Results 10,301-10,320 of 11,348 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I want to raise some more mundane issues which are important to us as taxpayers. A recent report in a Sunday newspaper indicated that the legislation put in place to deal with the cost of drugs is not having an effect or benefit. It is of concern that we are spending over €2 billion per annum on drugs and pharmaceutical products, three to four, and in some cases, five times above the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Closure of Mount Carmel Hospital: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: In his presentation, the Minister mentioned the hospital being used as a step-down facility. Have we advanced that research at this stage? A recent report indicated that people with dementia who are returning home had an average stay in hospital of 22 days, whereas those who were getting nursing home places had an average stay in hospital of 59 days. In view of that, there is an urgent...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Closure of Mount Carmel Hospital: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: The letter from the National Asset Management Agency states neither of the two bids was viable and both were heavily conditional as they involved low up-front payments and deferred unsecured payments. Were staff given details of the two proposals at any stage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Closure of Mount Carmel Hospital: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: Was the INMO aware of the conditions of purchase?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Closure of Mount Carmel Hospital: Discussion (18 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I will be brief. I thank the witnesses for their attendance and, like my colleagues, acknowledge it is a difficult time for staff who made a huge commitment there in the provision of health care for many years. It is not easy for anyone who is dedicated and committed to his or her job to suddenly find one's employment changes overnight without any warning. I have examined the affidavit...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: How can someone acquire a right if that product causes death?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: My argument concerns whether one can acquire a right when the product one is selling causes death.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I want to come back to the question of clear evidence. If there is clear evidence that a product is causing death, how can the manufacturers of that product acquire a right? That question needs to be dealt with from a legal point of view. I do not understand how such a company can acquire a right. All the evidence confirms that this product is causing death.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: First, I had better declare my interest in that I am a member of the Law Society. I wish to raise the issue of property rights in terms of where the State is taking action that involves public health. Submissions the committee received over the past number of weeks clearly indicate that 5,000 people are dying per annum as a direct result of smoking. I stated this morning that since the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: That is not true.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: There is a quote about the Charter of Fundamental Rights. What specific aspect of that charter is Mr. Meagher saying we will infringe if we go ahead with this legislation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: Thank you.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: Is there not an argument that the State also has an obligation to protect the health of citizens, which takes priority over property rights?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: One cannot have property rights if the product one distributes causes deaths. No property rights attach in that situation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I asked a question on the Charter of Fundamental Rights. I referred to specific sections of the charter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I asked a specific question on the charter. It is quoted in the submission that-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for making their contributions this morning. It is good to hear both sides of the argument. Back in 1964, Luther Terry, the then US Surgeon General, identified that smoking was a cause of death. The average number of people who die in this country as a direct result of smoking is 5,000 per annum, so a 250,000 people have died in the 50 years since 1964. That is...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Insurance Coverage (12 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for the comprehensive reply. I am not trying to impose an obligation on the State but rather more co-operation between the insurance industry and the State, which has happened in the UK. Could we consider what happens in the UK and see if we can implement similar measures? Comprehensive cover is not provided for everybody but there are particular cases where...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Insurance Coverage (12 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: This matter was already discussed today with the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Brian Hayes. I submitted this matter on the Adjournment last week when I was not aware that a debate on flooding would be on the Order of Business today. I have said three or four times in the past week that the Motor Insurance Bureau Fund is available to compensate an uninsured person...

Seanad: Recent Flooding: Statements (12 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State of the House and thank him for attending a meeting in Cork last Thursday night with the business community, the local public representatives and Oireachtas Members. It was an extremely constructive meeting. Moreover, the proposal made at that meeting about the setting up of a forum involving the Office of Public Works, Cork City Council officials and the...