Results 901-920 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: I am astonished by the amount of misinformation provided on medical cards over the past three weeks. The reality is that an additional 253,000 medical or GP cards were granted between 2011 and 31 August 2013. The number of medical cards reached more than 2,100,000 in June 2013. Prior to the election, Fianna Fáil Deputies were contacting their local HSE offices to get medical cards for...

Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: This individual had no medical condition of any description. He had a medical card because local representation was made to the HSE.

Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: I have the evidence. The people who are entitled to medical cards are getting them. When the changes announced in this budget are introduced, over 500,000 more people will have medical cards or GP cards. We are managing to do that despite our current financial difficulties because we are getting better value for money for what we deliver.

Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: The figure is 253,000. That is the reality. If Senator Byrne comes along to next Thursday's meeting of the Joint Committee on Health and Children he will get further clarification on the matter. I welcome the proposals on jobs. It is important that we encourage businesses and people to take the risk. The two-year income tax exemption for people who start up their own businesses is...

Seanad: Budget 2014: Statements (15 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: I have listened to those in the Opposition this morning and if there was a degree course in negativity they would all get A1 grades.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: I remind those in Fianna Fáil that in the last three years they were in government, there were 7,000 jobs per month lost. We are now creating 3,000 per month. That is positive and is the way forward. This budget plans to increase that number to over 45,000 jobs per annum and that is what we intend doing. I wish to comment on the health budget because it is an important issue. When...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Update on Health Issues: Discussion (17 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: Thank you, Chairman. One of my questions, No. 4 on the list, raised the issue that out of a budget of more than €13 billion, €3.4 billion is going to organisations and agencies that are not under the direct control of the Health Service Executive. I have received a number of telephone calls in recent months from people inquiring about salary scales in these bodies. I was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Update on Health Issues: Discussion (17 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: Of the €3.4 billion paid out to non-HSE-----

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: We had a budget dealing with nursing home charges that had to be refunded. It amounted to €500 million. That sum would be very handy if it did not have to be refunded. However, because there was a failure by successive Ministers to deal with the issue and no legislation in place to deal with the matter properly, the money was refunded. The leader of Fianna Fáil, Deputy...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: The Senator should attend the meetings of the Joint Committee on Health and Children if he wants to obtain the relevant information.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: I did not-----

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: I do not believe Senator MacSharry asked any questions at the meeting in question.

Seanad: The One Percent Difference National Giving Campaign: Statements (22 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister and thank him for the work done to date on this valuable proposal. It is important to develop this concept. Companies look for specific projects to sponsor rather than giving a set amount to a number of voluntary organisations. There is an interesting connection between expenditure and what it is used for. A member of my family works in Kenya where in a local school...

Seanad: The One Percent Difference National Giving Campaign: Statements (22 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: It is a system used in many universities and something we should consider and encourage in universities in this country. Irish graduates are doing well, regardless of what part of the world they are in. It is a question of giving back and helping our institutions, especially in the area of research and development. With money coming into third level institutions, research and development...

Seanad: The One Percent Difference National Giving Campaign: Statements (22 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: Many of the problems relating to medical cards have arisen as result of incorrect information being given and a great deal of exaggeration. I highlight the fact that over 1.9 million people have medical cards and that 254,000 additional medical cards were issued in the past two years.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: I refer to an issue which has arisen with increasing frequency in the past four or five weeks. I have spoken to people who are considering running in the local elections, many of whom have asked me about the powers of local authorities. There is a general lack of knowledge of the real powers these authorities and the councillors who serve on them possess. It would be appropriate for the...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Statements (23 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Taoiseach to the House. A number of people have referred to EU legislation. I have spent a short number of years in the European Parliament. One of the things that struck me when I returned home was the lack of scrutiny that takes place in Ireland about what happens at European level. It was one of the matters that I raised at a Fine Gael parliamentary meeting about three or...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Medical Card Eligibility (23 Oct 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I wish to raise a matter that was mentioned at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Health and Children last Thursday, which has been on my agenda for a while. It relates to emergency medical cards. The advantage of divisions being called in the Dáil during health committee meetings is that HSE and departmental officials are available to...