Results 7,701-7,720 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (19 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It will be considered by the Minister.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We had a long debate about this yesterday, but I wish to express again our sincere sympathy to the family of Patrick Walsh, who died tragically in Monaghan last week. Deputy Kenny is right in that all the facts are not known. That is precisely why the Tánaiste announced yesterday — I reiterated it later — that Mr. Patrick Declan Carey, consultant surgeon at Belfast City Hospital and an...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Who was in the hospital at the time, who was watching and monitoring will all come out in the report. I will not comment on that. Professor Drumm has already stated that the issues around the hospital have been the subject of some considerable debate and that the HSE is working to solve them. My view is that to give political directives on these issues is wrong. It is not for us to direct. If...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is very sad when anyone dies, but it is wrong to intervene politically. It is right that we provide resources and staff, and we have a policy unit in the Department that works with the HSE. However, although Deputy Kenny might believe that the solution to every problem is to give political directions, I will not go down that road.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As for the two points raised, while I do not take issue with Deputy Kenny, we should wait to find out what happened——

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: ——in Monaghan that night. The Deputy has made an assumption and I do not blame him for so doing. He has assumed as he stated in his earlier contribution, that the consultants were present watching the man die. We should wait to find out what were the circumstances. We should wait to find out if protocols or a policy direction from either the HSE or the Department had an effect in this...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The second point has some validity and I have answered on this issue previously. As far as the hospitals of Monaghan, Cavan, Drogheda and Dundalk are concerned, for many years we have heard different people on the health boards as well as Members from all sides of this House talk about the issues, debates and occasionally arguments pertaining to that region. People have argued for their own...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: ——given the population base and what specialties can deal with. These arguments have been fairly well thrashed out. As late as last year, a steering group unanimously approved the present basis. Finally, there are no protocols or directions from the HSE, the Tánaiste, myself or the Department to prevent a doctor acting in the best interest of a patient——

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: ——in a certain set of circumstances. If the doctors were present and were challenged, I am confident they will explain that and the full facts will become available. I wish to end as I began, by stating that the tragedy is that Mr. Patrick Walsh is deceased, which I deeply regret.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The Minister is very anxious that the truth comes out. As I understand it, he is very satisfied that the inquiry, as constituted, will allow Mr. Hartnett the powers to summon witnesses and examine them under oath and all aspects of the arrest and detention of Brian Rossiter. He may require that any serving or retired member of the Garda be called to answer questions under oath, which is not a...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: There is no argument about the last issue Deputy Rabbitte raised. All I can say to him on the information I have, and I will check the point he made, is that the inquiry, as constituted, will allow Mr. Hartnett to summon any witnesses and examine them under oath on all aspects of the arrest and all aspects of the detention of Brian. He may require any serving or retired member of the Garda...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: As Deputy Jim O'Keeffe knows, we use legislation here every day that goes back years.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: If all these powers are available, what is restricting Mr. Hartnett in any way from taking up the point? I have heard what Deputy Rabbitte said and will raise the matter with the Minister but, on the information I have been given, it seems that Mr. Hartnett is not restricted.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 228 together. The amounts paid by my Department to Gartner are shown in the following table. Year Amount Paid Details â'¬ 2002 678 Conference attendance fee 2004 7,744 Subscription to Gartner Research service (6 month period) 2005 16,033 Subscription for Gartner Research service (12 month period) Gartner publishes independent...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 and 229 together. In 2002, following a competitive tendering process, the Information Society Commission, which came under the aegis of my Department, engaged the services of Accenture to conduct a study on the value of developing a national e-payments strategy. Accenture was paid €155,333.75 in respect of the development of this strategy, €72,600 of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The cost incurred to date in producing the 3rd edition of Ireland and the European Union: Identifying Priorities and Pursuing Goals is €11,023 for the design and typesetting of English and Irish language versions of the document and €4,537.50 for the translation of the document into Irish. My Department is awaiting an invoice for the printing of 3,000 English copies and 500 Irish copies...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Each press officer is normally required to be on call one week in four, for which they receive an on-call allowance equivalent to five hours overtime at double time rates per week. Normal overtime rates also apply where late attendance is required. These rates are set down in Department of Finance circular 27-1999: first hour, no payment, next two hours, rate plus one quarter, next five...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Ex gratia payments are not made to staff in my Department's press office.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: A total of 207 hours compensatory leave was granted this year to six members of staff, namely, two clerical officers, one service officer and three cleaners, in respect of additional attendance at work before or after normal hours of attendance. Where staff opt for time off in lieu, instead of extra attendance payments, the granting of time off in lieu is at the discretion of the manager...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Bertie Ahern: No personnel files have been copied or given to external parties, nor is it the practice to do so.