Results 9,281-9,300 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That in turn requires a full understanding of what would represent normal or acceptable performance so that the deviations from it can be judged. It requires an understanding of the context and the extent and nature of any shortcomings that may arise. That in turn requires detailed, expert analysis that the Minister and the HSE put in place immediately when concerns were expressed that all...

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Of course, the public — especially the women directly concerned and their families — and Members of this House have a right to be informed as soon as information becomes available on a matter of this gravity, but I have not been impressed by the rush to judgment, to attribute blame and to call for heads.

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Despite knowing full well the extent of the careful analysis being undertaken to establish precisely what happened and why and the impossibility of drawing firm conclusions without such evidence, the pressure has been for immediate judgment and the exacting of the highest possible political price to the advantage of the Opposition. This is little more than playing political games with the...

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It has seen appalling disregard for basic facts and even a misrepresentation of the standard of accuracy that might be expected in various procedures. Population screening and symptomatic disease investigation have been widely confused. Ignorance of the subject has been no barrier to the political opportunists baying for the Minister's head.

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The truth is that we do not yet know fully what happened and why. We do not yet know the full consequences in terms of the number of women who were given false negative results when, in all reason, they should not have been, but the relevant experts are compiling their work and we will know the answers to these questions at that point. Then effective accountability can be applied at all of...

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——we will have a basis of fact and expert analysis on which to depend. It is then that the appropriate accountability relationships can properly apply and, in applying them, the question of culpability — to whom or what should blame be attached — will be clearer. One person who is not to blame and will not be found to be blameworthy is the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney.

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I do not need to remind this House of the range of her political achievements over many years of public service.

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I would simply point to her record in health, a ministerial portfolio that, because of its unique characteristics, contains huge potential for political disaster across every western country.

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: In driving a reform agenda, she has taken on vested interests of all kinds. She has taken expert advice to restructure the way in which health services are managed and operated. It is early days in what has been one of the most extensive transformation projects ever attempted in this country. Already, the potential for much more effective and efficient health care is evident from the...

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Of course, there are many difficulties in bringing this to completion. Others must answer as to whether they, as stakeholders in our health care system, have been sufficiently responsible in engaging with the Minister in this challenging agenda.

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: At the heart of the Minister's concern has been the needs of the patient. This is demonstrated by the dramatic improvements that have come about in waiting times for elective treatment——

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——and in waiting times and conditions for those awaiting admission from accident and emergency departments.

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is also evident from the structural changes that have been included in an independent, expert and arm's length overseer of standards and safety. Now getting into full swing, the Health Information and Quality Authority will have an ongoing, proactive role in ensuring that institutions, services and indeed individuals are up to the clinical and caring tasks they undertake. In time, this...

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: He stated: "It was not until Mary Harney became Minister for Health and Children——

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——that efforts were made to implement recommendations in a systematic fashion for women with breast complaints."

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Professor O'Higgins stated: She established an expert group to specify quality measures so that the performance of centres could be assessed, compared and judged against the highest prevailing standards. When launching the report of the expert group in May this year, she expressed her determination to develop and designate the centres, a decision that followed shortly afterwards. She has...

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That is why the Minister for Health and Children has my support and the support of the entire Government.

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That is why it is right to await the outcome of the inquiries the Minister has put in train to establish exactly what happened, what and who are responsible and what degree of culpability they must carry.

Confidence in Minister for Health and Children: Motion (Resumed) (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: To do otherwise trivialises the suffering of the women whose anger needs to be respected by proper analysis and proper accountability, not political posturing for the sake of headlines by an appalling Opposition.

Written Answers — Live Register: Live Register (28 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The exact information as requested by the Deputy is not available. Statistics on employment and unemployment are compiled, at a regional level, from the Quarterly National Household Survey. There are eight regions in the State: Border, Midland, West, Dublin, Mid-East, Mid-West, South-East and South-West. Sub-regional statistics, of the kind requested by the Deputy, are not available from...