Results 10,461-10,480 of 11,348 for speaker:Colm Burke

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: The problem in Ireland is we have a whole lot of authorities. For instance, the HSE is paying out funding to 2,500 different organisations and every one of them is looking after its particular aspect of healthcare. However, that does not necessarily mean it is an efficient way of dealing with it. What I am saying is, if you need an authority, would you be better off having local authorities...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: I thank Ms Heavey.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: My apologies for being late as I had other meetings to attend as well. I thank the witnesses for the documentation that has been sent on. Regarding people doing administrative work in An Garda Síochána, I note there are now more than 3,100 civilian employees in the Garda. Are there still many gardaí doing administrative work that could be done by civilians who could be...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: Of the 14,200 gardaí, how many are doing nothing but administrative work?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: Following on from that, I am not sure what the figure is because we do not have it but there are 14,200 gardaí. Let us say the figure is 1,000 people. Is it possible that another 500 of those could be assigned to police work rather than administrative work? What is the target? Is it one year, two years or three years? It is about making the Garda more effective because a big...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: For instance, if a new housing area is being developed, over a short period 5,000, 6,000 or 7,000 houses might be built but no plan is in place as to where Garda members are going to operate from. It is not just about looking at existing infrastructure and the need for modernisation but also about planning for where we need new infrastructure, and I am not sure that is happening.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: Why should they take a long time? For instance, in my area of Cork, Glanmire, there was a project where the OPW agreed to buy a building and it took six years to complete the sale. That is an area with a population of over 25,000, and Garda members were operating out of a station that was totally out of date. Why should an area with such a huge population not have the infrastructure? Is...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: The population of the country has increased by 40% in the past 23 years. Is it not now time to say what we need in a given area and that we want it delivered within a 12-month or two-year period, not within a ten-year period?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: For the next, say, three years, what projects are planned to be delivered and where are the bottlenecks in those projects at present?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: Could we be given information about the projects for, say, the next five-year programme within the Garda, or is there a five-year programme?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: Could we get a copy of that? There is-----

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: -----an increase in the population and an increase in the demands on Garda members. Therefore, we need to have the infrastructure to give them that support.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: I think the witnesses would accept that a lot of Garda stations are out of date and are no longer adequate for the demands that are there.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: My final question relates to computerisation. Are the witnesses satisfied that, when compared with other police forces across the globe, we are as up to date as we can be? Over the next five years, how can this be further improved?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: If the process is halfway there, when it will it be fully there compared with other policing forces?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: Are the witnesses satisfied the targets that were set for each of those years are being met at this stage?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: I might on to the issue of Garda infrastructure. The figure for the capital programme was €325 million in 2022. The process in modernising Garda stations is delayed. We were talking about the OPW and the timeline. Can something be done to restructure the timeline for taking a project from start to finish? It appears to be taking forever to get any new Garda station built.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Legislative Measures (20 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: 85. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment whether he intends to legislate for a ban on disposable e-cigarettes; and if so, whether he intends this to be a standalone Bill or whether it will form part of a broader package of measures to regulate flavours and packaging as part of proposed further regulation of tobacco and nicotine inhaling products; and if he...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Cycling Facilities (20 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: 199. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider the provision of additional funding for the expansion of the Cork city bike scheme into the north side of Cork city in view of the increase in bike journeys in Cork city from 2022 to 2023 as set out in a recent review undertaken by the National Transport Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coast Guard Service (20 Mar 2024)

Colm Burke: 285. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when a project (details supplied) which was granted planning permission in 2022 can proceed; if this project has been advertised in order that tenders can be submitted; when is it likely that the tender process will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11858/24]