Results 10,801-10,820 of 11,348 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Health Insurance Levy: Discussion (21 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I understand the Chairman's frustration. I have a question about hospital costs and costs in general. This matter may have been dealt with earlier. Ireland is now the second most expensive country in the world for health care costs or the cost of health care per head of population. I refer to the costs being paid by insurers to the private hospital sector and the public hospital sector-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Health Insurance Levy: Discussion (21 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: It is a general question. What is the percentage cost difference between the two sectors for private patients in public hospitals? The second issue is the number of bed days. What is the average length of stay in a private hospital compared to a private bed in a public hospital? What is the cost difference? I have consistently raised the issue of whether there is sufficient competition...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (21 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: Has any detailed research been done on what attracts young people to smoking when the health problems are already identified? The witnesses spoke about figures in the 15 to 24 age group. We also need to look at the ten or 12 to 15 age group. My next concern is the research and how we formulate policy to steer young people away from starting to smoke. I am doing a research project in...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (20 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: On Tuesday.

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (20 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank all my colleagues who made a contribution to this debate. Let me cover one or two matters that were referred to. To put it bluntly, I am stunned by what has occurred. I was told an hour ago that the Department was to accept the Bill and intended tabling amendments to it. It is not that I did not give the documentation to the Department; I gave it to it over eight weeks ago. I did...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (20 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: It certainly came as a huge surprise to me. Let me touch on one or two issues that were referred to. The Minister referred to Medical Council expertise. It is referred to in the Bill. At my meeting with representatives of the council Mr. Ciarán Breen of the State Claims Agency was present. A concern was expressed to me that the Medical Council did not have the expertise to decide the...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2012: Order for Second Stage (20 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (20 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I, too, welcome the Minister. I am pleased to introduce this Bill in the House and acknowledge the contribution of the Minister who when in opposition in October 2009 introduced the Medical Practitioners (Professional Indemnity)(Amendment) Bill. The then Minister, Mary Harney, acknowledged the need for change in this area and legislation...

Seanad: Civil Law (Missing Persons) Bill 2013: First Stage (20 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide for the effects in civil law of persons who are missing, including arrangements for interim management of the missing person?s property, and to provide for the civil status of the missing person where the circumstances of their absence leads to a presumption of death; and to provide for related matters.I am seeking...

Seanad: Civil Law (Missing Persons) Bill 2013: First Stage (20 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide for the effects in civil law of persons who are missing, including arrangements for interim management of the missing person?s property, and to provide for the civil status of the missing person where the circumstances of their absence leads to a presumption of death; and to provide for related matters.I am seeking...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I propose that No. 10 on the Order of Business be sent forward for publication subject to the agreement of the House.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: Yes. I am proposing that No. 10 be taken and that the Bill be sent forward for publication. A report in one of today's newspapers related to absenteeism in the public sector. We should have a debate on this issue in the House. Very little real progress has been made over the past two to three years. There are genuine reasons people are absent from work such as health or family...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I too wish to follow Senators Noone and Coughlan who raised the comments of the Chief Justice on the court system. This is a very important issue that needs to be considered. There was a proposal to have a court of civil appeal. We already have a court of Criminal Appeal, which has worked very effectively. The reason it is important to deal with this issue in the Supreme Court relates to...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Organ Donation (14 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: This matter relates to organ donation and I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to address it. The matter was raised at the Joint Committee on Health and Children last week, with a number of groups before the committee as a result of representations made by Senator John Crown. A matter arising during the discussions was a lack of co-ordination in the promotion of organ...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Organ Donation (14 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Deputy for a very comprehensive response. I am delighted the Minister is meeting representatives of the Irish Donor Network next Monday. One group that seems to be left out of the response is the HSE and I wonder if the Department will take on board the important role that it must play in the co-ordination effort. I ask that this point be taken to the Minister.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I seek leave to introduce a Bill.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Tackling Obesity: Discussion with Operation Transformation (14 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for the presentation and I thank the participants for appearing before the committee. I recently spoke to somebody who made a presentation at a meeting of general practitioners, GPs, and practice nurses. The presentation was not about obesity but the person decided to touch on it because of the problems the person was having in their hospital clinics. The person was...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Phil Prendergast, MEP. (13 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: Ms Prendergast is most welcome. I have served in the European Parliament and on the Internal Market committee. From her experience of working in Europe, what changes would Ms Prendergast like to be introduced in order to get information across on what is happening in Europe? I have been a strong advocate for the use of the Seanad. I proposed that two days a month would be set aside to...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Phil Prendergast, MEP. (13 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: Would we do that?

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I wish to raise the way the Department of Health has dealt with the medical card issue. Despite the pressures on the health services, more than 165,000 new medical cards were issued in 2012. As we sit here today, the two millionth medical card is about to be issued. The figures for 1 January 2013 indicate 1,984,000 medical cards or GP visit cards have been issued. It is an indication of...