Results 8,181-8,200 of 11,322 for speaker:Colm Burke

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: I fully understand that.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: The other issue I am referring to is where European funding is available and it is dependent on a decision from the board. If that decision is not taken within a particular period, funding will not be available. Again, this relates to important infrastructure.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: I would like to go back to the issue of judicial reviews. We have seen the table for 2017 to 2022. There were 226 cases taken. The number of cases that An Bord Pleanála won is 52. I know the awarding of costs is dependent on the court but in any of those 52 cases, has An Bord Pleanála been awarded costs and have costs been collected? Even in the past year, An Bord Pleanála...

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: Out of 52 cases, it is a very small amount.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: The number of cases lost in that six-year period was 31. Quite a number of cases were conceded as well. The impression of the public is that a far higher number of cases is being lost by An Bord Pleanála. Is there a need for the board to get the message out there that the decisions that have been made, in fairness, have been robust and that it is quite prepared to fight these cases...

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: Ms Buckley is obviously hoping that the legal person being appointed to the board will remove some of those issues.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: We have not been given any figures on cases going from the High Court to the Court of Appeal and to the Supreme Court. Can we get details of those at some stage? I know Ms Buckley will probably not be able to give them to us today. The other thing I wanted to touch on was the cases withdrawn. A total of 54 cases that were initiated and then subsequently withdrawn. Is there a problem...

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: I accept that. That is what I am saying.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: I understand there are a few cases where the board is waiting for judgment. The cases have been fully heard and there has been a delay in the issuing of the judgment. I understand there is one case, in fact, where the judgment has been awaited for more than four years.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: That question asked earlier related to an application in request for a railway order. I understand it was submitted on 10 November 2022. Ms Buckley cannot give me an answer here. I fully understand that. The concern being raised with me is that there is €185 million of EU funding available for that project and the project must be completed by the fourth quarter of 2026. It is in...

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: There is concern about the funding. We will not be able to take up the funding unless there is a decision.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: I fully understand that it is complex and it is not straightforward. I thank the Chair.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: No. These are two families. Both patients referred to Limerick.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: Hold on a second. Surely if we get through design and planning by this time next year, it should not take another four years to build them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: I am concerned about the target date of 2028. Why can we not bring that forward? At least that would keep the pressure on. The letter I received is dated 25 April. This is the thinking at national level in the HSE. That is not acceptable.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: Can the paediatric unit that has full planning be expedited?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: I fully accept that. I know there are challenges in getting staff. Can the conditions of employment of home care workers be reviewed with a view to trying to make it more attractive to come into that area? I fully accept that it is a challenge for management to get staff. Is it now time to look at the conditions, pay and all the issues relating to home care to see if we can encourage more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Challenges in Hospitals: Minister for Health (26 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (27 Apr 2023)

Colm Burke: 27. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures being undertaken by his Department to ensure that there are sufficient staffing numbers in passport services in order that the current processing times for passport applications are maintained, given the spike in volume of passport applications received by passport services often occurs in the lead up to and during the summer...