Results 10,821-10,840 of 11,348 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I agree with Senator MacSharry's comments to a large extent except that the Personal Insolvency Act will make a difference. One of the concerns I have and which I want the Deputy Leader to follow up is that members of the accountancy profession have approached me and advised that they now have difficultly, just like my colleagues in the legal profession, entering into negotiations with the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Newborn Screening Cards (7 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for the information on this matter. I do not agree with the decision, although I realise it was taken some time ago. With regard to the information programme, perhaps the Minister for Health will communicate to me what format it will take and when it will start. I understand that the deadline for the destruction of these cards is 31 March, so it is a very short...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Newborn Screening Cards (7 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for attending. It has been a long week. The national blood spot screening programme was rolled out to identify six rare diseases; the screening cards are also known as Guthrie cards. Unfortunately the cards retained between 1966 and 1984 were destroyed as a result of water contamination. The Data Protection Commissioner has ruled that the cards for the period...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: Last night may have been an education for us on how junior doctors in the health service have to work. I suggest we work one late session or one early morning session once a week until we face up to that difficult issue in the health service. I refer to a matter raised by Senator Feargal Quinn, that is, organ donation. Senator John Crown appeared with a number of others before the Joint...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Lung Health Promotion: Discussion with Irish Lung Health Alliance (7 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: It is the same problem that junior doctors have.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Lung Health Promotion: Discussion with Irish Lung Health Alliance (7 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: Are we agreed on the junior doctors' issue, as I have raised it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Lung Health Promotion: Discussion with Irish Lung Health Alliance (7 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I thought we had agreed to have it on a Tuesday in particular.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Lung Health Promotion: Discussion with Irish Lung Health Alliance (7 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I will do that. Thank you, Chairman.

Seanad: Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Bill 2013: Second Stage (6 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I will be brief. I thank the Minister for his work in dealing with a very difficult area. I have worked in the legal profession. The difference between us and economists is that there are times when immediate decisions are required rather than allowing other people to dictate how we should manage our affairs. This is one decision which we have to take here and now. I refer to section...

Seanad: Garda Resources: Motion (6 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for coming to the House and for taking decisions in respect of proper management of the Garda force in this country. Two Government Ministers were severely criticised recently because decisions were taken affecting particular areas and false allegations were made. Now, however, the Minister for Justice and Equality has taken a decision that affects his own constituency...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome this report. It is long overdue. I pay tribute to Senator Ó Murchú, who summed it up very well. In fairness, the Government should have taken two weeks to consider the matter before dealing with it comprehensively, rather than having the report published at this stage. The demand was for it to be published as soon as it was made available to the Government. That is what the...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: We should approach this issue in a calm and measured manner. The Government has said that it will arrange a debate on this matter and that it will deal with it comprehensively and carefully. Governments should be given time to deal with reports like this after they are published. That is what this Government is doing. I remind the Leader that it is important for this House to have a...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: How many of them died?

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: Good God.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Garda Stations Refurbishment (5 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I do not want to go into the issue with regard to Glanmire, but I received a memorandum expressing concerns about the delays in dealing with the legal issues. I will convey that memorandum to the Minister. This matter has dragged on a bit and should be resolved and brought to a conclusion so that we may get on with the job of getting the station built.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Garda Stations Refurbishment (5 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I appreciate that and thank the Minister of State for setting time aside for this.

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion (5 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: In fairness, the committees have made a valuable contribution to debate. The Leader has suggested holding committees on one week in the month and this is something we should seriously consider. The best evidence for this was when we sat for three days in the Joint Committee on Health and Children to discuss the A, B and C v. Ireland and the X cases. The reason it got such public interest...

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion (5 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: It is something we should at least consider when we are discussing overall reform. I agree there is no point as it stands. The Order of Business is held for one hour between 2.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. on a Tuesday and for one an hour between 10.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Those three hours should be preserved for the Order of Business. Committees should not be...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Garda Stations Refurbishment (5 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for making time available. Since she is from my constituency she will be aware of the issues I am raising relating to Blarney Garda station and the station in Glanmire. My understanding is that tenders were invited and have been received for Blarney Garda station. Given that there are some changes in the way we are organising the deployment of gardaí...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Feb 2013)

Colm Burke: I join in paying tribute to the former Senator Martin McAleese, not just for the contribution he made in this House but for the contribution he made long before he came in here. The first time I met him was when I was Lord Mayor of Cork. I met him a number of times during that year and he was always very much aware of the organisations and groups he and the President were visiting on the...