Results 5,381-5,400 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Programme for Government. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There is now, but there was not at that time. Deputy Naughten will be glad that those regions have done better than the eastern and southern regions, according to all analyses, in terms of employment, investment and other areas. Hopefully, in the period of the next national development plan, we can maintain those improvements by giving positive incentives through grant aid and greater...

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: As I said earlier on Question Time, last night's programme showed the distress of patients and their families and the conditions and waiting times in some of our accident and emergency departments. That is an issue I have addressed in the House several times over the winter. We understand the distress. That is why the Health Service Executive is determined to reduce unacceptably long waiting...

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am not sure how Opposition Deputies call a move from €4 billion to €12 billion a cutback. That is extremely good mathematics.

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We have tackled reducing hospital stays, appropriate use of capabilities, beds and facilities, proactive admission and discharge planning, the diagnostics available over extended working days, the consultants providing daily and routine rounds for all patients, the provision of more consultants and working teams and hospital out-reach services.

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Nevertheless, that is how we will get on top of it. There are more than 2,000 consultants, 4,000 non-consultant hospital doctors, 7,000 extra nurses and 7,000 extra paramedics, all working to get on top of the one aspect of the health services which we must deal with.

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: As Deputy Kenny knows, the GP out-of-hours service is excellent in many parts of the country. Until recently, we were not able to resolve the service in a large part of Dublin, covering about half a million patients. Thankfully, those negotiating that issue have now concluded an agreement which will become operational from 1 September. That has been publicly announced. That coverage is very...

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: This is a serious issue which we are all trying to resolve. The Deputy should not be so silly.

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The step-down facilities provide continuing care. With regard to the report mentioned by Deputy Kenny, no report like that was done before. This was a detailed report on ten individual hospitals. Until now they were always classified in statistics that were grouped together and did not look at the individual requirements. This is the first time a report has examined the individual...

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I am not sure what interview I gave that could give rise to all those questions.

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: A total of 10,600 civil servants have applied to the central applications facility to relocate. The central applications facility continues to receive new applications every week. It is anticipated interest will increase further as buildings are built and timetables firm up. With regard to property, site acquisition negotiations have been completed in 13 locations, contracts have been...

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——but I am sorry if I upset Deputy Rabbitte's weekend and that he thought I would get it finished by Christmas when I replied to him last week. That was not my intention when I replied to him. The original timescale set for the programme when it was announced was very ambitious. It was to be done within three years, requiring the full and active co-operation of all the parties involved....

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We are not going to move civil servants down to offices that do not exist.

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Civil servants are well-informed through staff negotiations. I appreciate the work that has gone on for the last two and a half years on these issues. The Civil Service unions have been deeply involved in the discussions. Agreement has been reached on a large number of issues, including human resources. It has enabled progress to be made on a range of issues, including mobility, promotions...

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Those civil servants who wish to transfer have made their applications on the central applications facility. Some difficulties have arisen about professional grades, as there were during the last decentralisation round. We will not duplicate the positions but we must negotiate a way through this. It was done before and will have to be done again. It is not a charge to get civil servants out...

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There are no difficulties with this issue. Thankfully, Ireland is one of the world's largest exporters of information and communications technology. To believe that in a small island we cannot communicate on policy issues is nonsense.

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: On Sunday last, 14 May, some 34 Afghan nationals entered St. Patrick's Cathedral and commenced a hunger strike which they stated would not end until they were granted asylum in Ireland or leave to remain. At present, approximately 40 Afghans remain in the cathedral. The exact number is still imprecise as some additional people were admitted to the cathedral on Monday morning and some have...

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I will not argue with any of Deputy Joe Higgins's observations regarding Afghanistan or its difficulties. However, people of more than 100 nationalities have lodged applications in our present system.

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We are discussing Ireland. We have a very fair process. It is recognised as such within the European Union, in the United Nations——

Leaders' Questions. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——and by the UNHCR. While 1% of the population was non-Irish a decade ago, that figure reached 9% before the recent census was taken. We have been very fair and tolerant. None of the individuals concerned has completed the process or been served with a deportation order. Neither St. Patrick's Cathedral nor any church is an office in which to deal with our legislation. We will be unable to...

Programme for Government. (16 May 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. Progress on the implementation of the Government programme is kept constantly under review. Deputies will be aware that for every full year Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats have been in Government, we have published an annual progress report. The third annual progress report of the current Administration was published on...