Results 7,161-7,180 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I referred to the health services in their entirety. Dr. O'Reilly is not the only consultant dealing with cancer. He is a medical oncologist but there are surgical oncologists, radiographers and clinical oncologists, a number of people working in cancer services. He has a locum since his colleague left to come back to Dublin, which was his wish.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Dr. O'Reilly said the facilities there are inadequate. Nevertheless it is relevant that 107 more people now work in the service in numerous areas, particularly Cork University Hospital where the doctor has complained he does not have all he wishes. We have in recent weeks progressed the development of a €47 million oncology, cardiac and renal centre, which will include a dedicated, bedded...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The money has been allocated. This will be of major assistance to medical oncologists and their colleagues. In addition to 107 new consultants there are 245 more clinical nurse specialists. It is not correct that we are losing nurses, because the rate of turnover of nurses has dropped dramatically in recent times. This service, which people portray as terrible, and I do not portray it as...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: we have centralised——

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: People have made the argument at many of the meetings to which Deputy Rabbitte referred that they have brought about a huge improvement in the North by centralising services into one location. Deputies do not want to hear this but precisely that point has been made here for some time, whereas lobby groups argue against it because they want services spread thinly, the opposite to what Deputy...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On BreastCheck, this is not the point consultants in the north have been making. They have a good centralised unit. As Deputy Rabbitte and the House knows, BreastCheck is now available in many regions throughout the country and it will be rolled out in full by January 2007. Significant resources have been put into the service, but it will not solve all the problems. One in three people have...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We are a long way from where we were. While expenditure of €12 billion on health services in a country with a population of 4 million is significant, I do not believe the money is wasted. The facilities are improving all the time. New units are being opened and new staff are being employed, which is good. There will always be new inventions to improve the service. Planning is under way for...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: BreastCheck was launched in 1999.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is six years ago but, unfortunately, one cannot introduce the service today and implement it tomorrow.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte referred to Dr. O'Reilly. I do not know the man and I am not saying he is a liar. I am sure he is working very hard. My information is that the resources in that area have been sanctioned and approved. I will check it out but my information is that the resources have been made available for the €47 million unit.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy will appreciate that I was not at the meeting.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I agree with the Deputy, someone should tell him.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: He is working with the management of the hospital, therefore, someone should tell him. The main point is that Dr. O'Reilly said he needs better facilities. I am saying the new unit, including the ten-bed oncology ward, is approved. It is going ahead and will be put in to Cork University Hospital.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I understand Dr. O'Reilly is a consultant medical oncologist, of whom there were two.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Two were approved by Comhairle na nOspidéal but one left to take up a post in Dublin.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: A locum consultant oncologist is working with Dr. O'Reilly.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: When there is a full-time post, the locum will become a full-time oncologist, but there are still two people employed. The Deputy asked me not to generalise when responding but to stick to Cork, which means I must repeat myself. I said that approval has been secured to proceed to the next phase of the €47 million oncology-cardiac-renal centre which will have a dedicated 30-bed oncology...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The BreastCheck programme covers east to west and is being extended to Galway. The Tánaiste and I met some consultants earlier in the year. The service covers approximately half the population. It will be rolled out in the rest of the country between now and the beginning of 2007, which is in 14 or 15 months' time. This progress has been made from a time when there was no BreastCheck...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Under the cancer strategy, €80 million in cumulative additional funding has been made available to the southern region alone, with an additional 11 consultants and support staff being appointed throughout the region. It is a considerable investment and while it will not solve every case, it will go a long way towards improving the service.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Nov 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Dr. O'Reilly is working in Cork. He worked in Waterford until three or four years ago. His colleague in Cork moved to Dublin. I do not know why Dr. O'Reilly moved to Cork.