Results 17,401-17,420 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: Deputy McDonald is challenged occasionally with her own Tammy moments in regard to her own leader and therefore she should deal with that as well. On the questions about what happened in the Department of Health, and I appreciate Deputy Michael McGrath and Deputy Mary Lou McDonald have not served in Government, the actual detail working out of proposals is a matter for the line Minister....

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: Excuse me. I did not say anything.

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: The Departments normally involved would be the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform because it is a matter of public expenditure. Other line Ministers would not be involved in any of the detail on this issue. That is the honest answer.

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: It may have been different in Fianna Fáil. Perhaps everybody came into the room and looked at the list. That did not happen in this case because it is for the line Minister to deal with it, and that is what would have happened. The Deputy is trying to create something that in terms of Cabinet and the way Departments operate does not happen. The point is that there is a preliminary...

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: -----which will give us flexibility and options in order to ensure that when we go to GPs and primary health care providers, we will achieve the objective of having a series of centres built on time designed to facilitate the provision of modern primary care services. There may be different views on how that was done and such views are legitimate. However, the way Cabinet government works...

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: ------retains seniority and has responsibility for making final decisions.

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: Having said that, I have no intention of disparaging someone who served as a Minister of State. I merely wish to set the record straight with regard to how Cabinet government and individual Departments operate. The critical point is that we must allay the fears of the people who, at a time of very deep economic crisis, are anxious to see investment in primary health care. Everyone is aware...

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: I reiterate that the Deputy is choosing to misunderstand, which is her privilege.

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: What the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, said last week actually reflected the process which had been undergone. The then Minister of State was required to draw up the first list of 20 locations. The criteria in this regard were very specific and related to disadvantage and need. The senior Minister added a series of additional locations-----

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: -----in order to reflect further considerations. He is on record as stating this. As is the case in respect of all decisions required on issues of this nature, the Minister then brought the matter to the Cabinet. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald is suggesting everyone in the Cabinet sat down and went through the list. That is not the way it works.

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: The choice of locations would have been subject to finance being available, which is a major issue. The Minister for Health made the final decision on the matter which was then agreed by the entire Cabinet. However, the entire Cabinet would not, as Deputy Mary Lou McDonald is trying to suggest, be involved in discussing the minutiae and detail of this matter.

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: The decision on this matter was based on the very important proposals brought forward by Deputy Róisín Shortall, after very careful work on her part in selecting locations on the basis of deprivation and need.

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: Deputy James Reilly, as the senior Minister, amended and expanded the list in order to provide for sustainability and viability vis-à-vis the proposals in order that all of the relevant health centres would be built within budget and on time, in line with the programme for Government-----

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: -----and in accordance with the funding available. The key point is that within a relatively short period there is going to be a really important and fundamental addition to primary care services. The success that is going to be achieved in this regard will be a credit to Deputy Róisín Shortall, the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, and the Minister of State at the...

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: As is the case with every other Member of the House, I respect the Deputy's mandate. I respect the mandate of every Member of this House. This is my first opportunity to congratulate Deputy Pringle on the events of the weekend concerning Donegal. It is great to see the Deputy here. I attended two important and well-attended meetings of the Labour Party - the national executive and the...

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: Deputy Shortall's replacement is a matter for the leader of the Labour Party, Deputy Eamon Gilmore and I am sure he will deal with that matter as quickly as possible. I wish to emphasise again that the outcome of this policy will be a win-win situation for communities right around Ireland -----

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: At a time of serious economic problems the Government has provided this economic stimulus which it is hoped will put local people to work in the different locations around the country. As economic conditions improve, my hope and my answer to the Deputy's question will be that our ambition is to provide not just 20 centres but 35 centres right around the country. This is a transformative...

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: -----so that people need not go to hospital for tests or have to stay in hospital while undergoing tests because this is where costs are incurred and everyone knows this. That need will be reduced and there will be services on the ground which will allow so much more to be done at a local level.

Order of Business (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: It is proposed to take No. 11b, motion re membership of committee; No. 11c, motion re address by His Excellency, Mr. Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament; No. 4, Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012 - Second Stage (resumed) and Remaining Stages; and No. 11d, motion re statement for information of voters in relation to the Thirty-First Amendment of the...

Order of Business (27 Sep 2012)

Joan Burton: I understand the Freedom of Information (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 will be ready for progress in the middle of next year. I do not have a time line in respect of the other two Bills to which the Deputy referred, but I will ask the Whip's office to revert to him in that regard.