Results 10,361-10,380 of 11,348 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Protection of the Public Interest from Tobacco Lobbying Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. I thank Senator Crown for his work in presenting this Bill. This subject needs to be discussed. I have carefully studied the Bill as presented and I do not think it would stand up to constitutional challenge. This must be the test for any legislation coming before the House. The tobacco industry is a very powerful lobby group and it would not miss the...

Seanad: Protection of the Public Interest from Tobacco Lobbying Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: On 30 April the Government approved the drafting of the lobbying Bill 2013. It is appropriate to examine the issue of lobbying. The objective of the lobbying Bill is to introduce a register of lobbyists, to place on the register information on the identity of those communicating on specific policy, legislative matters or prospective decisions with designated public officials or...

Seanad: Protection of the Public Interest from Tobacco Lobbying Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: I am explaining that the Government is setting out clear guidelines on lobbying-----

Seanad: Protection of the Public Interest from Tobacco Lobbying Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: The lobbying Bill establishes that public bodies will publish on their websites an up-to-date list of the name and grade of its designated public officials and officeholders. The Bill sets out the Government's policy on the regulation of lobbying. It does not prevent lobbying but rather it provides clear guidelines for its management. The Government's intention is clear. The heads of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: If there are genuine issues and concerns in respect of NAMA, and it appears there are, the appropriate authority to investigate them is the Garda. Any information people receive should be conveyed to the Garda. It is important to bear in mind also that valuations carried out even six months ago are now out of date because the market has changed. I received a telephone call in the last week...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (17 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: Next Thursday.

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (17 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. In the past five years more than €3 billion has been taken from the health budget. When people talk about cost, they seem to assume that cutting funding from health care also means cutting services, but that is not the case. It is about making it more cost effective. We have saved money as a result of being proactive in getting value for money...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: With regard to the charities issue, I was out collecting at the weekend for a charity. There is support for genuine charities. The contributions from people were phenomenal. Once they were satisfied as to the identity of the charity they had no difficulty contributing. In fact, it was a very good cause. In early September, I submitted a question in the health committee on the issue of HSE...

Seanad: Pyrite Resolution Bill 2013: Second Stage (16 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister and thank him for bringing forward this legislation. The problem of pyrite is one of the most frightening things for any family to encounter. I have worked in the legal profession and acted for builders where subsidence has occurred. In addition, I have worked for householders. Identifying and dealing with subsidence is one problem, but pyrite is a far more complex...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (12 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister. It is always difficult to introduce changes such as this, but we must respond to what the market requires and provide equal access to health insurance. This is, unfortunately, the way it has to be dealt with. More than 530,000 people are aged over 65 years, many of whom, thankfully, have health insurance. That cohort will continue to increase in the coming years...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: Following on from the meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts yesterday on the organisations which are getting State funding, I raised this issue in the Joint Committee on Health and Children on 17 October where there was an acceptance by the HSE and the Department of Health that there were irregularities in their three-page reply to me. Of the Health budget of €13.3 billion,...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors Recruitment (11 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for the reply and I appreciate the work being done by the Minister in the Department. I am a little concerned the final report will not be published until June 2014 and that an interim report will be published. Nothing really seems to have changed for 2014. While I accept that implementing the working time directive is necessary and fundamental for the health...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors Recruitment (11 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to take this matter. This matter relates to the junior doctor issue, a matter I have dealing with over the past two years. I am very concerned about the issue because of the 4,900 doctors employed in the health service, some 2,000 are on six-month only contracts. I eventually extracted this information from the HSE after approximately...

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: We did not promise to give out an additional 254,000 medical cards.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: The Senator can table amendments to the Finance Bill.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I wish to correct what has been said. This measure is not about removing medical cards from the over 70s. The impression has been given that we are removing medical cards for all over 70s. It is removing medical cards in respect of a particular category.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: The category is that of people who live on their own and have an income of more than €26,000 per annum and married couples whose income exceeds €47,000. However, they will still get a GP card. It is important to note that where a person pays more than €144 per month for medication the cost is borne by the State. Senator David Cullinane gave the impression that the...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: The Minister will be dealing with the budget issue.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: The overall health budget is €13 billion. The amount we are talking about to balance the budget is very small in comparison. It is a budget that can be very variable. One cannot predict at the start of the year the demands on the budget by the end of the year. Is Senator MacSharry suggesting that we close down two or three hospitals to make up the budget? We have to provide a...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2013)

Colm Burke: As toys are purchased coming up to Christmas, an issue arises with regard to defective products. In 2008, the then European Commissioner went to China to make representations about the number of defective items coming from there. One problem was the use of lead paint in toys, which is dangerous for children. As a result of these representations, the Chinese authorities closed down more...