Results 9,901-9,920 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Northern Ireland Issues. (2 Nov 2004)

Bertie Ahern: There is only one.

Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I assume the audit referred to in the Deputy's question is that referred to in my reply to Question No. 2 of 30 March 2004. To the extent that the audit concerns areas of the Statute Book within my functional remit, it is ongoing at present but has not so far identified instances of legislation of the kind referred to which might require remedial legislative action.

Sustaining Progress. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: A broad spectrum of housing needs must be met and the Government has actively responded by increasing the level of social and affordable housing. In the first four years of the national development plan, more than €5.2 billion was spent on social and affordable housing, which is ahead of the forecast. That helps those in the low income bracket. Under the full range of social and affordable...

Sustaining Progress. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The reality is that the then Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, strongly supported by me, would have brought it to Part V and it would have gone through. The fact is that people were holding back and the output——

Sustaining Progress. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: They got their way on a temporary basis to deal with what was then the difficulty, but Part V still comes into play. Most local authorities have informed me, although again I think they are too slow, that a number of initiatives under Part V are coming through and in future those planning applications which have not been used must, on re-application, comply with Part V rules. In the medium...

Sustaining Progress. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The purpose is to provide affordable housing. I am not familiar with the scheme in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown but, obviously, it is based on the land value in the area. In another recent scheme in Ringsend, homes cost €120,000 or €130,000 and that is just a few miles from Dún Laoghaire. Clearly, the purpose is using State and local authority lands in a model that can speedily provide...

Sustaining Progress. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: As I indicated earlier, sites for up to about 8,900 houses have now been identified and the group involved is still endeavouring to try to locate other sites from the State and its agencies. Obviously, the planning process will have to be gone through. The group has worked hard to find a model that will move this matter on. It has engaged actively with the CIF and the social partners. Part V...

Sustaining Progress. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: To answer the last question first, the question of an allowance for teachers in disadvantaged schools is an educational matter, and I am aware there has been ongoing discussion about teachers in genuine disadvantaged areas. Deputy Allen asked about the number of houses. As I said in my reply, 2,100 Part V affordable units are now coming through the system. They are part of the 8,891, which is...

Sustaining Progress. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Including those under Part V. If they get enough estate land they will go well above their figure. The point is that it is not stopping. The idea is not to reach 9,000 or 10,000 and then stop but to continue. If we were to get all the sites, we would have well over 10,000, even if we exclude those under Part V. It is a question of the State agencies being able to release the land but they...

Sustaining Progress. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The social partners have raised the issue of last year's changes in social welfare numerous times and in discussion have sought further changes. Much work has been done in this round of the social partnership discussions regarding educational disadvantage. The social partners have been involved in a long series of measures, details of which I can give to Deputy Finian McGrath if he would like...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I acknowledge, as the Tánaiste did last week, the number of people in accident and emergency departments. The Government has been endeavouring over the summer to make a number of alterations to improve the situation, as we have done in recent times, by increasing the number of consultants and facilities, trying to improve facilities in accident and emergency departments and dealing with the...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I am sorry Deputy Kenny thought my first answer did not deal with the issue. We have given the highest priority to emergency medicine departments. We have put in a large amount of resources — I will not rattle off the figures — to facilitate the discharge of patients who have completed their acute phases of treatment. Already, approximately 520 patients have been discharged and resources...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Let us not——

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: There are 900 additional beds and——

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In addition, in many of these hospitals large capital works are taking place. The reality is that there are different arrangements in different hospitals for accident and emergency units. Some hospitals do not have these difficulties but all the large hospitals do. We have to try as best we can——

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: ——to provide beds in private care so patients who are on trolleys can be admitted. With regard to hygiene, I hope Deputy Kenny is not correct about the extent of the problem. I accept his point that it is always better to act before the winter when the issue of flu becomes more difficult. Large resources are, and always have been, put into cleaning in our hospitals. We will ensure that...

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I am aware of the problem and I have been aware of it for 30 years.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: With the onset of the winter period there is always pressure on accident and emergency departments. There are now more acute difficulties and there are many reasons for that. The Mater Hospital and other hospitals have always had a difficulty in their accident and emergency departments. Many things have happened in the past seven years. There are now 900 more beds in the system.

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: In the recent past we have been putting in dedicated facilities, including staff at consultant, medical and nursing level. In the Mater Hospital, which has been the subject of discussion in recent days, the project of upgrading the accident and emergency department by the ERHA has been completed. The facilities include a dedicated triage area, a new resuscitation area and a wound care area....

Leaders' Questions. (19 Oct 2004)

Bertie Ahern: However, the most immediate issue, which we have been addressing for months, is to provide as many places as possible for stand-down facilities, in the most appropriate circumstances for patients who, for one reason or another, do not need an acute hospital but are not in a position to return home. We can provide for them nursing home and care hospitals appropriate to their medical needs and...