Results 741-760 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the provision to facilitate the appointment of two additional judges to the Supreme Court. As the Minister outlined, there is a substantial backlog in dealing with cases. While I am open to correction, I understand that in a large number of appeals, the Supreme Court is finding that it must provide substantial assistance to litigants to ensure fair and proper procedures are...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: It is a matter of concern which cannot be ignored.

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: This is a welcome development given that many criminal cases take a considerable time in the courts. Does the procedure for having an open ballot need to be defined in the Bill? Normally, we select 12 jurors. Does this issue need to be clarified through definition, perhaps in a subsection?

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I broadly agree with the amendment, which would still leave it open that the evidence would not be admitted except by order of the court. The amendment sets out the circumstances in which such an order could be made. The proposed amendment should be given serious consideration - perhaps it should have been considered at an earlier stage.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I seek clarification. I note that we are raising the number of directors from six to eight. Perhaps we could get some clarification. I am not against it but I seek clarification about why the increase arises. I understood it was clearly designated originally that the maximum would be six. Are we now adding two further positions? Perhaps the Minister could provide some clarification.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I have a question about the intervening section. When litigation is issued, the director general is not required to appear before an Oireachtas committee. What would happen if someone makes an allegation and the director general immediately issues a High Court writ, thereby preventing an Oireachtas committee dealing with it? That is dealt with in section 16 of the Bill. I accept the...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: It is an issue that arises and I am concerned about it.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I join in thanking the Minister for taking on board the concerns we had in the House when the Bill was going through. This is a welcome development and I fully support it.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. A number of years ago, I promised him a No. 2 vote in a Seanad election, which at the time was as good as a No. 1 vote. I made it clear who I was giving my No. 1 vote and why giving the Minister of State a No. 2 vote would be as good as giving him a No. 1 vote. Little did I think when I was marking that ballot paper that I would be in here...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospice Services (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. My Adjournment matter follows a presentation yesterday and the publication of a report by the Irish Hospice Foundation entitled, Access to Specialist Palliative Care Services in the Place of Death in Ireland. The figures in the report reflect the need for action to be taken. I am not blaming the Minister or the Department because this is a...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospice Services (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for his very detailed reply. In view of the projected figures given for 2016 and the fact that when people are being cared for and supported under the hospice care and home care packages, significant savings are made, in real terms, in hospital services, is it time to look at the plan in view of the changes that have taken place to see how we can further improve...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I seek clarification. I note that we are raising the number of directors from six to eight. Perhaps we could get some clarification. I am not against it but I seek clarification about why the increase arises. I understood it was clearly designated originally that the maximum would be six. Are we now adding two further positions? Perhaps the Minister could provide some clarification.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I have a question about the intervening section. When litigation is issued, the director general is not required to appear before an Oireachtas committee. What would happen if someone makes an allegation and the director general immediately issues a High Court writ, thereby preventing an Oireachtas committee dealing with it? That is dealt with in section 16 of the Bill. I accept the...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: It is an issue that arises and I am concerned about it.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I join in thanking the Minister for taking on board the concerns we had in the House when the Bill was going through. This is a welcome development and I fully support it.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. A number of years ago, I promised him a No. 2 vote in a Seanad election, which at the time was as good as a No. 1 vote. I made it clear who I was giving my No. 1 vote and why giving the Minister of State a No. 2 vote would be as good as giving him a No. 1 vote. Little did I think when I was marking that ballot paper that I would be in here...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospice Services (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. My Adjournment matter follows a presentation yesterday and the publication of a report by the Irish Hospice Foundation entitled, Access to Specialist Palliative Care Services in the Place of Death in Ireland. The figures in the report reflect the need for action to be taken. I am not blaming the Minister or the Department because this is a...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospice Services (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for his very detailed reply. In view of the projected figures given for 2016 and the fact that when people are being cared for and supported under the hospice care and home care packages, significant savings are made, in real terms, in hospital services, is it time to look at the plan in view of the changes that have taken place to see how we can further improve...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health Nurses: Discussion (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for the presentation and for the very valuable work they do. Yesterday, the hospice movement gave us an overview of the huge variation in hospice care across the country. The issue that comes to mind regarding children is the recent report on obesity which shows that 25% of children under three years of age are overweight or obese. It is obviously a problem created at...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health Nurses: Discussion (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I have spoken to Senator Norris about the variation in hospice care and Ms O'Dowd spoke about variation in her presentation.