Results 13,481-13,500 of 36,764 for speaker:Enda Kenny
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: Sometimes, experts do not get it right either.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: Deputy Donnelly's first point is correct here. Along with his Government colleagues, the Minister, Deputy Howlin, has extended the remit of the Freedom of Information Acts to a range of areas that were not covered before. I think that is welcome.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: It should be borne in mind that 70% of applications received by freedom of information offices relate to personal matters and are therefore dealt with for free. It should be recognised that the first two hours of analysis of any freedom of information request is done for free. If the issues involved can be dealt with in that timeframe, there is no charge at all. Many freedom of information...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: People are fully entitled to send in freedom of information requests. When lists of things that are completely unrelated are sent in on a single page, the view taken is that each separate matter constitutes a separate request. If it takes less than two hours to deal with any of those matters, or if any of them relates to a personal matter, there is no charge. It is a case of reflecting...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: As I said, 70% of the claims that come in relate to personal information and are therefore dealt with for free.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: If it takes less than two hours to deal with a freedom of information request about a single issue, there is no charge.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: The legislation makes it clear that in the case of a single request, if other requests are made on the same page and are related to the initial request, they are all seen as part of the same claim. It appears that significant numbers of claims that include various unrelated matters are being made. Other countries that are deemed not to have upfront charges have other charges during the...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: The areas that were off limits for a long time include the National Treasury Management Agency, the National Asset Management Agency, Garda Síochána, refugee agencies-----
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: -----and a very broad range of quasi-judicial bodies to which freedom of information only applied to their administrative records.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: That is all being opened up.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: ------and also how the health insurance companies can reduce their costs.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: Why is it that in 2013 we are still paying the same charges for procedures which 20 years ago used to take quite a long time and required days in hospital but which can now be done in a relatively short time? Cataracts are now dealt with in 20 minutes. Why is it that the costs are still the same? What is going on here? Why is it that I hear so many stories every day from people who go...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: Fáilte abhaile roimh an Teachta. Tá súil agam go raibh turas maith aige. The Narrow Water Bridge is the first manifestation of physical contact between North and South that has been put together for very many years in this area and which is supported, as a principle, by practically everybody. Deputy Adams will be aware that the estimate for the cost of the provision of the...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: To be honest with the Deputy, I would like to see it happen but I think we have to go through the analysis of the tenders. As I said, there was a shortfall of approximately €15 million between the estimate and the tenders that came in. I know the local authority in Louth has convened a meeting this Friday to discuss how this might continue to be supported along with Newry and Mourne....
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: It is never an easy position to have to draft budgets in an area like this given the circumstances in which we find ourselves. I detect from the Deputy's question that he has changed policy in this regard. It appears that he is advocating the abandoning of risk equalisation and community rating.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: If that is what the Deputy is saying, he is denying reality in that 20,000 people a year become 65-----
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: The Deputy seems to be implying that there should be a change in Government policy, which would abandon older people to be manipulated by health insurance companies because they, naturally, might well have higher costs in terms of their medical requirements and the treatment they need. The clear objective of the Minister for Health is to reform the health service to deliver a single tier...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: It is clear we should not underestimate this issue. Every year, 20,000 people reach the age of 65, which equates to 3.3% annual growth compared with overall growth of 0.5%. In 2003, only 13% of those who had health insurance were aged over 60. That increased to 15.9% in 2009 and to 19% in 2012. It is a fact of life that our population is ageing and we will retain community rating and not...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: No.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2013)
Enda Kenny: The answer to the Deputy's question is "No". That is the second time he has quoted Yeats in the House in the past fortnight, which I think is good. The newer insurers do not have older people. The Deputy cannot have it every way. Newer insurers cannot just expect to have younger people who, naturally, require less medical attention than older people.