Results 921-940 of 3,623 for speaker:Ulick Burke
- Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)
Ulick Burke: I welcome the Minister. I certainly do not envy him his task of delivering this legislation, which is effectively abolishing the health boards. For most people, this means further centralisation of the health services. If we are to have one central executive delivering the health services for the whole country, it will be a retrograde step. If there is a service more in need of...
- Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)
Ulick Burke: The most important matter is that we recognise that the very many personnel within the health boards were top class in delivering the services. The Minister of State referred in his contribution to the strengthening of governance and accountability across the system. Surely this raises a question regarding the governance of the health services at local level and accountability. The Minister...
- Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)
Ulick Burke: Senator Leyden's policies while chairman of the health board, and while Minister of State for that matter, were such that he squandered time, effort and resources.
- Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)
Ulick Burke: When he was chairperson, he was pushed aside because of what was regarded as his parochialism. That is neither here nor there.
- Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)
Ulick Burke: Consider the health service area I know best, the Western Health Board area. The purchase of Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe was a good measure.
- Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)
Ulick Burke: It was welcomed by all, both at local and national levels. However, what has happened in the interim? The Hanly proposals now encroach and we are to have downgrading. We have been told by local politicians in the heat of the election campaign that the hospital will not be closed. Nobody, including Mr. Hanly, ever said it would be closed but we are to have downgrading and the Minister of State...
- Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)
Ulick Burke: Furthermore, consider the closure of the Bon Secours Grove Hospital in Tuam. We were told by none less than the Taoiseach at a public meeting in Tuam that this hospital would be up and running by 2005 and would be a fully upgraded community hospital. However, there are now chains on the gate. One cannot even have a carpark in the grounds. What are we to do with the health board properties...
- Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)
Ulick Burke: That is a pity, a Leas-Chathaoirligh.
- Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)
Ulick Burke: What do the Minister and Department intend to do with the vast amount of property of the health boards? Are we going to force the health boards to sell it, grab the money and invest it in other areas? If the moneys from the sale of these properties are not invested in the health services locally, it will again be robbery by another Minister. The double-speak of the Minister of State and the...
- Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)
Ulick Burke: Senator White has asserted that all the local councillors are glad to be off the health boards. She has told them it is sure that there will be one or two jobs for the boys or whatever it might be. They are quite content but the Senator should wait until the next election when she will have to state how she reneged on them. Today she is going through the lobbies to deny them access to the...
- Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)
Ulick Burke: Along with my party I am totally opposed to this legislation, which represents a retrograde step. We have no notion as to what are the Minister's intentions. We will abolish a structure without replacing it. We will have absolute chaos in the health services. This is further chaos for those in greatest need and the patient will be forgotten.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Jun 2004)
Ulick Burke: Will the Leader indicate whether the Minister for Education and Science will be coming before the House before the recess? Reports in today's newspapers indicate there is going to be a change in the variety of assessments used at leaving certificate level and that the NCCA proposes to abolish the transition year and the LCVP. Among the new assessment methods listed by the NCCA are written,...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Jun 2004)
Ulick Burke: They were about self-promotion.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Jun 2004)
Ulick Burke: The Minister has failed to come before the House or to engage in the debate on the education process since he was rebuffed over third level fees.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Jun 2004)
Ulick Burke: The Minister has limited the intake at third levelââ
- Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Jun 2004)
Ulick Burke: ââof students wishing to train as primary teachers. He gave an undertaking that he would reduce to 20 the pupil-teacher ratio at primary level.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Jun 2004)
Ulick Burke: One quarter of all students occupy overcrowded classrooms. It is time the Minister was asked to come before the House to discuss those matters.
- Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)
Ulick Burke: Had the Senator invested in it?
- Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)
Ulick Burke: No doubt.
- Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)
Ulick Burke: Will the Senator give an example of where that is happening in local government?