Results 8,421-8,440 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Benchmarking Awards. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In terms of what has been happening in the whole modernisation process in the public service, surveys are being done now and people involved in that modernisation process are giving their views. Staff are involved in the change of structures, work practices and the preparation of the various documents across Departments. In my Department I am aware there is satisfaction and an engagement with...

Benchmarking Awards. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I am in favour of the process being as open as possible as this avoids problems and arguments and the situation where I or anyone else have to defend the decision. The only argument made against this was that information on comparable grades was received from a considerable amount of people in the private sector, perhaps 25,000. As benchmarking was carried out across an enormous amount of...

Benchmarking Awards. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In my Department there is no difficulty. In other Departments I think there are areas of difficulty. In my Department I can point to an area of productivity. In the period of benchmarking we have had to take a 4% cut in salary and a 4% cut in numbers. The Department will achieve the target and additional functions and work will have to be taken on in a number of areas. That work has been...

Benchmarking Awards. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The answer to the last question is yes. Within the figures the MAC of my Department has the flexibility to try to rearrange things, seeing as the presidency came within the period to which the Deputy referred. In terms of achieving the bottom line figures, as has to be done in the report to the Department of Finance by every Department, this has been achieved. At the same time there are...

Benchmarking Awards. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Staff of all grades have benefited from the various increases given from 2001. Although I do not have the breakdown of figures for my Department, all staff benefited to a certain extent. The benchmarking process has worked well for them all, including people in lower grades. The benchmarking group is due to meet again later this year, at the end of this process, and its report is due in the...

Computerisation Programme. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together. The main phase of e-Cabinet has been in operation across all Departments and ministerial offices since the middle of last year. It was introduced at Government meetings at the end of 2004. At an official launch in February 2005 the Government Chief Whip and Minister of State with responsibility for the information society, Deputy Kitt,...

Computerisation Programme. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The plan to link disparate systems that were unable to talk to each other —to use their own lingo — is almost complete. The current process of e-Government has already been completed because the whole system had to be integrated. The Deputy's question relates to broader computer systems and ensuring that each Department and agency is purchasing and using compatible equipment. The...

Computerisation Programme. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: To the best of my knowledge, local authorities are already using the e-Government system.

Computerisation Programme. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: South Dublin County Council is certainly well advanced in this respect.

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 20, Grangegorman Development Agency Bill 2004 — Report Stage (resumed) and Final Stage; No. 21, Maritime Safety Bill 2004 [Seanad] — Second Stage (resumed); and No. 22, Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill 2004 — Second Stage (resumed). Private Members' business shall be No. 49, motion re nursing homes (resumed), to conclude at 8.30 p.m.

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The health Bill, which is to provide for the establishment on a statutory basis of the health information equality authority and the Irish social services inspectorate, also covers a statutory framework for the handling of complaints within the health services. It takes account of the review of the Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990 and the 1993 regulations, and of the efforts made within the...

Order of Business. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The referendum is being held in the Netherlands today and the issue will be discussed at a meeting of the European Council in two weeks' time. I will not make any reconsideration until I have heard what all our EU colleagues have to say. I will then report to the House.

Leaders' Questions. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: This Government takes the issues relating to the elderly most seriously, including carers, home help, housing, respite care and many other areas. We have shown our concern by our actions throughout our term in office and we will show it again in dealing with this case. As I said yesterday, what happened at Leas Cross nursing home was unacceptable and was an insult to the residents and their...

Leaders' Questions. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The HSE is already doing it. It will be made up of teams of medical, nursing and environmental inspectors. As Deputy Kenny pointed out, there are inspections taking place in health board areas already. The strongest inspectorate, because it is a dedicated unit, is in the former Northern Health Board area, where the Leas Cross home is located. The inspectorate had been dealing with the home...

Leaders' Questions. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: If the Deputies listened to me, they might learn. When they come back——

Leaders' Questions. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: When inspectors come back on subsequent visits, they do not give notice. They come back to inspect the wards and medical facilities but there is little point in them turning up to check all the other issues when there is nobody there. This is the reason why they operate the system they do.

Leaders' Questions. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The HSE also meets the nursing home association and works with it to improve standards. The HSE works with public nursing homes to ensure standards in them are improved because we readily admit there are problems to be rectified. The Health (Nursing Homes) Act 1990 and the 1993 regulations are being reviewed.

Leaders' Questions. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny could at least get his facts right as the report was launched by the organisation. I said yesterday that the conditions in Leas Cross Nursing Home are unacceptable and I have said it again today. The agreement reached yesterday between the Health Service Executive and the nursing home to bring about much needed improvement will be paid for by the nursing home and not the State....

Leaders' Questions. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny asked two questions at the outset and said I gave a cynical answer when I answered both questions. He asked me whether legislation would be introduced before the summer and I said it would not but would be introduced in the autumn. I said that the proposed inspectorate will cover all areas. He asked me why advance notice of inspections is given to nursing homes and I explained...

Leaders' Questions. (1 Jun 2005)

Bertie Ahern: When inspectors return for subsequent visits to look at patients and organisation, they do not give notice. If they are not satisfied, under existing legislative powers, inspectors do not try to close units but try to get them to conform to the highest standards, as they do in public nursing homes.