Results 101-120 of 221 for going forward speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (15 May 2018)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister and thank him for bringing this legislation forward. In one sense it is a transfer of functions from one Department to another but it is also about tidying up existing legislation and strengthening regulation. That is welcome. The Bill transfers certain functions from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government to the Department of Communications,...

Seanad: Civil Law (Costs in Probate Matters) Bill 2017: Second Stage (8 May 2018)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, to the House. I thank the Senators for bringing forward the Bill. There is always a lot of work involved when anyone introduces a Private Members' Bill. I compliment the Senators on the Bill. I agree with what my colleague, Senator Clifford-Lee, said about delays in probate. Likewise in Cork, if I lodge an application for probate at the...

Seanad: Prohibition of Conversion Therapies Bill 2018: Second Stage (2 May 2018)

Colm Burke: ...and Gavan for proposing and seconding this Bill and for taking the time and effort to draft this Bill. As someone who has brought in Private Members' Bills, I know that much time and effort goes into its drafting and ensuring that it is a Bill that can proceed through the House, and I thank them for their efforts in this regard. We have changed quite a lot as a country in recent years....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Cervical Screening Programme: Department of Health, HSE, CervicalCheck and the National Cancer Control Programme (2 May 2018)

Colm Burke: I will follow up on the point Deputy Donnelly raised with Dr. Henry regarding the decision-making process and how it seemed to go around in circles. I am sorry for coming back on this. Did it not occur to Dr. Henry that, in the context of the delay in making the decision about getting the information out, someone should have sought legal advice about whether we could run into difficulties...

Seanad: Telecommunications Services (Ducting and Cables) Bill 2018: Second Stage (14 Feb 2018)

Colm Burke: ...doing enough in that regard. I welcome the Bill which is now getting over a legal issue that needs to be resolved. It is important that there is adequate compensation for those who have wayleaves going through their lands. It is not just the case that lands may be disturbed; once a wayleave is put in place there is also a restriction on the landowner in terms of what can be done on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of the Sláintecare Report (Resumed) (14 Feb 2018)

Colm Burke: ...My second question is for Dr. O'Dowd. It concerns the lack of a connection between GPs and the hospital system. I recently spoke to somebody who works in Canada as a GP. If a patient is pregnant, the GP can go to the hospital and carry out the delivery. We seem to have a system under which GPs cannot even make a telephone call to consultants. I am not blaming any single group for...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Flood Relief Schemes Status (24 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: ...He outlined the historical background and the work which has been done and which needs to be done. My only issue is that the residents want action. The more the Minister of State can do to bring forward the tendering process and the commencement of the works the better, and it would be very much appreciated. I again thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply and look...

Seanad: Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture: Statements (24 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: ...private sector without any support from the organisers of the European city of culture and was a huge success. It is important that we learn from events in the past. Time is on our side in terms of forward planning for this project. Galway has an advantage in that it is already regarded as a city of huge cultural influence.It is important that the team which it has developed is given...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I agree with what Senator Craughwell said. I do not think I need to go into it any further. It raises a very serious issue. I believe there is accountability but I am very concerned about the way this issue has developed. The Tánaiste has given a full explanation and everything she has done in respect of this matter has been above board. On another matter, I am frequently contacted...

Seanad: Judicial Council Bill 2017: Second Stage (22 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: ...the Minister. I apologise for being slightly late. Senator Conway was to deal with this matter and he was delayed so I apologise on his behalf also. I welcome that the Minister has brought forward this Bill. Like my colleagues, I would also set out that over the past 90 years the Judiciary has served us well and has enjoyed total independence from the Oireachtas and the Government of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of the Sláintecare Report (22 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: ...focusing on the primary care setting. At present a huge amount of work is being referred to hospitals and GPs claim, and rightly so, that they do not get enough support. I am concerned about the ongoing GP contract negotiations because they seem to be lasting a while. I presume contract negotiations must take into account the recommendations in the Sláintecare report on how we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Home Care - Rights, Resources and Regulation: Discussion (15 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: ...and the support they have given through the years with regard to elderly care. I am approaching this from the perspective of trying to fast-track the changes we need. As I said earlier, I brought forward a legislative measure in 2012 in a Private Member's capacity and it is only now in place, five years later, so I was trying to tie down a timeframe for when we would see the change from...

Seanad: Housing and Rental Market: Statements (14 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: ...who has an income of more than €37,000 a year must collect VAT. Given that 15% of the number of hosts own 39% of the entire home listings, what is the VAT position of these people? I am not going after those who have one house and want to get an extra bit of income by providing this service.I am not talking about them but about the people who have turned it into a major business....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: .... It filed an appeal and advised that the subject would be considered at a meeting of 14 September. As of today, the company is still not clear what has happened and has had no response. I got that from BioMarin about a specific drug. The case has been ongoing since March 2015, we are now in November 2017, and there has been no conclusion on whether the application is in or out. An...

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (18 Oct 2017)

Colm Burke: ...a difficulty with this Bill. It could lead to a situation whereby coroners' inquests could drag on ad infinitumas a result of the requirement to deal with these issues. This is not the way to go. An open verdict, as often returned in these cases, allows the next step to be taken. The making of final determinations on certain issues, as provided for in the Bill, does not fit with the...

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (17 Oct 2017)

Colm Burke: ...the years. I thank the Members who have worked very hard on this important Bill as well as the Minister of State and his departmental officials for getting involved to make it possible to bring forward what is implementable. That concludes the Bill in the Seanad and it will now go to the Dáil in what is, hopefully, a timely manner.

Seanad: Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (11 Oct 2017)

Colm Burke: ...attended accident and emergency departments. On a weekly basis, that works out at 63,000 people attending outpatient departments, 23,000 presenting at emergency departments and another 16,000 undergoing day care procedures. It is wrong that an impression should be given that the health service is doing nothing for anyone. In fact, people in this country are living longer than ever...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Adult Safeguarding: Discussion (4 Oct 2017)

Colm Burke: I was not in favour of that. When it came before the Seanad, unfortunately the Department advised it wanted a further 12 months before it would go forward with the regulation of home care providers. It is an important issue because anyone can set up a home care providing company without restriction. There is a voluntary code but there is no regulation. It is something we need to progress....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Colm Burke: ...do not see themselves working in Ireland in the medical area. We have had this problem for ten years but nothing has been done to address it. We produced the MacRea report, but things seem to be going backwards rather than forwards. For example, two thirds of doctor registrations in Ireland in 2015 were of doctors from outside the European Union. We do not appear to be dealing with...

Seanad: Mediation Bill 2017: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: ...stage and try to close the file and move on to the next item. From my experience of an arbitration matter I was involved in, because it was the contract our clients had entered into, we had to go through the arbitration process rather than go through the litigation process. After 30 days, we were still on the first witness. For 11 days there was a dispute about whether there was one...