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

Leaders' Questions (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: ——which tried to bring together the diversity of thousands of grades on differing rates and conditions that grew over the years since 1971.

Leaders' Questions (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Following that, an attempt was made for the first time in 35 or 40 years to bring a new organisation into being with buy in from all the service's staff, from doctors to nurses and everybody else, and to progress the health reform report we have been implementing. Are there deficiencies in that service? Do problems and weaknesses exist in some areas?

Leaders' Questions (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Are great things and huge reforms happening through the work we are discussing today regarding Professor Tom Keane and cancer services? Is it not a fact that outstanding work is being done in cardiovascular treatment and that we have had significant successes? The answer to these questions is yes but my job, and that of the Minister, is to try to improve what is good, correct what is bad...

Leaders' Questions (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It is a matter of making the HSE, which is a large organisation, improve and maintain the health of the people of this country to the best of its ability and with resources of €16 billion and a large staff by international standards. I hope some of the suggestions made by Deputy Kenny about patient focus are correct. I agree with designating to line managers. They are in the structure but...

Leaders' Questions (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: The motion for tomorrow's debate reads "to ensure that patients' interests come first in the future management of all such reviews and serious adverse incidents", so patients' interests are included in the motion. I have discussed the reports with my colleagues. We discussed them in the health committee when they were published last Wednesday and have since discussed them further and we have...

Leaders' Questions (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I am not suggesting there are not problems or difficulties because that has been written and reported on. What I am interested in is moving quickly, with Professor Keane and those working with him, to having units of large enough size which are resourced and staffed to do this job better than the fragmented services did. This applies to many other services, although we do not like to listen...

Leaders' Questions (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I wish to deal with two factual points. First, I was not giving my view on the reports; I was quoting from the reports. In what I said about Portlaoise, I did not give the Deputy one line of any view I had. I was giving a report on what Mr. John Fitzgerald said and Ms Ann Doherty did. When the Deputy reads the reports, he will see that is precisely what I am saying.

Leaders' Questions (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Second, I was speaking in defence of the HSE, not in my defence. These issues in the report are there from 2003. They are not to do with anything I said. I do not accept Deputy Gilmore's position. This was a report into problems in Portlaoise. I have no doubt people in Portlaoise were doing their best but this is the judgment given in the reports that came out. It is not a question of...

Leaders' Questions (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It is wrong and irresponsible——

Leaders' Questions (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: In fact, we can forget about "irresponsible", it is simply wrong that the position is worse. The figures show — they are not just figures, they are people who are alive — the success and the dramatic improvement of oncology services in this country. It does not matter whether it was 1997, 1987 or 1967. The fact is our patients are being treated better, operations are more successful,...

Leaders' Questions (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Those are the facts and what I want to do is to make it even better. If people want to take a report such as this one relating to difficulties in one aspect of the health service, or run around the place trying to find other areas where there is a difficulty, and simply use them to beat everybody who is trying to improve the service, I will not play that game.

Leaders' Questions (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I want to see the services in this country improved in the long term. That is what we all should be trying to do.

Order of Business (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It is proposed to take No. 12, Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2008 — Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; No. 13, Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007 [Seanad] — Order for Report, Report and Final Stages. Private Members' business shall be No. 29 — motion re education, capitation grants for primary schools.

Order of Business (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: John Bulfin's report is about ultrasound.

Order of Business (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: If it is not already published it is to be published. I have seen part of the report and I have seen a briefing note on the full report.

Order of Business (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: All the educational provisions are completed. The HSE is trying to deal with some of the outstanding issues in a number of schools. It is not just one area. The children are currently receiving services in other locations.

Order of Business (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: Only one person is not receiving services. The HSE has to source the staff for that particular school but it is not just that school, it has other schools to deal with also.

Order of Business (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It is a matter for the HSE to do that.

Order of Business (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: It has been necessary to undertake a restructuring of the criminal justice (miscellaneous provisions) Bill to make provision for other matters and requirements not originally anticipated. The Bill is due to be taken in the middle of this year. The Deputy should table a question to the Minister and he will report back to her on the other issue.

Order of Business (11 Mar 2008)

Bertie Ahern: I said Deputy Burton should table a question to the Minister and he will update her on that issue.