Results 2,681-2,700 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Howlin had his chance in this Department and he did nothing about it.

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It would be far better to have public patients dealt with in public hospitals than the current system where the State and the taxpayer strongly subsidise the private beds rather than have people on long waiting lists.

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Is Deputy Burton the third health expert in the Labour Party? Those in the Labour Party should decide if they want to reduce waiting lists——

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——or do they want to protect inefficiencies?

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Is that what they want to do? I know their agenda on this issue.

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I think the Deputy is confused on the issue. The policy of co-location was enunciated in July 2005. There is no confusion about the policy. The question I was asked on 28 February was about the contracts. I am not involved in the detail of the contracts. I do not involve myself with any of the agencies about the stage of contract and negotiation they are in. I have no knowledge today,...

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I do not really understand the Deputy's argument, but I will give him my answer having listened carefully to him. He asked me on what basis do we judge it. We base it first on international experience where Sweden, Germany, France, Spain, UK, Australia and others operate this system. In the past few years we have successfully brought into our health service, for both public and private,...

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I am trying to create the facilities in public hospitals to give more beds for public patients so public patients can get equity, good service and good medical staff. As I said when this came up the last day, I do not object to the same consultants also working in the collocated site in their private capacity. I object to public patients not being able to get into a public hospital because...

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: This is the position that has operated for decades since the Health Act 1948.

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I am answering Deputy Ó Caoláin. I know the Labour Party view. It has a different position and I know what it is at in this. It is not about public and private patients.

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It wants to protect another issue and I will deal with that on another day.

Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We are trying to make a fair system in public hospitals.

Public Relations Contracts. (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I do not accept that Ministers breached the public procurement guidelines and the various rules in the handbook prior to the last general election. Ministers must follow the guidelines. There were a few cases outside of election times that were brought to the attention of the Standards in Public Office Commission, which were looked at. I do not believe informing people about the FIS system...

Public Relations Contracts. (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: In regard to any contract in a Department, there is the criteria set down by the Department of Finance, the Cabinet book and directives that cover what Ministers or departmental sections can do in the promotion of any campaign. There is also the Government contracts committee. All of these lay down the rules. The issue in the Quigley report dealt with a PR communications area where there...

Departmental Staff. (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 16, inclusive, together. Mr. Loughlin Deegan, a qualified solicitor, was appointed on 29 July 2002 to the position of special assistant to act as a liaison between the Attorney General and myself and other Departments on items relevant to the programme for Government. His duties also include briefing the Attorney General on items arising in the Dáil...

Departmental Staff. (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That was the issue to which I referred. Following the completion of the work, the Attorney General's office found an error in the chronological tables. The office has been seeking to correct the error in that work. As I stated in the reply, two possible options have been identified to correct the errors that have occurred. The first would not take too long. It involves seven weeks of...

Departmental Staff. (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: As I said in my reply, some 15 additional staff have been taken on. We have some very able Irish drafters, but there are difficulties when someone is on maternity or special leave as, unlike many other posts, one cannot easily find experienced people. I agree that we should at all times endeavour to have our own draftspeople, and it is to be hoped that the extra staff will help. I will not...

Departmental Expenditure. (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. Several Independent Deputies offered invaluable support to the previous Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government. While in regard to this Administration, their support is not as critical to the Government's majority, given the support they have provided in the past, I have tried, and will continue to try, to be as helpful as...

Departmental Expenditure. (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: A staff member in my office assists the Government Chief Whip's office in liaising with these Deputies. This official meets with these Deputies on a regular basis and arranges to keep them briefed on issues as they arise. I want to confirm that there is no additional cost to the taxpayer in dealing with these Deputies. One assistant principal officer deals with the Deputies and assists the...

Departmental Expenditure. (20 Mar 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is well known that four Independent Deputies continuously supported the last Government. The two remaining Deputies in that category are Deputies Healy-Rae and Fox. Contact with them is as required. In the last Dáil there was regular contact because the Government did not have the numbers between its two parties without their support, so they were kept in touch with on a regular basis....