Results 8,061-8,080 of 11,299 for speaker:Colm Burke

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Defence Action Plan (3 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: 20. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason for the delay in providing personal security clearance and facility security clearance for companies here dealing with projects for the European defence industrial development programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8534/20]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Vehicle Registration Tax (3 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: 65. To ask the Minister for Finance the procedure being put in place to arrange for cars which are imported to be inspected in order that the VRT can be assessed and same can be placed on the market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8612/20]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Maternity Leave (3 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: 344. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration has been given to extending the period for maternity leave in order to accommodate those who have been affected by the Covid-19 lockdown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8530/20]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (3 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: 809. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the appropriate action will be taken to ensure that future policies setting out the limitations of so-called renewable energies will take research into consideration in view of recent reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8597/20]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: 908. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to provide financial supports to private bus companies that will lose out during the tourist season as a result of the Covid-19 crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8761/20]

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: That also applies to HIQA. We requested information that should have been made available to us after the meeting, which the witnesses knew very well we would have been looking for.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: I agree with Deputy Shortall on this point. The Department made the deal with the private hospitals. They should be part of our discussions and should appear at some stage.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: I thank both the IMO and the Irish Hospital Consultants Association for their presentations. On the agreement between the Department and the private hospitals, I note Mr. Varley makes no reference in his presentation to any contact between the IHCA and the private hospitals. In view of the fact that the private hospitals were the places where the IHCA's members worked, was there at any...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: Mr. Varley's main criticism seems to be with the Department and the HSE. Does he not accept that there should also be criticism of the private hospitals given that the IHCA was excluded and the private hospitals did not seem to respond to its concerns?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: The IMO may want to come in on my next point. With regard to future arrangements, if there were to be 80% or 90% occupancy in a private hospital and the Department suddenly concluded that a surge was on the way, how many days would it take to make beds available?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: If one was to take the average stay of a private patient in a private hospital into account, surely one could estimate how long it would take. Should we now estimate the capacity above which private hospitals should not operate?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: To return to the issue of capacity, do the witnesses have experience of modular hospitals? Have they been successful?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: How long do such buildings take to construct from start to finish?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: With regard to the IT system, I understand that maternity services have been computerised and that this is progressing section by section within the health system. What progress has been made over the past two years?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: I understand that over the past three years, this system of computerisation of patient records has been developed across all the maternity hospitals.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (Resumed) (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: I thank each of the witnesses for their presentations and the work they have done over what has been a very difficult four months. The impression being given by some members is that today we could tell the private hospitals we want all their beds and tomorrow we could tell them that we are sorry, we do not need them. It is wrong that this kind of impression is being given out, and Mr....

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (Resumed) (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: As part of the agreement, my understanding is that if Mr. Breslin wanted it to end after the three-month period, he would have to give a month's notice, which has now been given. Am I correct in saying that?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (Resumed) (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: In other words, it is incorrect to give the impression, which some people seem to be trying to do, that this was just dreamed up overnight and there was actually quite a careful plan put in place.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (Resumed) (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: I will move on to the issue of using the facilities for the next four weeks. We had an example in Cork where, more than 12 months ago, we had a particular problem on access to gynaecological services. We had more than 4,500 people on a waiting list, and a lot of these were day care procedures. Have we identified any list at this stage with regard to particular areas where we can use the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Use of Private Hospitals (Resumed) (2 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: To go back to the other issue in relation to elective hospitals, we have identified clearly that there is a need to build three elective hospitals and that has been identified for some time. In Cork there is much land owned by the HSE. Sarsfieldscourt is a site that could be immediately fast-tracked. Is there any plan at this stage to look again at fast-tracking that, now that we are going...