Results 3,361-3,380 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: In answer to the Deputy's last question the Health Service Executive and some statisticians are examining bed capacity for the country. I do not know the figure. We must wait for that. To date we have provided approximately 1,500 beds and there are approximately 1,000 in the co-location initiative, which invites private investment and is designed to free up 1,000 beds in public hospitals...

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: This was achieved by providing out-of-hours services, the winter initiative, the rapid access clinics where the services have commenced and to which people have been referred from accident and emergency departments and are receiving efficient services and use of the National Treatment Purchase Fund. These initiatives were designed to help people. There are pressures at certain times of the...

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I stated earlier that the overall survey relating to a population of 4.25 million and rising is under way. The HSE will present its report on the survey when it is completed. I also indicated that 1,500 have already been provided and that approximately 350 private beds and 446 public beds will be provided this year. Arrangements have been made to provide approximately 400 additional beds...

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I am aware the Deputy is an expert on medicine. We can discuss the matter later. Day and inpatients are being dealt with in much shorter periods. The relevant staff have, therefore, maximised the return from our acute hospitals. Deputy Joe Higgins is correct that because of the standard of services on offer in our public hospitals, the huge numbers of staff that have been committed and the...

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Joe Higgins is correct that the standards on offer in and the capacity of our public hospitals are of a level of which we should all be proud. We should continue to put resources——

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That is what I heard the Deputy saying. He stated that, because of the standards on offer and the resources available, one would be far better off in a public acute hospital than in a private hospital and he is correct in that regard.

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: That is not to take from the fact that hundreds of thousands of people opt to pay health insurance to various companies so that they can access private care. There is nothing wrong with that. Some 1.3 million people have medical cards and 60,000 people have doctor-only cards. I congratulate the parties opposite for at last seeing the wisdom behind our decision to introduce doctor-only...

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We issued 60,000. I would have issued one to the Deputy if he had been under the limit.

Leaders' Questions (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I will ask the Minister to increase the limit in order to take account of that fact. This development has been of major assistance to the service.

Departmental Estimates. (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. The total allocation for my Department for 2007 is €40.624 million. This is an increase of 8% — €3.026 million — on the 2006 Revised Estimates allocation. Details of the Estimates are set out in the Abridged Estimates for the Public Service, which were presented to the Dáil on 16 November last. I look forward to...

Departmental Estimates. (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I will answer the Deputy's second tranche of questions first. Last year, legislation was introduced to establish the National Economic and Social Development Office, NESDO, as the umbrella organisation to co-ordinate the work of NESC, NESF and NCPP and to create and realise synergies between the work of these bodies. Accordingly, from now on a single funding provision for these bodies will...

Departmental Estimates. (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I will ask my Department about the recycled products matter. I thought we were using recycled products.

Departmental Estimates. (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: We certainly were using recycled products, but I will check it. The e-Cabinet project is reaching a conclusion. Only minor areas of work need to be undertaken in 2007, associated with the full roll-out and upgrade of certain functions of the system. The system is up and running and the costs have been expended. Future costs will be small. There is only a small provision to keep the Forum...

Departmental Estimates. (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I repeat that I support the broader initiative of the civic forum. Its costs will not be large and it will come either from my Department's Vote or that of the Department of Foreign Affairs. It is more about getting the initiative up and running. We made an effort to do so when the Northern Ireland Executive was previously running and it had broad support from the trade unions congress,...

Employment of People with Disabilities. (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 9, inclusive, together. My Department and the bodies under its aegis are committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all staff. Staff are recruited on the basis that they meet the requirement of the positions they will fill. In addition to complying with the provisions of the Disability Act 2005, we follow the guidelines set out by the Commission for...

Employment of People with Disabilities. (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Promotion, training and all other benefits, supports and opportunities for staff in the Civil Service and public service are decided on the grounds of ability, qualifications and other relevant objective criteria. The percentage of staff with a disability in my Department is 3%, equivalent to six and a half members of staff. This meets the target recommended in the Disability Act 2005. My...

Employment of People with Disabilities. (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Does the Deputy refer to accessibility in the use of modern technology?

Employment of People with Disabilities. (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: To the best of my knowledge, the websites to which the Deputy referred are compliant with standards in this area. The Commission for Public Service Appointments must adhere to defined standards in devising panels for vacancies. In line with the requirements of the Disability Act, my Department has appointed an inquiry officer to deal with complaints where the Department fails to comply with...

Employment of People with Disabilities. (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I take Deputy Sargent's point. As I understand it, my Department is compliant with the standards set out in the 2005 Act. The National Disability Authority is currently investigating best practice methods to capture and record information on disability. I assume it is doing so to determine the best mechanism for monitoring the 2005 Act to ensure there is compliance and to allow it to...

Employment of People with Disabilities. (31 Jan 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The objective is to ensure coherence across all Departments and their agencies in regard to what is in the Disability Act, what the National Disability Authority has set down and the commitments in the sectoral plans so public bodies do all they can to ensure we have the best standards. The guidelines have been updated in regard to possible supports for collection. We must return this data...