Results 11,261-11,280 of 11,348 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2011)

Colm Burke: My question is about bringing this matter to the attention of the Minister and about making sure it is dealt with at the earliest possible date. A message must be brought home that statutory agencies are accountable to us and to the people for whom they work. I ask that this matter be brought to their attention at the earliest possible date.

Seanad: Health Services: Statements, Questions and Answers (27 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. I ask the House to bear with me as I have the flu. I hope I will be able to finish my speech. As a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children for the past six months I can confirm to the House that very constructive debate has taken place on a number of policy areas and the Minister has attended and briefed the committee on a number...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: I wish to comment on the important matters raised by Senators Quinn and Crown. We are not doing enough in the area of education. With regard to the diplomatic service, last year I had the privilege of being in Georgia in eastern Europe for the local elections. I was joined by a member of the diplomatic corps, a young girl from Dublin based in Bulgaria. She was fluent in Russian because...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: I have a question for the Leader. I will write to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children to ask it to bring in VHI and I call on the Leader of the House to support this move. The agency is in breach of the Competition Authority rules because of they way it is dealing with the matter. The matter should be discussed and dealt with.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: I have heard some of the debate on the radio about the Priory Hall incident. I am surprised at the lack of information. It is not just about the builders being responsible; other people, including engineers, signed off on payments. Planning regulations apply to every property sold and an engineer must sign a certificate of compliance with planning and building regulations. For the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: Perhaps the Leader can convey to the Minister the possible need for a change to the regulations in that area.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: Earlier Senator Daly spoke about legislation from the European Union. All draft legislation is circulated to all 27 member states before going through the Commission and the European Parliament. We have 90 representatives permanently based in Brussels watching EU legislation so Europe is not pushing through legislation without consultation. That issue needs to be clarified because it is...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: The impression the Senator is giving is that there is no-----

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: Fianna Fáil was in power continuously for 14 years and did not change any rules about dealing with EU legislation.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: Legislation is processed by member states; it is an ongoing process that goes back and forth between Europe and the member states. Just as the European Parliament sets aside a number of days in Strasbourg each month, why can this House not set aside two days a month to deal specifically with EU legislation?

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: It is not an unreasonable amount of time. It is a role the Seanad could undertake and it would be extremely helpful in getting correct information to the public. For two days a month we should deal with nothing but EU legislation. Senator O'Keeffe mentioned that the Common Agricultural Policy will be reviewed. The Leader should invite the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural...

Seanad: Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (12 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House as well as welcoming this new legislative proposal. I wish to touch briefly on some aspects of dormant accounts, including how the banks deal with them. Some years ago, a client of mine received a letter from the Revenue Commissioners concerning such an account. She found that she had an account of £50,000 which had been opened in 1976. She never had...

Seanad: Missing Children Hotline: Motion (12 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister and her detailed summary of the current position. My involvement goes back to 2007 to 2009 in the European Parliament, when this issue arose on a number of occasions. I note that to date 16 countries have signed up to the initiative and have the helpline in operation. Funding is an issue to the fore in dealing with any new service but it is interesting that in some...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: I had the privilege of visiting the Johnson & Johnson plant in Ringaskiddy on Monday. This week is known as national corporate responsibility week, and 65 of the largest companies in Ireland are involved in helping students in certain schools to remain in education. It is a very important process for both the companies and the students. The programme has assisted more than 18,000 students...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: I would like to refer to a matter that I raised at this morning's meeting of the Joint Committee on Health and Children. At last Thursday's meeting of the joint committee, two groups in attendance were asked specific questions about the fact that a number of junior doctors are staying in guesthouses as they wait for an examination date to be set. It was disclosed to the committee on...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: Can I reassure the other side that the Minister for Health is working extremely hard for the people in this country?

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: He is trying to dismantle a chaotic health service-----

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: -----that was left disorganised over a number of years. While I may have disagreements with the Minister, I assure the other side that he is working hard to ensure that we have an efficient-----

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: -----and caring health service. If our presidential candidate is a bad candidate, I do not understand how he was elected in the 14 elections he contested. If that is the definition of a bad candidate, I do not understand where the Opposition is coming from. Absenteeism in the HSE and in the health service generally was raised previously. It is very easy to criticise people working in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Oct 2011)

Colm Burke: We need to examine this issue and it will be one of the issues on the agenda when the Minister comes to this Chamber on 27 October. An absenteeism rate of 1% in the health service costs €50 million per year. The average for 2010 was over 5%, so it cost over €250 million. The issue must be carefully watched and we must see how we can put in place better structures to deal with it.