Results 3,641-3,660 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

EU Summits. (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: To respond to Deputy Kenny's question, that matter is always discussed in detail at the spring Council, which is given over to it totally, and there are always some updates on it at the other Council meetings. I do not think all the targets will be reached by 2010 but substantial progress has been made in many of the areas. All member states are still very committed to the ongoing issues of...

EU Summits. (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On extradition, there are a whole range of people. Part of the problem in this is that the United Kingdom, as I understand it, has given residency to an enormous number of former KGB people. They are legally in the UK and this is part of their difficulties in dealing with these issues. Last week the Minister, Deputy Roche, had detailed discussions with the relevant Commissioner on our...

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy has raised a large number of issues but under Standing Orders, I can reply to only one. He concluded on the mental health issue. The Government and the HSE have made it clear a number of times that we are concerned about the length of waiting times for child psychiatry services. The Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, has expressed these concerns.

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: He is supporting new management actions to reduce waiting times, with substantial funds being provided this year and next. That is the only way to resolve these problems. More has been done in the mental health area in recent years than in any other period.

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The HSE is carrying out an exercise to assess what must be changed in particular areas to reduce waiting times. It has confirmed that child mental health services in County Kildare succeeded in greatly reducing waiting times following the appointment of an advanced nurse practitioner who worked in close collaboration with a local multidisciplinary team to improve service access. The HSE is...

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We are trying to improve the mental health service rather than act against individuals who are doing their jobs.

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: For Deputy Kenny's information, the mental health tribunal is up and running and there are inspections. I have given impressive figures relating to teams. The Deputy has correctly stated we are in a better financial position and that we have trebled the resources available for mental health services. We have an additional 98 consultant posts, with the number moving from 210 to 308, a...

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: If Deputy Rabbitte wants me to deal with the issue of mental health by stating that because the Minister of State does not have all the resources or staff required, he has an inability, I will not do so. The Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, does the job to the best of his ability and effort. Jumping on what he stated in an interview as against what he did in recent years is totally...

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: For Deputy Rabbitte's information, I was in London last night and I did not see the programme. However, this morning I received a full report on the programme and I heard the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, on the radio. Previously, mental health was not referred to because people spoke about cancer, maternity and cardiac services. It did not receive resources. In the mid-1980s...

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am talking about——

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The National Treatment Purchase Fund normally deals with a waiting list issue where there is no follow on and is not involved in assessment where it is continuing on with a programme. If there is a quicker way of doing it, there is obviously no difficulty opening this up. I cannot let Deputy Rabbitte's first question, which stated that we have been here for ten years but that nothing has...

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am reading from the Department of Education and Science's note, but perhaps Deputy Rabbitte has more knowledge than the Department.

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Can I outline what the Department of Education and Science says? It states that all primary and post-primary schools have access to psychological assessments for their pupils either directly——

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I listened carefully to Deputy Rabbitte.

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte asked a question about the service and I would like to give the answer. He said he was concerned about the parents, who I agree are unfortunate and want to know if the service is there. When I give the answer, his colleagues shout me down. I will repeat for the third time that I am informed by the Department of Education and Science that all primary and post-primary schools...

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The schools which do not currently have——

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Will the Opposition listen to the answer and then disagree with it, rather than disagreeing with it before I say anything? Schools which do not have NEPS psychologists assigned to them avail of the scheme and have assessments carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved and paid for by NEPS. In the ten months to the end of October 2006, over €1.25 million was...

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Nonetheless, I am happy to report that the number of NEPS psychologists has trebled since we set up the service.

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There are currently 127 psychologists in NEPS and four psychologists have been assigned to the national behavioural support service. A total of six psychologists are in the process of being recruited. On top of this, there has been a one fifth increase in funding for NEPS in the Estimates for next year, which have already been published. It allowed for 400 additional posts last year,...

Leaders' Questions (5 Dec 2006)

Bertie Ahern: All I was trying to do was put on record some——