Results 8,041-8,060 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Code of Conduct for Office Holders. (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I said the Bill was going to start in the Seanad.

Code of Conduct for Office Holders. (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I will find out exactly where it is for the Deputy. I will check whether it is in the Whip's office, stopped on a corridor or sitting on a shelf. If the Deputy wants to get into that kind of precision, two of us can play that game. What was the Deputy's second question anyway?

Code of Conduct for Office Holders. (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I have already answered that question.

National Security Committee. (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 9, inclusive, together. Having regard to the confidential nature of the work of the National Security Committee, it would not be appropriate to disclose information about the dates of individual meetings or any of its proceedings. The committee is chaired by the Secretary General to the Government and comprises representatives at the highest level of the...

National Security Committee. (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is not appropriate to speculate on the matter raised in Deputy Kenny's first question but I assure the House that the Garda Síochána closely monitors the security situation, including threats to international security, on an ongoing basis. A small number of people are closely monitored and those under observation change from time to time. The situation in this regard has not changed...

National Security Committee. (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: On national security and the question about people who are brought to the attention of the security forces because of national or international liaison with groups such as those I referred to earlier, there are not many such persons in the country. Some of them are in or out of the country and some of them have contacts with the country. The Garda is continually involved in monitoring...

National Security Committee. (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: After the events of 11 September 2001 the Government set up an office of emergency planning to co-ordinate the work of various emergency services in preparing contingency plans. The office is chaired by the Minister for Defence and meets frequently to assist in that role. It oversees emergency planning generally to promote the best possible use of State resources and ensure compatibility...

National Security Committee. (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Matters related to health or water schemes are dealt with in the emergency planning within individual Departments and are not part of the remit of the national security committee. The committee comprises representatives at the highest level of the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Defence, the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces, who examine areas of concern where there...

Programmes for Government. (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 15, inclusive, together. Progress on the implementation of the Government programme is kept under review. Deputies will be aware that on the completion of each full year that Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats have been in Government, we have published an annual progress report that sets out progress to date in implementing every commitment in...

Programmes for Government. (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: In general, the criteria, the terms of reference and operation of benchmarking are worked out between management and unions. That has already been done and worked out for the next round of benchmarking. There are many difficulties in this particular case. First, some of the nurses, the INO and PNA, have not signed up to Towards 2016, while those who are members of SIPTU have. The Labour...

Programmes for Government. (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Labour Court and the NIB have reached the view that the issue can be dealt with under the benchmarking process. Nobody can predetermine the outcome but the Labour Court and the NIB tried to see if there was a helpful way of moving the discussion forward for three weeks and concluded that the only way to deal with this was within the benchmarking process.

Programmes for Government. (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: For the past three weeks under the NIB, officials of my Department, the Department of Health and Children and the management of the Health Service Executive tried to resolve this issue. A reduction to a 35-hour week, however, would represent a massive change in working arrangements, involving a reduction of 7.7 million nursing hours. That cannot be undertaken lightly. They endeavoured to...

Programmes for Government. (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I refer to Deputy Rabbitte's other question. Negotiations on the other contracts are ongoing with the HSE and I do not have an update on that.

Leaders' Questions (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I will try to explain the issue briefly. The current dispute has nothing to do with the benchmarking process whatever. Effectively, the dispute is about two issues, namely the agreement on a 35-hour week from an early date and the elimination of a pay anomaly as a result of a series of pay adjustments for nurses and midwives who are paid less that assistant house parents despite having...

Leaders' Questions (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That is a very fair question. I will try to keep the issues simple and to the point. Agreement on a 35-hour working week at an early date is what the nurses are seeking. Management is prepared to concede that in principle and to start the first round at a relatively early date. That was discussed at the negotiations but I do not want to breach on something where they had their own walls...

Leaders' Questions (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That would be claimed straight away by the entire 320,000 public servants who have signed up to the agreement. That end of the argument must go into the benchmarking process. The other two or three are possibilities, although I do not know whether that has to continue in NIB or some other one. That aspect of it, however, must go into the benchmarking process because that is what everybody...

Leaders' Questions (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I promise the Deputy that is wishful thinking.

Leaders' Questions (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: On the Deputy's first question, I understand that 90% of the documentation to enable bidders to tender has gone out to the individuals. The formal quest for tender is on the HSE board's agenda for Friday week, 13 April. The formal bid for tender would not issue until after that meeting, so that is the formal position. I agree with the Deputy that acute hospitals have their difficulties, in...

Leaders' Questions (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Regarding the process, 90% of the documentation to enable bidders to tender has been sent and the formal request for tender is on the HSE board agenda for Friday week. Formal tender bids have not been issued and will not be issued until after that meeting. I wish to reiterate two points I have made on many occasions. I have seen letters on the argument relating to accident and emergency...

Leaders' Questions (3 Apr 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is not true. There will be one entrance to the accident and emergency service on one campus and there will be joint clinical governance.