Results 11,141-11,160 of 11,348 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: The other issue I wish to raise is that of third level colleges. It is wrong in this day and age that we have colleges producing graduates for whom there are no jobs in this country. I refer, in particular, to the law faculties, in respect of which we have not adjusted to the times. It is sad that it takes so long for a third level institution to change to meet what the market is now...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I agree to an extent with Senator Darragh O'Brien that priority should be given to addressing the problem of mortgage arrears. As someone who wears both a political and legal hat, every week I encounter cases of people who want to address their mortgage difficulties but do not have an avenue for doing so. While it is important to implement legislation to address this issue, we must do so...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: Unfortunately, the legislation in question did not stand up constitutionally, as the Senator's party was advised.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: Let us do this properly.

Seanad: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements (14 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: In a debate about EU matters we need to be positive in respect of what the European Union has done for us, because it appears we walk away from that when debating such issues. In 1992, 1.2 million people were at work. By 2008 the number had increased to 2.1 million, a huge increase in the number in employment in a short time. The reason we were allowed grow the workforce was that we had...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: With regard to recent judicial decisions, it is important to realise that in each case there is a right of appeal on matters still pending. Before a decision was arrived at a number of days were spent in court and a lot of issues were dealt with. To be fair to the Judiciary, it adopted a balanced approach. It does not always get it right, but there is an appeals procedure in place. I wish...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: They have not.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: On a point of order-----

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I agree with Senator Ó Murchú's comments to the extent that yesterday we discussed a motion on the issue of rare diseases and the need for a proactive Government policy to deal with it. There was broad agreement across the House on how the issue should be approached. Likewise with the jobs issue, everyone in the House regardless of party affiliation has one aim, that is, to get people...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: It should be outlawed because it was wrong. It should not have been done and it should be made illegal now. This is one of the issues I want on the agenda if we are to debate the banking issue. The sooner it is on the agenda, the better for everyone in the country. I call for a debate on the issue at the earliest possible opportunity.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome this Bill. The Minister gave a comprehensive overview of the legislation in his opening statement. I agree with Senator Thomas Byrne that former Tánaiste and Minister, Mary Harney, made a valuable contribution in this area. On competition, I was fortunate enough to be apprentice to the solicitor who took one of the first...

Seanad: Rare Diseases: Motion (7 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, for attending the House today to deal with this matter and to listen to the Senators' views. I thank all the Senators who contributed to the debate. Everybody who did so was very constructive and supportive of the work the Minister and the Department have done to date in dealing with this matter by...

Seanad: Rare Diseases: Motion (7 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I move: That Seanad Éireann: notes that a rare disease is defined in the EU as a condition that affects fewer than 5 in 10,000 people, 0.5% of the population. Further notes, that even though specific data on rare disease prevalence have not been compiled in Ireland, the Department of Health recognises that between 6% and 8% of the population could be affected by a rare condition, according...

Seanad: Local Authority Housing (6 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I wish to raise on the Adjournment the issue of elderly people who want to downsize their living accommodation as their house is too large, now their families have grown up and left. We had a programme in place that allowed local authorities to purchase those houses and provide alternative accommodation to them. I have come across a few cases recently where people were advised that this...

Seanad: Local Authority Housing (6 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. An opportunity is lost by not having a comprehensive policy in place. The housing market has been at a standstill for the past four years and there are many elderly people who wish to make the move and want the security. I ask the Department to examine the issue and put in place a comprehensive policy. The Minister of State will recall the...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: To follow up on what Senator O'Donovan said about the west Cork case, it is important to acknowledge that it was the Attorney General and the Minister for Justice and Equality who released the papers to the solicitors for the person whom the French authorities were attempting to extradite. It was an important decision and, in fairness to everybody, it was important that this information was...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: In dealing with this issue it is important that people approach it in a balanced way. I worked in Brussels for two years and one of the things I learned was that people from the various member states had respect for parliamentarians or officials from other countries. It is unfortunate, therefore, that this matter has again arisen in respect of Germany. It is not a welcome development. It...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: We need to approach the matter in an extremely delicate way. I wish to comment on the need to be positive. Today some people from Northern Ireland are visiting the Oireachtas to discuss matters relating to health. That is a welcome development. This is a matter on which a great deal of progress has been made. Yesterday was International Rare Disease Day. The authorities both here and in...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: It is important that we have a constructive debate on this matter. During the referendum on the Lisbon treaty a leaflet was distributed to every household on the north side of Cork city claiming that a "Yes" vote would lead to legalised abortion and prostitution, the imposition of conscription and a European insistence on no more than one child per family. The media have an important role...

Seanad: Local Authority Staff (28 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for returning to the House. He is here almost on a weekly basis at this stage. This matter relates to accountability and the giving of information to the public, particularly as it applies to local authorities. I have raised the issue directly with the Minister and on the Order of Business. We can consider the websites of those people working...