Results 9,001-9,020 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Northern Ireland Issues. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I am not answerable for my party here, but I take the opportunity to say there is no directive. However, if people from my party, as they have traditionally done, want to spend their time——

Northern Ireland Issues. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: ——working, as they have done for many years, they are entitled to do so. We are a democratic political party. Our members are also entitled to go canvassing with the Deputy if they wish.

Northern Ireland Issues. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: On the issue of Pat Finucane, we have been dealing with all the points made by Deputy Ó Caoláin. We have taken up all the points he made. I met Geraldine Finucane and the Finucane family on two occasions recently which coincided with the 16th anniversary of the murder of Pat Finucane. It is well past time for a proper public inquiry to be held into this terrible case. Our objective is to...

Northern Ireland Issues. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I raised the issue because there is a great desire from first, second and third generation Irish people who now take a very active interest in Irish political and cultural affairs. I hoped that within the resources of the licence fee which we tried to increase it could perhaps be done, but I understand there is pressure. We should try to find a way of progressing this. What has happened in...

Order of Business. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 16, Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad] — Second Stage (resumed); and No. 2, Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005 — Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. Private Members' business shall be No. 43, motion re housing (resumed) to conclude at 8.30 p.m.

Order of Business. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I join the other party leaders in congratulating Pope Benedict XVI on his election. It is an occasion of great joy all around the country, not for just Catholics, but for everyone. It is a time of great hope for Christians and people of goodwill everywhere. The former Cardinal Ratzinger is a man who has given his life in faithful service to the church. He has worked hard as a theologian and...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I will not go through the numbers. I have already explained how many people go through our accident and emergency units. I am glad Deputy Kenny has distinguished between ones that are overcrowded and those that work extremely well. That is the position. As I said previously, the action is that this year alone we have put a substantial part of both the capital and revenue budgets into...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: ——in Beaumont as part of this year's plan. We are providing acute medical units in Tallaght, Beaumont and St. Vincent's Hospitals. This will mean that people who go to hospital with problems and medical conditions such as respiratory illness or diabetes can be assessed and observed without waiting for long periods in accident and emergency units. Other hospitals around the country have...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: In reply to Deputy Kenny, these acute medical units have begun. They are positive actions.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not mind, a Ceann Comhairle. This is the disruption we get every Wednesday.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: We are buying beds from the private sector for step-down care for hundreds of patients this year who no longer need to stay in hospital. I assure Deputy Kenny that this is working and has been happening over the past few weeks. People are moving from acute beds into private nursing homes. This is a costly way of dealing with it, but the Government is doing it. We are contracting for long-term...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: All of these are not long-term actions but are under way now. Deputy Kenny raised the issue of the Health and Safety Authority's report which is out today. The authority has completed its programme of inspections in 11 accident and emergency departments. It has acknowledged that the hospitals are fully engaged in the process of addressing health and safety in accident and emergency units. The...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The HSA has indicated that it is satisfied that the HSE is committed to addressing the areas of concern, that it will prioritise the management of health and safety issues and——

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: ——that it will highlight in its actions the recommendations of the inspectors. The HSA has secured the commitment of the HSE to examine the health system in the wider sense. This follows a meeting that took place yesterday.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The second MRI scanner will be provided in Beaumont Hospital this year. The resources have been made available for the medical units. I cannot be certain about when the work will be finished on them but the money has been provided this year. Hopefully, they will be ready as soon as possible. The major accident and emergency plan is in place and, thankfully, it has always served us well. It...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: It also highlights management issues in the hospital, which also must be taken into account.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Perhaps there is too much management but we have to try to deal with the situation as it is. We are trying to provide the best services.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: Everybody accepts that once one gets through accident and emergency, hospital services are excellent. There is a problem in accident and emergency and we are trying to deal with that. We have put huge resources into staff, equipment and the physical infrastructure to address this issue and we are committed to continuing to do what we can to get them all up to the same standard.

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: I do not know why the Deputy takes an account of something I did not say last week. I did not in any way trivialise it. I said the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2005, which the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is bringing in, is a serious Bill and I asked Members to support it. It contains strong measures and criminologists and others have stated the Bill is too tough. The...

Leaders' Questions. (20 Apr 2005)

Bertie Ahern: The legislation will deal with powers of arrest, search and detention powers, powers to fingerprint and to take DNA samples. The Minister has stated he will introduce additional provisions on Committee Stage to address other issues relating to criminal gangs, the control of firearms, curfew orders and powers to place civil orders on individuals whom, as Deputy Rabbitte rightly said, act out...