Results 7,301-7,320 of 11,299 for speaker:Colm Burke

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Service 2022
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (Resumed) (6 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: I appreciate that.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Visa Applications (13 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: 60. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if consideration will be given to merging the employment permit and visa application processes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62109/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Visa Applications (13 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Will consideration be given to merging the employment permit and visa application processes?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Visa Applications (13 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for the work he has done in this area and for improving the service dramatically. We had a huge problem with junior doctors coming in. It has been agreed that 1,000 permits will be issued as general employment permits for those who want to come in as home care workers. How will that be fast-tracked? There is a huge shortage of home care workers. We need to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Visa Applications (13 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Regarding the amalgamation of both application processes, the Minister of State is saying it will take six months. Going back to the original question, which is about the amalgamation of the permit application and the visa application, does the Minister of State believe we can have one system in place? I know this will take some time between the Departments to work out. Farmers are...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (13 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: 209. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the new plans for the metropolitan rail network proposed for Cork; if he will outline the plans for infrastructure improvements and frequency for the Blackpool, Blarney, Rathduff, Mallow, Banteer and Millstreet stations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61763/22]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Schemes (13 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: 238. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will carry out a review of the fuel grant for disabled drivers (details supplied) in view of the fact that no such review has been carried out within the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61732/22]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (13 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: 490. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration will be given to assigning additional staff to the citizenship division in her Department given that there is a three-month delay in acknowledging receipt of applications and over 20 months before a decision is made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61779/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. Can I go back to infrastructure development and the timescale it takes to roll out infrastructure in the HSE? I know the last time Mr. Watt appeared before the committee he said the elective hospitals would be signed off by mid-October we are now into mid-December. My understanding is that there is a memo going to Cabinet today but I am not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: When it came to Covid-19 we did not have a timescale to think about it; we dealt with the challenges that were there. We now have challenges in that we do not have a sufficient number of beds to deal with the demands on the services and therefore what I am asking Mr. Watt is whether he agrees there is a need now to fast track these projects.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: I was involved in Cork City Council where we had to do a major infrastructure project on office accommodation in Cork and we got it from start to finish in two years, and that was Cork City Council. They got someone in to design, apply for planning, build and finance it and it is being paid back over 25 years. It took two years to do it and this was for office accommodation. These are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: No, it was two years from start to finish once the council signed off on it. I was actually Lord Mayor at the time so I am well aware of-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Mr. Joe Gavin was city manager and he just drove the project through from start to finish in two years and I am saying that surely in this day and age we can actually fast track where there is an urgent need; there is an urgent need for this development to happen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Can I move on to another issue? It is the whole challenge we now have at primary care level as regards GPs. We have a large number of GPs over 60 years of age and as to forward planning, it is not just for next year but for the next five to ten years. As for the issue of keeping as many people as possible out of the hospital system, one of the big complaints from GPs is the lack of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: When will we see that change? Will it be in place by, say, March?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: Throughout next year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: I will move on to the challenges in our hospital system. Traditionally, when nurses graduate they want to go away for a year or two and get experience abroad. That did not happen over the past three or four years due to Covid-19 but a substantial number may leave over the next 12 months. What planning is being done to deal with this sudden change? Does the ratio of nurses to care...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: I am aware of that. The challenge, however, is that we may not have the same number of nurses working in the system this time next year because travel is attractive to them. How will the role of care assistants be expanded and how will the ratio be changed? Is that being addressed? It has to be accepted there will be a challenge.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: What about the development of the theatre assistant role, as is happening in the private sector?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Colm Burke: There is a challenge as regards operations because we cannot-----