hospitals.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That is the position. I would have been happy to go along with the view some years ago but to duplicate the services is a mistake, a misuse of money and should not happen.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: As usual, I do not agree with Deputy Joe Higgins. It has been the success of the economy and the generation of growth and employment which has brought us to this position, not the opposite. On the growth in transport emissions, we are behind most European countries in car ownership but increased prosperity has brought about increased car ownership rates, one of the main reasons the country...

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: From January carbon dioxide emissions rather than engine size will provide the basis for these taxes. The proposals and rebalancing initiatives are currently open for public consultation. I agree about the bus corridors, that is why we bought over 100 new buses. I also agree with the Deputy about rail transport, that is why we bought 60 new rail cars, with 12 being introduced this month....

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: There has been huge progress on the quays thanks to the success of the port tunnel in taking trucks from residential areas, which will help the environment in these areas. The Deputy's support in trying to convince people to put more bus corridors in place is welcome.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: In the past year we have invested more than €80 million into Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus — I believe it will be the same this year — and there are the new Korean trains. The Deputy cannot make those arguments without acknowledging that there is huge investment. It is not in the future, in ten or 15 years' time.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is happening now. There has probably been more investment in the past two years than there was at any period over the decades. It is an enormous amount. The entire public transport budget for this year is not much short of €800 million.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Lanesboro peat station and the peat station in the midlands both operate with new technology which is highly efficient. Security of supply is obviously enormously important. The Finns, who are on top of the list in all these issues, use peat because of their resources. If the Deputy believes we should not be doing that, he has the wrong end of it. We have a high reliance on fossil...

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——with a plan to achieve a 30% biodiesel blend in all new buses, and requiring the public sector to lead the way in energy efficiency are all being done now.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: There are targets for the future but they are all being done now——

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——with huge support from the Green Party as the Deputy can see. These issues are all being done.

Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Green Party is not hot air. That is a very unfair thing to say. We are pressing ahead with these initiatives and we are doing it very quickly.