Results 2,021-2,040 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: The population has increased by 1.5 million in the past 20 years, or 40%, and there is a need to fast-track the delivery of medical facilities. An increase of 1.5 million people is huge. In Cork, for instance, we have planning for a new paediatric unit and there is also the issue regarding the delivery of elective hospitals. We need now to respond. As the Tánaiste said earlier, there...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: We have planning for the new paediatric unit.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Yield (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: The Minister outlined the issue in regard to the concerns about the corporate tax not returning as much as was originally planned. In regard to planning for the next 12 months, do we need to make sure that we plan carefully for that? Is there an expectation that all the larger companies in Ireland, and indeed all the companies here, are continuing to grow? They are continuing to employ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Yield (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: 88. To ask the Minister for Finance the amount the State has taken in for tax receipts for income tax, corporation tax and VAT to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43078/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Yield (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: I ask the Minister to outline the tax receipts for income tax, corporation tax and VAT to date in 2023 and to make a statement on the matter.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Yield (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: Is the increase in income tax receipts a reflection of the increased number of people in employment? I understand that approximately 80,000 more people are in employment compared with this time last year. Alternatively, is it a reflection of increases in wages and salaries? VAT receipts have increased by 9.5%. Is that a reflection not necessarily of an increase in the volume of sales...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: I fully accept what the Minister said about the exemptions that are available but it was 2003 when this was last changed. It is 20 years on and it is the time to look at this again, particularly in respect of CAT. Generally, the exemptions that were there prior to 2008 were greater than what they are now. As the Minister will appreciate, the value of property has gone up substantially and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: The Minister will accept, though, that there is a need for some change in CAT in view of the fact that the value of property has increased substantially. The exemptions were higher going back 15 or 18 years ago than what they are now. There have been changes in a whole lot of areas in the meantime. I am asking that consideration would be given to this.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: 83. To ask the Minister for Finance to confirm that consideration would be given to increasing the small gift exemption for capital acquisitions tax from €3,000 to €5,000 from each person per year, due to the increase in the cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43079/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tax Code (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: Will the Department consider increasing the small gift exemption for capital acquisitions tax, CAT, from €3,000 to €5,000 from each person per year? This was introduced in 2003 and it has not changed since. Will consideration be given to this? It is about the redistribution of wealth. If people find that when they give money to someone, there is going to be a liability for...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive: Financial Statements 2023 (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for attending, presenting and going through the figures. I wish to ask about the figure of €7.8 billion for pay and pensions. Is there a breakdown of the agency and locum costs that were paid out because staff were not available? The HSE spends a great deal of time training people up and down the line, be they care assistants, nurses, administrative staff...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive: Financial Statements 2023 (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: Not one of those I spoke to had been asked.

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive: Financial Statements 2023 (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: That is not giving me any information about the reasons people are leaving. We are losing some good people and the HSE, the taxpayer and I need to find out why. We are spending a great deal of money on attracting people from abroad to fill vacancies. Why can we not identify why good people are leaving the service?

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive: Financial Statements 2023 (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: But we have not identified any of them.

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive: Financial Statements 2023 (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: Regarding the €1 billion paid out for agency staff and so forth, can that figure be reduced for the coming year and further on?

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive: Financial Statements 2023 (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: My understanding is that there are more than 350 medical locums. Can that number be reduced? How can we fast-track the reduction so that we can have people in posts permanently? Locums are costing us a great deal of money.

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive: Financial Statements 2023 (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: How many are there?

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive: Financial Statements 2023 (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: Do the witnesses accept that, in many cases, and especially in smaller hospitals, there is a difficulty in recruiting people to fill posts and it is taking much longer?

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive: Financial Statements 2023 (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: Have questions been asked as to how the HSE can improve this situation? In some of our smaller hospitals, up to 80% of the medical staff did not go through the Irish university or training systems.

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive: Financial Statements 2023 (5 Oct 2023)

Colm Burke: I will move on to section 38 and 39 organisations. Last year, €6.3 billion was paid out. My understanding is that there are approximately 2,500 organisations. Some of them are large, for example, the voluntary hospitals, but some are quite small. Is any effort being made to see how we can get better on this front? In fairness, the organisations are doing a great deal of very good...