Results 57,541-57,560 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid Provision (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: 115. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which the commitments of Ireland in respect of aid in the wake of various disasters worldwide in each of the past three years to date have been discharged in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53818/19]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: 118. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which he continues to influence the international community to make provision for the elimination of trafficking and violence against women; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53863/19]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: 119. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which he continues to influence the international community to make provision for the elimination of trafficking and violence against children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53864/19]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: 120. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he and the international community have endeavoured to eliminate the use of child soldiers globally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53865/19]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Independent Expert Panel Review into Cervical Screening: Discussion (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: I thank our witnesses for coming before us this morning and for giving us all the information. Confidence has been mentioned on numerous occasions in recent years, including the lack of confidence in the system as expressed by patients and victims. We can do little about what has happened at this stage but we can affect what happens in future. Are the experts satisfied that the measures...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Independent Expert Panel Review into Cervical Screening: Discussion (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: It goes without saying that those of us on this side of the room are equally keen to restore public confidence in the system as a matter of urgency. The measures that have been taken already and the experiences we have had point towards that. We need to see this from the point of view of the experiences of the patients, some of which were successful and some of which were not. That is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Independent Expert Panel Review into Cervical Screening: Discussion (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: One of the things that created a problem was the imprecise nature of the cervical smear test. We discussed it last evening on the basis that nobody really knows if we have accuracy, or at least we do not. I speak for myself. A range between 70% and 100% allows for a wide margin of error. It is a bit like an opinion poll which has a margin of error. Are the witnesses satisfied, given the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Independent Expert Panel Review into Cervical Screening: Discussion (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: My understanding is that in the United States where some of the screening tests were processed, they have a more frequent screening system. In this country we use a less frequent system. Ours is every three years compared to a one and a half year screening in the United States. The question that arises immediately is which of those systems we go for now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Independent Expert Panel Review into Cervical Screening: Discussion (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: Does the test that they have in the United States work? Are there pitfalls similar to the ones that we have experienced here, and do they happen to a greater or lesser extent? From our point of view in trying to establish confidence in the system, I believe that is the way we have to go. We have to know how well we can rely on whichever system is being used. Professor Kitchener has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Independent Expert Panel Review into Cervical Screening: Discussion (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: Have they had a similar experience to the one that we have had here in this country?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Independent Expert Panel Review into Cervical Screening: Discussion (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: Have they had a major crisis such as we have had here on this issue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Independent Expert Panel Review into Cervical Screening: Discussion (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: It is rather unfortunate from our point of view that we send slides to the United States for testing, where they have a different system that we do not know about and where one cannot compare one with the other.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Independent Expert Panel Review into Cervical Screening: Discussion (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: Yes, but the slides sent from here to those laboratories were processed there as well. Somebody, somehow, somewhere must be able to tell us what the Irish experience is in the last 150, 200 or 5,000 tests that were done, and the result was X, Y or Z, positive or negative. What is the difference? There has to be a comparison somewhere.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Independent Expert Panel Review into Cervical Screening: Discussion (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: Chairman, that is the information that I was looking for. This is reassuring, and this is where confidence can grow from. Without that we will waste our time. I appreciate that information. It is very useful and it can be used to good effect in the future to restore that vital confidence in the system. Once we have that, the women who have tests in this country will certainly have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Independent Expert Panel Review into Cervical Screening: Discussion (18 Dec 2019)

Bernard Durkan: Confidence is an important issue that we have to look at from two perspectives. The confidence of patients, victims and their families has been seriously dented, which is absolutely understandable. If it had not been affected, it would not be a normal reaction at all. We have to take on board what we have been told after thorough investigation, particularly in view of all the medical...

Taoiseach a Ainmniú - Nomination of Taoiseach (20 Feb 2020)

Bernard Durkan: Tairgim: Go n-ainmneoidh Dáil Éireann an Teachta Leo Varadkar chun a cheaptha ag an Uachtarán mar Thaoiseach. I move: That Dáil Éireann nominate Deputy Leo Varadkar for appointment by the President to be Taoiseach. I also congratulate the Ceann Comhairle on his return to office, which he has discharged with distinction and fairness in the past. I wish him...

European Council Meeting: Statements (5 Mar 2020)

Bernard Durkan: We will now have 20 minutes of questions and answers. I ask Deputies to indicate whether they wish to speak. We have three Members offering. I will try to allow everybody to speak. I call Deputy Seán Haughey.

European Council Meeting: Statements (5 Mar 2020)

Bernard Durkan: Tá na ceisteanna críochnaithe. Five minutes have been provided to wrap up the debate, but doing so is optional.

Coronavirus: Statements (5 Mar 2020)

Bernard Durkan: I call Deputies Stephen Donnelly and Paul McAuliffe, with one minute at the end for their colleague, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan.

Coronavirus: Statements (5 Mar 2020)

Bernard Durkan: Is that agreed? Agreed.