Results 3,881-3,900 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I did not discuss it with him. The Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Seán Power, deals with old people. It is his brief but perhaps there is an argument to extend his role to other Departments. Climate change will become a bigger issue. It has taken up more Government time and committee time over the past number of years. Perhaps there could be someone...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: He is both.

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Ministers of State are appointed by the Government to assist Ministers in running Departments. In many instances this relates to policy issues. Formal delegations or statutory powers are not necessary. Only a small number of Departments have functional blocks where the full function must be designated. A Minister of State may be required to exercise a power set in statute. That is the...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: He did not get a brief from me to do it. Some people get partisan now and then. It is my practice not to get too excited by these matters. Deputy Kenny should not get too upset. I will tell the Minister of State not to do it.

Government-Church Dialogue. (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 10, inclusive, together. I proposed that the Government should engage directly with faith based communities and bodies on the development of an institutionalised dialogue. This initiative reflects the significant role of the churches and an increasingly diverse range of faith communities, the Government's commitment to wide-ranging consultation on...

Government-Church Dialogue. (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On the first question, this process came from the European constitution. When the European constitution did not go ahead, we decided to proceed anyway. It was not as though nothing happened through 2005, as a process had to be structured. This was a serious effort. We wrote to all the churches and other religious bodies, as well as the humanists. There was a long period of engagement as...

Government-Church Dialogue. (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Constitution gave some of the churches a structured position with the State. However, most of them do not have such a position. The two officials who have worked hard on this matter have informed me they believe they can get it going next year. I had a number of meetings with the Most Reverend John Neill, Archbishop of Dublin, as well as correspondence with various people from the...

Government-Church Dialogue. (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The article in today's edition of The Irish Times merely stated that officials were continuing their contacts with the churches. This is well known because quite a number of articles in this regard appeared in the religious magazines. The remainder of the article was taken up with the journalist's conversations with representatives of churches. Consequently, my reply did not appear in the...

Government-Church Dialogue. (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is incorrect to say that nothing has happened. There have been extensive negotiations with the churches over the past two years. They have been attempting to produce a model into which everyone fits. One cannot have dialogue based on the contents of the draft constitution unless everyone is involved. Education issues are everyday issues concerning the churches' schools and communities...

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I repeat what I said yesterday about the Leas Cross report, when I promised there would be a detailed account of the case that came up over a year ago. Professor Desmond O'Neill has identified many deficiencies in the standard of care for older people in Leas Cross and the actions required to uphold those standards. Those deficiencies in care are deeply upsetting to the families of those in...

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It has been stated here on a number of occasions that is the position. I reject that accusation. Like every other politician I visit nursing homes and I do not see that, I see hard working people, working for the State or private organisations, doing their best day in and day out to look after old patients. I understand most elderly patients and their relatives are extremely happy with the...

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: This is an attempt to shout down the facts in defence of those who work in nursing homes. The easiest thing to do is to come in here and apportion blame to everyone, to say nothing is right without ever standing up for those working every day to look after the elderly. That is an easy thing to do, the Opposition gets great marks for that.

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister for Health and Children has published the draft heads of the Bill for public consultation and we have had many submissions, none of which came from politicians. The existing nursing home regulations, under which the HSE carries out inspections of private nursing homes, were introduced in 1993 and they were amended. There are regulations, which will now be replaced by newer...

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The HSE established the working group on nursing home inspections and registrations in July 2005, shortly after the organisation was set up. It completed the report in early summer. The existence of the HSE working group report has been a matter of public record for some time. Deputy Kenny is asking me to ask it to engage in a matter that it has finished. This has been referred to...

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The legislation is necessary, I accept that.

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The legislation will be before this House and I hope Members help to get it through.

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It will provide for the first time for a statutory office, an office for the chief inspector of social services with specific responsibilities for registration and inspection in all nursing home places. New standards for long-term residential care facilities for older people have been prepared. I am not saying everything is up to 100% in every single place in the country. If it was, we...

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am seeking——

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am answering one question and there are 25 Deputies shouting at me. I do not know why they will not let me answer. I listened to Deputy Kenny but the Deputies do not want me to answer because they know we are trying extremely hard to improve these issues. They know there are people in nursing homes today who are working very hard. They know where there are indiscretions and that some...

Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is grand for me to take the blame. Is it all about blaming somebody? Is it not about trying to make matters better for the future?