Results 3,341-3,360 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: No, there are more.

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy is very good at figures. Normally if something is 30,000——

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: If something is normally 30,000 and it is now 34,000, how does the Deputy make out it is fewer?

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: There are not. The number of inpatients, outpatients and patients being dealt with in our hospitals has gone up every year. Deputy Bruton knows that — he is excellent at figures.

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The National Treatment Purchase Fund is being used effectively to take people off lists——

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——such as that for cataracts and to deal with them. That represents a massive improvement in the service.

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I wish to correct Deputy Rabbitte, who was obviously preparing his notes and did not listen to the final reply I gave to Deputy Kenny — which I can understand. I said "elective operations". I did not categorise any elective operations. I said that when there is pressure on a hospital through its accident and emergency unit, it holds back on elective admissions.

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That is a regular occurrence. The Deputy said that I said cancer services. I did not say that.

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I got five seconds into it anyway. We have spent large resources successfully to ensure that more than 40,000 inpatients with cancer are treated and there are 55,000 more day cases. We have created more than 110 consultant posts in the cancer area and more than 300 new cancer specialist posts. We are building cancer services through the cancer control strategy, which has been welcomed by...

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I ask the Deputy to let me answer her leader.

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is true.

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: In reply to Deputy Rabbitte, who mentioned cancer and cardiac procedures, we now have practically no waiting lists for cardiac services because of the facilities in Cork——

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: ——in Galway and in St. James's Hospital.

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Yes, we have it in St. James's Hospital.

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: As her party's health spokesperson, I do not know why the Deputy is so badly informed.

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: In reply to Deputy Rabbitte, I have met representatives of the INO directly. They pointed out to me the difficulties they have and that they believed other categories of staff were allowed in under the previous agreement where they were not. They have suggested to me mechanisms they believe should be used in dealing with that case. They have made their point of view clearly known through...

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: To repeat myself, the Health Service Executive contracted with the private nursing home sector for 1,050 extra beds last year. These have been put into the areas of greatest need, particularly Dublin. The plan is to provide 360 extra beds this year, the large running costs for which have been provided. The Health Service Executive proposes to expand public capacity by 446 beds this year...

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I did not say there is no problem. There will always be pressure and demand for improving the services and issues such as that which arose in St. James's Hospital today. This is not new and will not go away. Although we increased the bed capacity for intensive care unit beds from nine to 14 the hospital will at times run into difficulties. One serious road traffic accident, or operation,...

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Let us stop trying to offer simple solutions to every little headline that comes out of every hospital.

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: There have been major improvements over the past ten years. As Deputy Finian McGrath knows, because he knows the health service better than anybody, it has improved rapidly and dramatically. He is a good beneficiary of that improvement, as is right. We will continue to improve which is good for the health service. We will continue to provide more beds. I have given the figures for that...