Results 3,921-3,940 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: The ICGP report published in October referred to the Scottish system in relation to medical students. We do not have a system here in Ireland where medical students work within GP practice for a period. They attend clinics in hospitals but I understand they are not in GP practices while they are going to college. Am I correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Has the college engaged with the universities?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Does it believe it would be of assistance in trying to get more of those graduating into the GP system?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: If that were put in place and an agreement reached on it, then the question would be the number of GP practices that would be prepared to come on board to facilitate that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Would that be a challenge?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: In the past six years in Ireland, the number of people working in the hospital system has increased from 103,000 to more than 137,000 whole-time equivalents. That is an increase of over 33%. That has been achieved in a six-year time period. Can we reach the targets the ICGP is talking about on the basis it gets support from the Department of Health and the HSE right across the board?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: That was my argument because, in real terms, we would be producing more doctors. If I borrow €100,000 to set up a business in the morning, I can write that €100,000 off against tax, but if I borrow €100,000 to go to college and I am providing a service when I qualify, and it is an essential service, I cannot write it off against tax.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Another problem for those students is that all the financial institutions are refusing to provide loans for those students, as I understand it. There is now a difficulty in their getting loans.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: The ICGP has not had any engagement with the banks on this issue at this stage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: But it believes it is something that needs to be dealt with.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Looking what has happened in recent years, and given the number coming out next year is 285, what percentage of those who qualify is likely to go to another jurisdiction to work for a period of time? Is that a particular challenge at the moment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: My final point is on the whole issue of the task force. One of the problems I have when committees or task forces are set up is the timescale involved. Has the ICGP talked to the Department about setting out a clear timescale as to when the task force will deliver and set out a clear plan for dealing with the challenges we have?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: I return to the issue of postgraduates who go to college and have to pay full fees because they already have a university degree. I have had this argument with the Department of Finance over the past three to four years about how they cannot write that loan off against tax once they qualify. Has ICGP had any engagement with the Department of Finance on that? It is a challenge if someone is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Recruitment, Retention and Manpower Planning Issues: Irish College of General Practitioners (14 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Will it be possible to go back and see what progress has been made by the Department and the task force?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Visa Applications (13 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Regarding the amalgamation of both application processes, the Minister of State is saying it will take six months. Going back to the original question, which is about the amalgamation of the permit application and the visa application, does the Minister of State believe we can have one system in place? I know this will take some time between the Departments to work out. Farmers are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Visa Applications (13 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: 60. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if consideration will be given to merging the employment permit and visa application processes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62109/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Visa Applications (13 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Will consideration be given to merging the employment permit and visa application processes?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Visa Applications (13 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for the work he has done in this area and for improving the service dramatically. We had a huge problem with junior doctors coming in. It has been agreed that 1,000 permits will be issued as general employment permits for those who want to come in as home care workers. How will that be fast-tracked? There is a huge shortage of home care workers. We need to...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (13 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: 209. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the new plans for the metropolitan rail network proposed for Cork; if he will outline the plans for infrastructure improvements and frequency for the Blackpool, Blarney, Rathduff, Mallow, Banteer and Millstreet stations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61763/22]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Schemes (13 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: 238. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will carry out a review of the fuel grant for disabled drivers (details supplied) in view of the fact that no such review has been carried out within the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61732/22]