Results 2,101-2,120 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion (15 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. I thank the Sinn Féin Senators for bringing forward this motion. It is an important debate. I also thank the Fianna Fáil Senators for bringing forward their amendment because it is by debating and coming to agreement that we can progress the difficulties in the health system. There is a major problem with figures and I do not like the...

Seanad: Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion (15 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: We need to consider the matter. Again, I thank the Minister for being here and my colleagues for bringing forward this matter.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (16 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: I propose a suspension of the sitting until the conclusion of the division in the Dáil. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Civil Law (Missing Persons) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the Minister of State and thank him and his staff for coming before the House to deal with this matter. This is a Bill "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...

Seanad: Civil Law (Missing Persons) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank-----

Seanad: Civil Law (Missing Persons) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: It is on the back of Bill, that Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell-----

Seanad: Civil Law (Missing Persons) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the Members who signed the Bill with me, namely, Senators Marie-Louise O'Donnell and Ruane and I thank them for their assistance in this matter. I thank Members who spoke on the Bill from each of the parties, that is, from Fianna Fáil, Labour and Sinn Féin, and all the independent Senators, who have supported this Bill today. I believe in working together and Senator Ruane...

Seanad: Civil Law (Missing Persons) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Establishment of a Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (16 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House.I also welcome the fact that we are now proceeding with this matter. Trust and credibility are two words that have consistently come up in all the debate and discussion in recent months. For the Garda to work efficiently, the general public must have trust in it and the force must be credible. I am of the view that it has been affected by all of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Maternity Strategy: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. A main concern with maternity services is that reports are produced and, as has been highlighted this morning, strategies are not being implemented. A 2003 report recommended that there should be 180 consultants by 2012. Is it possible to outline the number of whole-time equivalent consultants that are currently employed, and how far short of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Maternity Strategy: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: It would be helpful if the paper was presented to this committee so that it would be on the record. This committee could then correspond with the Department and the HSE on the matter. It is a very constructive suggestion and it should not be passed over. This committee would very much appreciate if a paper were prepared.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: We should congratulate the Taoiseach and all of his Ministers on the jobs outturn published earlier. A total of 65,000 additional jobs were created in the past 12 months. The target set in 2012 was to have 100,000 additional people at work by 2016, but a total of 200,000 new jobs has been achieved in a short period. The State has not relied on the construction industry which is expanding...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: An extra 200,000 people are in work.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: I wish to raise the issue of the increase in staff in the HSE and in the health services. It is a welcome development. From 2014 to the end of 2016, the number of staff in an overall context has gone up to 107,085, which is an increase of 7,758. However, I have this concern about it. The number of staff in management and administration has gone from 15,120 to 16,767, that is, an increase...

Seanad: Minimum Custodial Periods upon Conviction for Murder Bill 2017: Second Stage (22 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of the State to the House. When Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell came to me with this legislation, I was totally opposed to it. Having listened to the debate and the proposals she has made and having looked at the Bill, I do not think I want to close the door on it now. I would agree with other Senators that it is a matter that should be considered. I am not saying I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister, the Ministers of State and the HSE management for being here today and dealing with the issues that we want to raise. I wish to turn to my questions nos. 34 and 36. Question no. 34 relates to the gynaecological services in Cork and about a time commitment. I always get worried when we talk about setting up committees to review something. One of the requests by the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: Two months have passed. Do we have a time limit for when we can have it up and running rather than bring the witnesses back here again in two months' time?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: Will there be extra time in theatre? The theatre is open three and a half days a week. There are two theatres but the second is empty. Will we have it open five days a week as part of the plan? The other issue relates to the six-bed day care unit. What is the timescale for that? We can talk and we can refer to committees but if we are back here this time next year it will not sort out...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: I still think an explanation has not been given as to why management and administration has increased by 1,647 whereas public health nurses who operate at the coalface have only increased by 39. It does not make sense.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)

Colm Burke: I have the detail, but what I am saying relates to our priorities within the HSE. I do not criticise anyone in the HSE because there may very well be a logical reason why 1,647 additional people are required in administration and management. Surely to God, however, there should be proportionality in respect of front-line staff, which does not seem to be the case. The number of public...