Results 781-800 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I am looking for a debate because by the end of this year, 48% of the population will have a medical card or GP card so please stop giving misinformation in this House.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (15 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: On a different issue from the one that has been raised this afternoon, I raise the matter of how the banking sector, in particular KBC Bank, is behaving. It has come to my attention that where legal representatives have entered into correspondence in a legal capacity on behalf of their clients who have fallen into arrears, the banks will not enter into discussions, even though there is a...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Second Stage (15 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the Seanad debate on the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013 which has already been subject to considerable scrutiny in the Dáil and at the Select sub-Committee on Health. The discussions leading to this debate began over eight months ago with the publication of the expert group's report on the judgment in the A, B and C v. Ireland case. The...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Medical Indemnity Cover (15 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I apologise for taking up the Minister of State's time as I realise he has been waiting all evening. I refer to the issue of compulsory insurance for medical practitioners, an issue on which I published a Private Members' Bill which was debated in the House in January. At the time I was advised by the Department and know it has some other urgent issues on its cards. This matter was raised...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: That is not true.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: The Senator should read Article 40.3.3°.

Seanad: Prison Development (Confirmation of Resolutions) Bill 2013: Second Stage (16 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, to the House. The redevelopment of Cork Prison is a very important and welcome initiative, not least because it will end the practice of slopping out which has heretofore been in operation at the facility. As the Minister of State observed, the existing prison was built to accommodate just under 150 prisoners but has consistently had...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Missing Persons (16 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank the Acting Chairman. My Adjournment matter is on missing persons. Last February I published a Private Members' Bill on the matter and I am anxious to proceed. The Bill follows on from the report of the Law Reform Commission that was published in January. The 160-page report clearly sets out very good proposals to deal with the issue...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Missing Persons (16 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for a very comprehensive report. I fully understand that in the past six months all Departments have had to deal with the EU Presidency and that this matter would not have been given the priority. Given that we have the Bill and the report and the fact that there is consultation with other Departments - while accepting what he said about the family law issues...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Cochlear Ear Implants: Discussion (16 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I must speak in the Seanad as well.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I believe the Title of the Bill is correct and the proposal made is unacceptable.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: On the section, I believe the Title is correct. It is also important to realise that this legislation does not in any way move outside the terms of Article 40.3.3° of the Constitution. Senator Jim Walsh, in his contributions this morning and yesterday, has indicated that this legislation is over-ruling that element of the Constitution. That is not the position. The legislation stays...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: In fairness to Senator Ó Domhnaill, he has made a point that we are trying to ram the Bill down people's throats. We had three days of public consultation in January and a further three days in May.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: An allegation has been made.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I have a final point.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: On that technical point, Mr. Justice McCarthy of the Supreme Court noted in the X case: "I think it reasonable, however, to hold that the people, when enacting the amendment [to the Constitution in 1982] were entitled to believe that legislation would be introduced so as to regulate the manner in which the right to life of the unborn and the right to life of the mother could be reconciled"....

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I would like to thank my colleagues for the valuable contributions they have made this morning and for putting forward these amendments. However, I agree with Senator Bacik with regard to the restrictions that exist under Article 40.3.3°. When the Minister came to deal with this issue, it was very much about the decision in the X case and in the A, B and C v. Ireland case. All of the...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I just cannot accept this amendment. If we apply this amendment-----

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: This amendment means that doctors will be restricted from inducing any delivery, even where the mother's life is at risk. If we applied Senator Walsh's interpretation to the likes of the Savita case, then it means the doctors would have to stand idly by in such a situation. I would ask Senator Walsh to look at the wording of what he is saying. It means no procedure of any description. If...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: He is ignoring Article 40.3.3° of the Constitution.