Results 7,141-7,160 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: He wants to stop me saying what is in Cork.

Order of Business. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 10, motion re membership of committees; No. 11, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the terms of the revised agreement on social security between the Government of Ireland and the Government of Australia (back from committee); No. 12, motion re referral to select committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the double taxation relief orders 2005,...

Order of Business. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I understand the motion proposes to refer the matter to a committee, which will discuss it. If the members of the committee cannot resolve the matter, it is open to the House to take the matter back from the committee. All we are being asked to do, in the first instance, is to decide whether it should be referred to the committee. It is obvious there are many objections. I am not aware of all...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not accept that people working in the health service, the new units in the health service or the facilities are a waste of money. Money and a large amount of resources are used. The issues raised by Dr. O'Reilly, the consultant medical oncologist to whom Deputy Kenny referred, namely, the management of delivery of health, personal and social services, are the responsibility of the HSE...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The former colleague of Dr. O'Reilly has taken up another post and I understand there is a locum working with Dr. O'Reilly. The matters to which he referred are being addressed by the management of Cork University Hospital. Since the implementation of the national cancer strategy some €80 million cumulative additional funding has been made available to the southern region. An additional 11...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Arrangements are also being made to give effect to the establishment of a ten-bed medical oncology ward within the Cork University Hospital. Nobody would say that those facilities and new units are not enormously welcome and will prove to be very good value for money and a good allocation of resources.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy can argue that it would be great if it was there 20 years ago but it was not. The fact is that it is there. The expansion of radiation oncology services under the national plan announced by the Tánaiste last July has increased the number of linear accelerators from four to seven, which will greatly improve the access for cancer patients throughout Cork and the southern region to...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It seems as if people do not want to see the new facilities. I am just giving the facts, that these are major investments.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: These are major investments in the area that Dr. O'Reilly, who is the consultant medical oncologist, wants to see. The fact is that these issues have been approved. I presume he hopes that these facilities can be put in place as quickly as possible. There is approval for the oncology, cardiac and renal centre, which will include a dedicated 30-bed oncology ward. I am sure that will greatly...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not think increasing the number of consultants by 700 is a waste of money. The implication, every time Deputy Kenny says that, is a negative one, though I know that is not the way he means it. Most of the money in the health Vote goes into buildings, equipment or staff. The buildings certainly are not a waste of money, I do not think the equipment is a waste of money because it is world...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will not leave it go unanswered that the money is wasted. The money is not wasted. The people are doing their jobs and working hard. We know that cancer will affect one in three of the population. There are now 107 more consultant posts and 245 more clinical nurse specialists in cancer services——

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: They are all working hard. They have helped to achieve——

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I am trying to answer Deputy Kenny's question.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: They have helped to achieve a cut in cancer mortality of at least 15% for those under 65. They have made an enormously successful indent into the problem that existed a few years ago. I am not saying everything is perfect, nobody is saying that, but we are building a radiotherapy network that will bring the service as close as possible to people in every region. That service has opened up in...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Approval has been secured in the past few weeks to move to the development of a €47 million oncology, cardiac and renal centre, which will include a dedicated 30-bed oncology ward. Dr. O'Reilly is making the point that his facilities are not good enough. In response, I am saying that these facilities have been improved. If the doctor is saying that he would like the development to happen...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Money has been allocated to a dedicated unit and that is quite significant.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: That should not be.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We should ask that question of the 104,000 staff who are responsible and the management of those staff. I do not know if there is a smell of urine in the wards, but there are 104,000 people in the health service who are paid as much as I am to make sure that it is not there.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We all have a responsibility and everyone is drawing their week's salary. If those problems exist, people are employed, under good conditions, to deal with them. Dr. O'Reilly makes valid points on which I was asked to respond today and I am explaining what is happening in that hospital to deal with those issues. I accept that the improvements will not be made tomorrow, but they have been...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It does not change the fact that 107 consultants have been appointed in the cancer services.