Results 11,121-11,140 of 11,348 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Rare Diseases (28 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: My information is that one in 18,000 babies born is affected by this disease. At present, 88 patients are attending the two specialist EB clinics in Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin and St. James's Hospital. The number of people affected is extremely small. All I ask is that EB be classified as a long-term illness. There is no cure for the disease; it is there for life. Serious...

Seanad: Small Business: Motion (28 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and also welcome the business people in attendance. As someone who has been self-employed for many years, I am deeply aware of the difficulties small businesses are obliged to face at present. My colleagues have touched on many of the issues already. However, I wish to touch on two issues. The first concerns an agency funded by the State that...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Statements, Questions and Answers (28 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: An elderly couple came to see me recently with a query about downsizing. Now that their children are grown, they would like to downsize their four bedroom home to a single-storey building. They are getting nowhere, however, with Cork City Council. Does the Minister of State intend to introduce a programme to assist persons in that situation? I have referred to the German letting model on...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Statements, Questions and Answers (28 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I have referred to an elderly couple who now are tenants in a four-bedroom house. They do not need that space and wish to downsize to a two-bedroom house specifically aimed at elderly people.

Seanad: Housing Policy: Statements, Questions and Answers (28 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: Yes. One would then have available a four-bedroom house or a young family.

Seanad: Housing Policy: Statements, Questions and Answers (28 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: It needs to be given priority.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (28 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I have one or two comments. I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for introducing the Bill. I thank Senator Bacik for taking the initiative two years ago. When the matter was last before the House I said I had raised the matter as far back as 1992 with Members of the Oireachtas because there was a huge influx of women from Somalia to England at the time. A medical professor in...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: We need a dose of realism in respect of the household charge. I said this before in respect of the payment of commercial rates. People who are paying commercial rates should place on their front door or front window the amount of rates that they are paying to local authorities. One might walk into a paint shop to buy paint and paintbrushes. The shop might be only 1,000 sq. ft., but the...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: It is an issue that should be raised on the Adjournment because with over 40% of people having medical cards by the end of the year, we have a huge amount of information already available on computer. Therefore, the introduction of patient medication cards should not be delayed and we should set a clear target for implementation during the lifetime of this Government.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I would like to talk on a positive note because there is much negativity today. Some young people were invited to India by the Irish ambassador to India for St. Patrick's week. Four young students, who are in a traditional Irish music band, were asked to play at a number of events in India. They were told Irish traditional music is growing in India which has a population of 1.2 billion....

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I welcome the change in Sinn Féin policy. Twelve months ago, Deputy Adams told the IMF that it could go home with its money. Last night, Deputy Pearse Doherty said we should move away from where we are borrowing and rely on the IMF.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I welcome Sinn Féin's change in policy on that issue. On previous occasions I raised the retention of medical graduates from Irish colleges in the health service. I have received a report showing that only 43% of the hospital interns recruited last year have remained in training in our hospitals. That is a worrying trend. Last year the HSE faced major difficulties in filling hospital...

Seanad: Clotting Factor Concentrates and Other Biological Products Bill 2012: Second and Subsequent Stages (21 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Seanad: Clotting Factor Concentrates and Other Biological Products Bill 2012: Second and Subsequent Stages (21 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State and the Bill to the House. It is administrative legislation, in that it tidies up a situation. The Government and the Department received legal advice to the effect that the Bill was required to transfer this aspect of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service's work to St. James's Hospital. It is a short Bill of just three sections and the Minister of State...

Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: It is about leadership.

Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I wish to share time with Senator Jim D'Arcy.

Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: In dealing with this debate we need to examine one or two issues with regard to the economy. This morning I referred to the cost of health care and that we spent €13.4 billion on it last year and brought in €13.317 billion in income tax. We need to communicate what services cost because there is a total disconnect between what people feel they pay for and what they get. In real terms...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: We need some realism in this House. Last year we spent €13.4 billion on health care, including on medical cards, elderly care and hospital care, and we brought in €13.317 billion in income tax. Every cent paid in income tax last year was spent on health care. I refer to the payment of commercial rates. If one is a member of a local authority, one is not entitled to hold one's seat if...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: People have criticised Ministers for not coming into the House but we must get our own house in order. I raise again the role we can play in European legislation. I understand a letter was sent to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission about the allocation of staff to deal with that issue. That was more than six weeks ago and I am anxious that the Deputy Leader looks at this issue again -...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I have a few questions.