Results 1,441-1,460 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We are buying beds from the private sector for step-down care for hundreds of patients this year who no longer need to stay in hospital. I assure Deputy Kenny that this is working and has been happening over the past few weeks. People are moving from acute beds into private nursing homes. This is a costly way of dealing with it, but the Government is doing it. We are contracting for long-term...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: All of these are not long-term actions but are under way now. Deputy Kenny raised the issue of the Health and Safety Authority's report which is out today. The authority has completed its programme of inspections in 11 accident and emergency departments. It has acknowledged that the hospitals are fully engaged in the process of addressing health and safety in accident and emergency units. The...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The HSA has indicated that it is satisfied that the HSE is committed to addressing the areas of concern, that it will prioritise the management of health and safety issues and——

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: ——that it will highlight in its actions the recommendations of the inspectors. The HSA has secured the commitment of the HSE to examine the health system in the wider sense. This follows a meeting that took place yesterday.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The second MRI scanner will be provided in Beaumont Hospital this year. The resources have been made available for the medical units. I cannot be certain about when the work will be finished on them but the money has been provided this year. Hopefully, they will be ready as soon as possible. The major accident and emergency plan is in place and, thankfully, it has always served us well. It...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It also highlights management issues in the hospital, which also must be taken into account.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Perhaps there is too much management but we have to try to deal with the situation as it is. We are trying to provide the best services.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Everybody accepts that once one gets through accident and emergency, hospital services are excellent. There is a problem in accident and emergency and we are trying to deal with that. We have put huge resources into staff, equipment and the physical infrastructure to address this issue and we are committed to continuing to do what we can to get them all up to the same standard.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not know why the Deputy takes an account of something I did not say last week. I did not in any way trivialise it. I said the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2005, which the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is bringing in, is a serious Bill and I asked Members to support it. It contains strong measures and criminologists and others have stated the Bill is too tough. The...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The legislation will deal with powers of arrest, search and detention powers, powers to fingerprint and to take DNA samples. The Minister has stated he will introduce additional provisions on Committee Stage to address other issues relating to criminal gangs, the control of firearms, curfew orders and powers to place civil orders on individuals whom, as Deputy Rabbitte rightly said, act out...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: They have sufficient legislative powers to deal with these criminals in a tough and rough way. I do not think anyone outside the House is saying the curfew and civil orders to name and isolate such individuals in their communities are not tough law. The Government is introducing what is necessary, and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, will bring it before the...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Enormous resources have been made available to the Garda Síochána regarding its numbers, overtime, equipment and intelligence. I do not think it takes too much Garda strength to deal with 13 or 14 year olds, or, as Deputy Rabbitte said, 12 year olds. They are not armed criminal gangs. Most of what Deputy Rabbitte has been talking about has been done by children causing disruption in their...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The sections regarding family counselling, trying to establish control, home liaison and teaching such children that life has a proper order are being implemented. For those who must unfortunately be removed from society, large amounts of resources are being made available, as the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy Brian Lenihan, said yesterday. Deputy...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I have already answered this. The Deputy asked me to explain matters in my own words, something I did for Deputy Kenny. He wanted to know what actions were currently being taken, and I gave him those. They are under way now, in addition to what has already been put in place. I will give those points again. Those actions are significant. Why is there a problem in accident and emergency? Many...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Some of them are finished. We do not have to announce things that are finished.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: St. Vincent's Hospital has almost been finished. Tullamore General Hospital has been finished. The hospital in Blanchardstown has also been finished.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The hospitals I have mentioned are open. The Deputy should acknowledge that.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I am waiting for the Deputy to acknowledge completion of the excellent phase 1.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is open.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The excellent facilities——