Results 9,781-9,800 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (5 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: My Department does not operate any programmes or schemes funded in full or in part by the European Union. For details of the Operational Programmes for which my Department has had direct responsibility in the past, I would refer the Deputy to the reply given on 25 March, 1997 (ref. 8046/97). Responsibility for these programmes rests currently with the Department of Community, Rural and...

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny is well aware the Government does not force anyone into the High Court.

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: When parents choose to take a case against the State and the Department or agencies involved are satisfied that what is being provided is correct, the latter must defend the action, which is what has happened in a number of cases. Obviously, to answer Deputy Kenny directly, the Government believes that as each child with autism is unique, such children should have access to a range of...

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The commitment is for the continuation of the initiatives in the 12 pilot schools. That does not mean that, by extension, there are no new ABA places because ABA is offered in the mainstream schools. The whole point is that ABA is not just available in the pilot units or what will become mainstream schools anyway, but that one can also get that educational opportunity in a mainstream school.

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: That is what is happening and it is important that it be understood. ABA, therefore, is available.

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: No.

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Let us not mislead people. There are 12 pilot schools but the ABA service is available in mainstream schools. Therefore, one does not have to have a pilot school. I know what Deputy——

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Please, I am responding to Deputy Kenny. I heard Deputy Kenny state he does not believe the placing of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream schools is suitable in all cases. Eight years ago there would have been no more than a few hundred teachers fully involved with special educational needs. Subject to correction, I believe there were approximately 300 or 400. The view of...

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: One of the fundamental reasons is to give children an opportunity to get into school. I accept that there was a poor approach to assessments in the past and that it will take time for us to have assessments for everybody — I am not arguing about that. However, when we held the discussions on the Disability Act 2005, with which I was deeply involved, we proposed a new entitlement in the...

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: To the best of my knowledge, the report by Cork University Hospital was acted upon. The individual involved is now out of the jurisdiction and there has been contact between consultants in Cork and the international medical organisations. I am not sure whether there was to be a written report in that case.

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Following concerns raised by staff in the breast service, the HSE set up a clinical review last autumn of all breast radiology diagnoses in the Midland Regional Hospital from November 2003 to August 2007. That review was led by Dr. Ann O'Doherty, a consultant radiologist at St. Vincent's University Hospital and with BreastCheck. The HSE has advised that this review is complete. Nine women...

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It will be published by the end of February.

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: As I understand it, it will be published.

Leaders' Questions (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I will check the position on the Cork case. As I understand, the report on that was prepared. The clinician involved was only in Cork for a short period before he was suspended and then left the jurisdiction. I understand Deputy Gilmore's question relates to how this person was appointed in the first place. I will raise that point. The HSE has informed me that there are two aspects to the...

Departmental Expenditure. (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. The total allocation for my Department in the Estimates set out in the budget book for 2008 is €45.394 million. This is an increase of 4%, or €1.658 million, on the 2007 Revised Estimate allocation. I look forward to addressing specific issues relating to the Estimates provisions when they are considered in the usual way by...

Departmental Expenditure. (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: In fairness to him, John Bruton put a considerable effort into this project. It was the one thing he asked me to keep going. At the time, we brought it back to my Department and we put in place a dedicated small group which drives it. It is very active and it has been built on from that time. There is a considerable amount of collaboration. It has developed in many areas and there is...

Departmental Expenditure. (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: That is it. Most Departments use it on a daily basis and several hundred people receive the news format everyday. If they want transcripts or information, they get that as well. I do not see why any of them are using anything else, particularly for audio and written information. What happened previously was that every Department and agency had contracts with these organisations. The only...

Departmental Expenditure. (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I think the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was monitoring the rural media. The communications unit does not monitor any of the non-national newspapers.

Departmental Expenditure. (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I do not have the breakdown of the commemorations. Last year the big event was the commemoration of the flight of the earls. The remaining part of the commemoration of that finishes in the middle of April. There are usually commemorations North and South for which funding is applied. They are mainly historical events, depending on the anniversary. Historical societies receive this money...

Departmental Expenditure. (6 Feb 2008)

Bertie Ahern: On the organisational review programme, two years ago we asked the implementation group of Secretaries General to develop proposals on four interlinked initiatives on the next phase of modernisation of the public service which comes within the remit of my Department. This includes a series of organisational health checks. It is known as the organisational review programme. Organisational...