Results 8,701-8,720 of 11,348 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: I am talking about the association writing to the Irish College of General Practitioners and getting it, as well as engaging with the association, to engage with the medical practitioners in different parts of the country who are dealing with this area.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: There is a second point I want to raise. We have 19 maternity units around the country. One of the challenges we now have in some of these units is that it is a challenge for them even to get consultants for obstetrics and gynaecology. One is talking about units in, for example, Letterkenny, in Sligo and one in Mayo. One is talking about Tralee, Wexford and Clonmel. They are smaller...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: In relation to the 19 maternity units, has the association identified which of the units have medical practitioners who are prepared to offer a service to women?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: On the numbers, we are talking about one in ten women who are adversely affected. Can a mechanism be put in place to get basic information out there? I mentioned the Irish College of General Practitioners earlier but are there other ways to get a lot of useful information into the public domain so that women can follow up with their GP who can then refer them on to the appropriate clinic?...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: I fully accept that the one in ten figure is only an estimate. A percentage of that one in ten need specialist care and a percentage can be carefully managed. What percentage will need not only careful management but also surgical intervention? Are we talking about a very small number? Is it a very small percentage or is it higher than previously understood?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: I have one final question in relation to GP surgeries. Many GP surgeries have five or six doctors now, one or two of whom may focus on women's healthcare. Is there a need to identify those surgeries to see if additional training, help and support can be provided to those GPs who are focusing on women's healthcare? In that way, we would have a wider spread of specialist caregivers, rather...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for coming before us this morning. I fully understand where they are coming from in relation to the decision that has arisen over the last 48 hours and I fully accept that the matter needs to be dealt with before the IHRB representatives can openly discuss it. I fully understand their position on that. If I may return to the issue with the former CEO and why there...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: I know but what I am saying is there was legislation in 2016 which dealt with the whole formation, the setting up of this body etc. Surely legal advice was also obtained by the board that such a clause did not have any legal standing? Or else there was a situation where incorrect advice was given. I am wondering was it the case that proper legal advice was not furnished?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: I know it was a large firm but I am asking about that advice where the agreement was being drafted and there was going to be a non-disclosure clause. Surely there was an obligation on that large firm; in fairness to people on the board, the people employed are not legal experts, so surely the legal advice would also have noted that this clause was technically not enforceable?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: The point I am making is that regardless of whether the board got advice from their legal people, at the end of the day this document will end up being disclosed because of existing legislation.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: I am asking whether they were made aware of it. That is the question I have asked. This is why one pays lawyers and this is why they have an obligation to disclose this. When legal advisers are being used, all advice must be furnished, regardless of what the board wants or does not want. It must be legally advised what it can and cannot do.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: Can I move on to the €385,000-----

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: I am not questioning about the board. My question is about the legal advice the board got. Basically, because the IHRB is covered under legislation, the issue was that this document was going to end up being disclosed anyway at the end of the day.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: On the €385,000 paid, did that include tax and social protection payments?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: It was a gross figure. In other words, that was the full amount that was paid out.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: Yes, because he would have had to make the tax returns on it. I wish to move on to another issue. Will Mr. O'Loughlin explain why there has been such an increase in expenditure for the forensic equine unit?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: Okay. Are there more people now employed in that area by the IHRB?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: Does the IHRB feel that it needs to employ more people in this particular area? Mr. O'Loughlin has talked about the increased level of race meetings and so on. Is there a plan to increase further the number of people working in this area for the IHRB?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: With regard to the stables inspected, on average what would that be? Is one in ten stables inspected every year or is it one in 20? What kind of inspection level is currently in place?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (29 Jun 2023)

Colm Burke: That was in 2021. Was that increased in 2022 or was it at the same rate?