Results 7,601-7,620 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is a pity the Labour Party does not even know how a public hospital works in this country.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputies laugh because in their ignorance they do not understand the system.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Some of the most eminent consultants in this country, and it is not for me to argue their case because I am negotiating trying to change a contract with them but that is another point, give their service in public out-patient clinics looking after Joe and Mary Bloggs day in and day out. I would like them to do more of that and we are trying to negotiate a contract on it. Deputy Rabbitte...

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: If Deputy Rabbitte has announced this morning, and I believe he has, that he is opposed to it and that if he is elected his position is the current——

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I have said I have no contracts.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: There are no contracts. The position is that Deputy Rabbitte wants to stop the practice of medical consultants in this country working for public patients. Shame on him. That would create the greatest inequality we ever had.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: As I said yesterday, all these issues will be dealt with in the White Paper. We published a Green Paper and there has been a good, wide consultation process. The White Paper will be published shortly. We have engaged with the wider market on all the issues mentioned by the Deputy. Obviously, we have had discussions with Airtricity, the ESB and others. They have a view and input on this...

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy disagrees but it is.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is an independent transmission system operator. It is independent in law and independent of the ESB. It makes its decisions independently. We do not direct it. There was another meeting yesterday and we hope to wrap this process up shortly and put both documents I mentioned into the public domain.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I have made our position clear about nuclear energy and it is well understood both in this country and outside it. We do not need to do anything to prove our position in that regard.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We favour smart metering whereby domestic renewable energy can be fed back into the grid. We are examining it closely.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Yes, we are looking closely at it.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: This is the Green Party again. It never——

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It ignores what we are doing on wind energy——

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Green Party wants us to pursue wind energy. Wind energy has gone up by 600%, and now the party is against wind energy.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Green Party is for it.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I was asked a question on smart metering and I confirmed that we are in favour of it. We have established targets for wind renewables and we will exceed our EU target by 2010. Many of the Green Party's supporters believe that what we are doing in that area is enormously important. We are being seen to lead the way in this, and I do not doubt that the party will continue to support our...

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——when the party goes to communities that are against these things, I am sure its members will have the brazen attitude to stand up and say they have a consistent policy.

Strategic Management Initiative. (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. In December 2006, the Government approved a major review of the public service, which is being undertaken by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD. Its two main objectives are to benchmark the public service against those in other comparable countries and to make recommendations on future directions for...

Strategic Management Initiative. (28 Feb 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Most of the work on the initiative has gone on over many years. The steering groups involved mainly comprise officials, Secretaries General from the Civil Service and the Revenue Commissioners. They are pressing the initiative out to agencies under the aegis of the Civil Service. They have improved staff training, undertaken modernising public service premises, ensure people are treated...