Results 5,761-5,780 of 11,292 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overcrowding Crisis in Hospitals: Discussion (9 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: I will move to the issue of numbers in the HSE. The figures I have are up to October of last year. It is about having staff and then making sure they are able to work in the facilities and have access to theatres, wards or whatever. In December 2014, there were 103,028 working in the HSE and, last October, there were 131,000, which is a 27.7% increase. I know we are looking for more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overcrowding Crisis in Hospitals: Discussion (9 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: I will give Dr. Molloy the figures for the community. There is a 27.7% increase in HSE staff since December 2014. The increase in public health nurses is 4.05%. It has gone from 1,480 to 1,543, an increase of 60. The figure for home help has gone down from 3,703 in 2014 to 3,552 in 2021. If we are focusing on community care, we must have the staff and that does not appear to be happening.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overcrowding Crisis in Hospitals: Discussion (9 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: I accept that, but I am talking about public health nurses now. There is an increase of 4%.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overcrowding Crisis in Hospitals: Discussion (9 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: In fairness to the HSE, the overall number of junior doctors and consultants increased by 36% in that period.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overcrowding Crisis in Hospitals: Discussion (9 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: I accept that. I am concerned about appointing people who are then unable to get access to do the work they want to do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overcrowding Crisis in Hospitals: Discussion (9 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: That goes back to the issue I raised initially, which is about having a day facility only and not having inpatient beds.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overcrowding Crisis in Hospitals: Discussion (9 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: If I may, I will ask the first question as it is for Ms Ní Sheaghdha. She mentioned the bureaucratic problems in the HSE. Will she expand on that? How can the bureaucracy that nursing and other staff must put up with be resolved over the next two to three years?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overcrowding Crisis in Hospitals: Discussion (9 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: My figure was from December 2014 to date, which shows there was a total increase of 60 staff.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overcrowding Crisis in Hospitals: Discussion (9 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: Yes.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Care Services (22 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: 10. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will report on the supports for carers to help them to take up training, education or employment while continuing to care for a person. [14840/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Care Services (22 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: Will the Minister report on the supports for carers to help them take up training, education or employment while continuing to care for a relative or member of their family?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Care Services (22 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister’s reply. She spoke about the 18.5 hours per week, and because of Covid we have moved to online training and people working from home. Can more facilities be put in place to assist carers? One of the problems carers have is that if the member of the family they are looking after passes away, they then find it difficult to get back into the employment system...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Care Services (22 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: The Minister will have to accept there is a problem. For instance, I have a constituent who looked after his elderly parents for eight years in total, and when he tried to get back into the workforce, he found there were many areas he was no longer able to work in. He had a health problem and he no longer qualified for any of the benefits because he was means tested for anything he applied...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Payments (22 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: Will the Minister outline what steps are being taken or are in place to ensure Ukrainian refugees can access the supplementary welfare allowance and child benefit quickly upon their arrival in Ireland? Will she make a statement on the matter?

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: 41. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons that have benefited from the reduction in the number of waiting days for illness benefit claims since the changes were made to the scheme. [14839/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Car Test (22 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: 181. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons on the current waiting list for an NCT test appointment; the measures that his Department will take to reduce this number; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14233/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Car Test (22 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: 182. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons on the waiting list for an NCT test appointment by month from 1 January 2020 to 28 February 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14234/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Car Test (22 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: 183. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the current average lead time for an NCT test appointment; the measures that his Department is taking to reduce this timeframe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14235/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Car Test (22 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: 184. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if additional NCT vehicle inspectors will be employed in 2022; if so, the number who are expected to be employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14236/22]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Fuel Prices (22 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: 228. To ask the Minister for Finance if additional supports will be available to small businesses to assist with the cost of fuel, particularly for those that operate trucks and additional vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13956/22]