Results 1,301-1,320 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: This began in September, three months after the review I mentioned. It was as a result of concerns about the work of a single pathologist who worked in the hospital on a locum basis for a short period. As it does not form part of the HIQA review, I presume it is the review to which Deputy Kenny refers. The Department and the Minister were informed of this review on 23 November. The...

Leaders' Questions (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The HIQA report announced earlier in the year was on a review of symptomatic breast disease in both Limerick Regional Hospital and including the pathology services at Cork and at Cork University Hospital. This was one part of the review. The CUH review is a separate review of the same hospital. There is also a review at Portlaoise. Other changes have taken place in the system during the...

Leaders' Questions (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: A number of questions were asked about Portlaoise. The Minister learned on Wednesday of last week about the existence of a separate review of ultrasounds that was under way in Portlaoise, in addition to what had been previously announced, namely, a review into radiology services in the hospital being undertaken by Dr. Ann O'Doherty at St. Vincent's Hospital. That review is being undertaken...

Leaders' Questions (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: My only concern from the outset, as it is with any medical, surgical or health issue, is for the individual, that we provide the best service at any time and the best medical standards we can, and, if something goes wrong for whatever reason, that we try to correct that to the very best of our ability in the interest of patient health and safety. That is my only concern. I do not know why...

Leaders' Questions (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: In my view, Deputy Gilmore would be holding them back at the door.

Leaders' Questions (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: Tonight and tomorrow night we will return to the amazing amount of good reform being carried out by the Minister for Health and Children.

Order of Business (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 7, motion re referral to joint committee of the Third Programme of Law Reform; No. 8, motion re leave to introduce Supplementary Estimates — Votes 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 31, 32, 35 and 37; No. 9, motion re referral of Supplementary Estimates — Votes 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 31, 32, 35 and 37 to select committee and No. 1, Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007...

Official Engagements. (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I do not rule out Deputy Gilmore's suggestion, although I need to put it to the Minister for Education and Science, who deals with this on a weekly basis. All of the non-confessional organisations, faith communities and churches have set out their positions now and for the next few years. We have discussed this with the Department of Education and Science and incorporated it into the...

Official Engagements. (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I met Cardinal Brady before he left and I will meet him on his return later in the week. His elevation to Cardinal is a great honour for the island, North and South. To answer Deputy Ó Caoláin regarding the structure and how I have handled these meetings, it is a new position. We only held the inaugural meeting of everybody in Dublin Castle at the end of February last. I and a number of...

Official Engagements. (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: A church. The next group will be the Presbyterian Church, which will be a separate meeting. The Methodist Church will be next followed by the Orthodox churches, which are being met as a group. I also meet the Islamic faiths as a group. As Deputy Ó Caoláin will be aware, there are different bodies but I try as much as possible to bring the Imams together for these purposes. We have...

Official Engagements. (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I agree 100% with Deputy Coveney's views. We must maintain, support and encourage those who have made such a significant contribution. They have stated that they are open to change because of their own position and because they want to facilitate diversity. That change must, however, accommodate their ethos and what they have done. Traditionally, they belong to the church and have fought...

Official Engagements. (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I have no doubt that a very small contribution would resolve these issues so Deputy P.J. Sheehan might put in a good word to contribute to the hundreds of millions of euro that have been invested in it. If the Deputy used his considerable powers in the area that could all be wrapped up before the Christmas period. In response to Deputy Higgins, the role of the teacher is crucial because the...

Official Engagements. (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. I was very pleased to continue the series of meetings in the structured process of dialogue between the Government and the churches, faith communities and non-confessional organisations in Ireland. With Government colleagues, I met the Humanist Association of Ireland, the Religious Society of Friends and the Baha'i community on 11...

Official Engagements. (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I had meetings earlier this year with a group that operates as a single representative body for the Islamic faith in Ireland. As Deputy Kenny knows, there are different segments and associations within that faith in this country. They operate in a single group for this purpose. I had those meetings earlier this year. I also had meetings with representatives of the Catholic church as part...

Official Engagements. (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: On the new community-type primary schools and the issue of multi-faith, I hope we will see a number of these developments moving next year. In west Dublin we have pilot schemes in place. Work is well under way on that and people are working hard to try to achieve integration in primary schools. Deputy Kenny is aware, as are other Members of the House, of the enormous progress that has been...

Official Engagements. (27 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: I welcome Deputy Gilmore's support for the initiative. We are only eight months into it, which covers the general election and the summer break, so we do not have plans to extend it at this stage. We are trying to get it up and running. The agenda is enormously wide, ranging from the Humanist, Baha'i, The Religious Society of Friends or Quakers, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Lutheran Church and...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (21 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The main bodies under the remit of my Department are the National Statistics Board and the National Economic and Social Development Office which comprises the National Centre for Partnership and Performance, the National Economic and Social Council and the National Economic and Social Forum. The Law Reform Commission also operates under the aegis of my Department. However, the Office of the...

Written Answers — Declarations of Interest: Declarations of Interest (21 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: None of my Advisers declared a conflict of interest in the past five years. My Department complies fully with the provisions of the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001 and annually lays my Advisers' statements of interests before the Houses of the Oireachtas and each individual sends their return to the Standards in Public Office Commission, in accordance with that legislation. This...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (21 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: My Department and Agencies under my Department have engaged a total of 19 private consultancy firms from January 2007 to date. The following table includes the names of the consultants, the projects undertaken and the total cost. It should be noted that the cost of a number of the consultancies may not be met by the Department in 2007. Consultant Purpose Amount € Fitzpatrick...

Written Answers — Complaints Procedures: Complaints Procedures (21 Nov 2007)

Bertie Ahern: The following table outlines the number of complaints by members of the public received by my Department, within the context of the Department's Customer Charter in 2005, 2006 and to date in 2007. Year Number of complaints 2005 3 2006 1 2007 (to date) 3