Results 2,141-2,160 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Commission of Investigation (Certain Matters Relative to Disability Service in the South East and Related Matters): Motion (9 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: I propose that proceedings on No. 2a conclude no later than 4.15 p.m.

Seanad: Commission of Investigation (Certain Matters Relative to Disability Service in the South East and Related Matters): Motion (9 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: I move:That Seanad Éireann: bearing in mind the specific matters considered by Government to be of significant public concern arising from the case of Grace (pseudonym), who resided in a former foster home in the South East which is the subject of abuse allegations, as detailed in the following reports:(a) Report of Conal Devine & Associates – Inquiry into Protected...

Seanad: Commission of Investigation (Certain Matters Relative to Disability Service in the South East and Related Matters): Motion (9 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for bringing this matter before us today. It is interesting how we have allowed systems to be put in place without proper procedures for making sure that the levels of care and supervision for those in care were sufficient. It is sad that we now have to set up a commission of investigation into a matter that was dragging on over such a long period of time. The...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Legal Costs (21 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy David Stanton, for coming to the House to deal with this matter. The issue I am raising relates to the legislation passed by both Houses on the restructuring of the adjudication system for the taxation of costs where agreement cannot be reached between a party which has succeeded in a case and a party which has lost. There were two Taxing Masters in the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Legal Costs (21 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: I note that the Minister of State is saying a second taxing master is to be appointed shortly. Will this be in a very short timeframe such as within the next three to four weeks, or will it be within the next six months? There is a backlog and it is unfair. There was a period during which the current Taxing Master was out on sick leave, for very genuine reasons, and there was no one at all...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: I join with colleagues in offering my sympathies to the families of Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith on their tragic loss and the huge difficulties they have endured in the past week. I also sympathise with all the people who have worked with them through the years and I hope the search operation is successful and locates the bodies of the three missing...

Seanad: Rebuilding Ireland: Statements (21 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: Many of the points I wanted to make have been made already. I thank the Minister of State for attending and making his presentation. In fairness, a lot of work has been done by comparison with three or four years ago. It is important that we recognise not only the work of the Ministers and the Department but also the local authorities. One of the problems with local authorities over...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: On a good news point, it is interesting that the World Economic Forum now puts Ireland in the top seven countries for strongest democracies. We are joint sixth with Canada after Norway, Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand and Denmark. It is a credit to the political system in Ireland that we are now regarded as the joint seventh strongest democracy. Talking about democracy, my colleague, Senator...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: I am really concerned about this matter. I believe that if we are talking about an eight-point plan, we should have a debate in the House as regards how we restructure the HSE. Someone should say to stop this juggernaut at this stage before we end up with 19,000 people. We had 15,000 people in administration and management in December 2014. We now have 16,901. At the rate we are going,...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: We need a serious debate on this matter.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister, and I very much welcome the Bill. I was worried when I listened to Senator Horkan of Fianna Fáil because he was so negative I thought the Bill was being introduced to abolish the charges. I reassure him that the purpose of the Bill is to introduce medical cards for people who are in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance. A significant number of people will...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: On Thursday.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: I agree with my colleagues on some aspects of their criticism of the current difficulties with the Garda. There has been debate about the lack of trust but one issue that has not been highlighted is that there will now be a difficulty accepting the evidence of gardaí in courts. It is important to resolve the Garda's current difficulties at a very early stage, in particular, where...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: I welcome yesterday's announcement that a new project is going ahead at a cost of €90 million to provide accommodation for over 3,000 office staff in Cork. It is the second development in a very small area. When this project has been completed, over 5,000 people will be working in the city. This shows the confidence the developers have in growth levels in Cork. It is possible that...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for being here and thank both him and the Minister of State at his Department, Deputy Finian McGrath, for bringing forward this legislation. It is an extremely important development and more than 9,800 children will benefit directly. I agree with Senator Boyhan that the issue of raising the age limit for the domiciliary care allowance from 16 to 18 must be examined. If...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2017: Motion for Earlier Signature (30 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: I move:That pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Health (Amendment) Bill 2017 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to him.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2016: Discussion (30 Mar 2017)

Colm Burke: I, too, thank Ms Cody for her presentation. I want to tease out an issue. If we bring forward a plan for the regulation of counsellors and a registered counsellor gives an opinion which he or she firmly believes is the best advice he or she can give to a woman in a crisis pregnancy, will it be difficult legally in any way to make sure receive proper advice? I am concerned that, even with...

Seanad: Critical Health Professionals Bill 2017: Second Stage (4 Apr 2017)

Colm Burke: I move amendment No. 1:To delete all words after "That" and substitute: "the Bill be read a second time this day six months, following the proposed publication of findings by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform arising from its review of barriers to extended participation in the public service workforce, up to and including the current age of entitlement to the contributory...

Seanad: Critical Health Professionals Bill 2017: Second Stage (4 Apr 2017)

Colm Burke: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Apr 2017)

Colm Burke: There was a debate a few weeks ago on the Civil Law (Missing Persons) Bill 2016. It was agreed that it would go on to the next Stage. It was also indicated by the Minister that the Bill would not be dealt with for at least 12 months. Since that debate, I have received a number of calls from people whose family members are missing, some of them for a number of years. Often, all indications...