Results 2,521-2,540 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We are funding and organising cancer services to ensure that patients from every region will be benefit equally from top quality cancer care. Using more specialised care in the major centres is the way to achieve this. That is what all the experts indicate and all the evidence shows that. It is vital that cancer specialists treat a sufficient number of cases to maintain and grow their...

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: As I said, last year there was a 75% increase in staff resources. That investment was to support implementation of the Health Service Executive national cancer control programme. It was for screening and acute services but men, in particular, and Deputy Kenny has been talking to some cancer consultants, are slower to come forward for screening programmes. It is only through active...

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That new service alone has been allocated €33 million which is an increase of more than 70% over last year. That service will also advise on the implementation of the national colorectal screening programme.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is possible to use mobile units but treatments such as radiation oncology are best carried out in national hospitals and some private hospitals, which also provide the treatment. The mobile centres are not very expensive, but the main accelerators cost several million euro. These are based in the hospitals as are the other back-up services such as medical oncology and the consultants in...

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I am very touched by the manner in which Deputy Rabbitte——

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——is concerned about the Minister, Deputy Brennan.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I am delighted to know Deputy Rabbitte is so concerned about the Minister, Deputy Brennan, and I will pass on his regards in person.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I thank Deputy Rabbitte for upsetting his usual family and social occasion on Saturday night by staying in to watch me on television. I appreciate that greatly. I read a few weeks ago that one of his undercover agents had discovered that Fianna Fáil was about to cut the tax rate to 18% and that is why Deputy Rabbitte changed the habit of a lifetime from his old days with the Workers' Party...

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——the country was doing well when the debt ratio was 120% and we borrowed heavily. He believed that society was better when we were borrowing billions and raising taxes. I congratulate him for joining us. It took him 20 years but I always knew he was a nice person and that he would come around to my way of thinking some time in my lifetime. I thank him again for his concern for the...

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy definitely got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning. He has been narky since he entered the House at2.30 p.m.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I am sorry if either I or the woman whom he met yesterday upset him. However, I assure him that we will provide full costings in respect of the various matters to which he referred. I give him full marks. He has a hard neck to inform me that I have come onside in respect of tax reform.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy made a career——

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I am answering the Deputy's question.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy made a career for himself, both in the trade union movement and the various parties of which he was a member before becoming a member of that of which he is currently leader——

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Is the Deputy stating I was never in the trade union movement?

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I was in the trade union movement when those involved were plotting to throw the Deputy out of it. I remember that well. The Deputy was closely involved with subversives. Both he and I remember those days.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We will give item by item costings in respect of everything contained in our tax package which remains well within the parameters of what we announced in each budget in the past six or seven years. The position is the same with regard to the social welfare package.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy talks too much. He is aware of that fact. The social security fund and the pension fund which contains almost €20 billion are both strong. The social insurance fund is at an all-time high. Difficulties would only arise if the Deputy was to get his hands on either fund. He is of the view that long-term plans are a bad idea. He would like to gain access to the funds in order...

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We ensured, from a legislative point of view, that even if we were in government together, the Deputy would not be able to get his hands on them. That is how it will remain. I apologise for ruining the Deputy's weekend. I assure him that the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Brennan, is very well.

Leaders' Questions (27 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I will outline some of the facts relating to this matter. As consistently stated, I support the Labour Court's recommendations and hope this matter will be resolved during the week. Cork University Maternity Hospital is a new, state-of-the-art €75 million facility which contains 144 beds. It replaces three outdated maternity hospitals.