Results 2,441-2,460 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (12 Dec 2017)

Colm Burke: I wish to raise the issue of approval for housing projects in Cork. My understanding is that the projects were identified, the appropriate planning process were gone through, estimates were prepared, there was an invitation to submit tenders and that the tenders received were in excess of the initial estimates. Cork City Council corresponded with the Department and made it aware of this in...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (12 Dec 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for delivering on these projects. Money for 134 additional housing units is welcome news for Cork. I am delighted that progress has been made and I look forward to the Minister visiting to cut the tape on each project.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (12 Dec 2017)

Colm Burke: On section 85, it is welcome that we are talking about having a report presented within nine months. It is slightly off the issue, but I refer to the tax rebate that will be available to those who buy property for development. The rate of stamp duty is 6%, but they will be entitled to a refund, bringing the rate back down to 2%, if the property is developed within a specified period. Will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Consultants Contract: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)

Colm Burke: For monitoring to work there must be continuity within the management system. In my experience, the management system in the HSE is akin to a revolving door. I have spoken previously about a particular hospital in which there have been ten managers over a period of 18 years. When a manager becomes aware of a practice that is not appropriate and he or she moves to another job, it becomes...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Consultants Contract: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)

Colm Burke: We will allow the replies and then Deputy Bernard J. Durkan might want to come back in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Consultants Contract: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)

Colm Burke: I will allow Ms Cody in first before supplementary questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Consultants Contract: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)

Colm Burke: Deputy Maurice Quinlivan also wishes to raise a supplementary question. Will the witnesses outline the contract obligations? Under the old contract it is 33 hours in addition to on-call hours. What is the on-call issue? It is an issue that is not out there in the public domain. I am just wondering what that issue is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Consultants Contract: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank everyone for his or her contribution. I thank the representatives of the HSE and the Department of Health for the work they are doing. I thank the delegates from Limerick for the work they are doing. We are facing into a difficult time over the next few months. Normally in the winter period there is more demand on the health service. I thank the witnesses and ask them to convey...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Consultants Contract: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)

Colm Burke: I apologise to our guests for the absence of the Chairman and the Vice Chairman. I understand the Chairman will be back in a few minutes but rather than delaying the delegates, we will start with their presentations. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Dr. Peadar Gilligan, Mr. Anthony Owens and Ms Susan Clyne of the IMO and Dr. Tom Ryan and Mr. Martin Varley of the Irish Hospital...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Consultants Contract: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the delegates for their opening statements and I apologise for my coming and goings but I had to follow up on a number of matters. During the committee's discussions earlier this morning with the Department of Health and the HSE, I raised the issue of turnover of administration and managerial staff in HSE hospitals. Is this an issue for the IHCA and the IMO and, if so, is it causing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Hospital Consultants Contract: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)

Colm Burke: I want to raise an issue regarding hospital management and the difficulties leading to turnover in hospital management. It is a big problem in smaller hospitals.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank all the staff and all those who work in the background in this House for their help and support throughout the past 12 months. I thank all my colleagues for their help and support as well, in particular, the Leader, and I wish him well in his forthcoming marriage. I wish him every happiness into the future. Normally, when people get married they move house. Can I just advise him...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2017)

Colm Burke: -----but there are plenty down in Cork South-Central, just in case people were concerned that he is moving constituency. I fully agree with the comments made by Senator Ruane and the matter to which she referred. Over the past 30 or 35 years we have made little progress in bringing about a downward trend. I refer to the way areas like this are managed. There has been a number of good...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: If one goes back five or six years, one will find that clear targets for the creation of jobs were set out by the Government. People were very sceptical that those targets could be achieved. It is interesting that the CSO publication in recent days gave the figures for the third quarter of 2017, which show that there are now 2.2 million people at work. That is an increase of 48,000 year on...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: On a point of order, people are living 2.5 years longer now than they were in 2000 so in fairness-----

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: It is information.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill 2017: Discussion (17 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the Department's representatives for their presentation and for the work they have done in this area. I welcome them to the meeting. It is just information that I am looking for really in the context of the point that, with regard to treatment, there were approximately 9,000 cycles in 2016. That was within Ireland. There are also huge numbers of people who travel abroad for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill 2017: Discussion (17 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: I have a question on the surrogacy issue. Different countries have different regulations. There is not any proposal at this stage, from a European point of view, to have a common set of rules across Europe. Are there any discussions at European level on that issue? It refers back to my earlier question about people travelling abroad. The number of people travelling abroad is far higher...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: I refer to the health service and note that the Minister for Health today presented the bed capacity review to the Cabinet. It is extremely important that there has been a full review and that the agreed number of new beds that are considered to be necessary be opened to deal with the challenges health services face. In opening new beds there is also the challenge of making sure wards will...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Flood Relief Schemes Status (24 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: I know there are many demands on the Department in respect of flood relief but this matter goes back to 2012 when the Meadowbrook estate in Glanmire, County Cork, was badly flooded and some houses were under between 4 ft and 5 ft of water, with extensive damage done. The estate is alongside the Glashaboy River and it was decided there was a need for a flood relief scheme. A lot of work was...