Results 10,901-10,920 of 11,348 for speaker:Colm Burke

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (22 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: 859. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration would be given to altering the requirements Irish citizens need to fulfil in order to qualify for Irish or EU fee rates in universities, as many Irish parents who work outside of Europe are required to have their children attend school or reside in Ireland for three of the five years before attending college in order qualify...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (23 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: 68. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will give due consideration to removing VAT on the sale of wigs, currently charged at 23%, to those with medical conditions, such as cancer or alopecia sufferers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43331/24]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Policy (23 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: The free contraception scheme was launched in September 2022, initially for those aged 17-25. It has been gradually expanded and now includes women aged 17-35 from July 1st, 2024. Approximately 2,400 GPs and 2,050 pharmacies have signed up to provide services and products under the scheme to date. The scheme is open to women, girls and other people identifying as transgender or non-binary,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (24 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 345 and 346 together. The free contraception scheme was launched in September 2022, initially for those aged 17-25. It has been gradually expanded and now includes women aged 17-35 from July 1st, 2024. Approximately 2,400 GPs and 2,050 pharmacies have signed up to provide services and products under the scheme to date. The scheme is open to women, girls...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (24 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: The free contraception scheme was launched in September 2022, initially for those aged 17-25. It has been gradually expanded and now includes women aged 17-35 from July 1st, 2024. Approximately 2,400 GPs and 2,050 pharmacies have signed up to provide services and products under the scheme to date. The scheme is open to women, girls and other people identifying as transgender or...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Assisted Human Reproduction (5 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I know she is very passionate about it and, in fact, has been instrumental in getting the changes about which she spoke. Unfortunately, the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, is unavailable to take this Commencement matter and has asked me to take it on his behalf. I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to inform the House of the up-to-date...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Assisted Human Reproduction (5 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: I understand where the Senator is coming from. She has done a huge amount of work over a long number of years on this issue, which is important. It is also important that we cross all the t's and dot all the i's to make sure that there is no constitutional challenge. We are talking about retrospective orders, which are always a challenge in relation to anything that is done in the whole...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Education Policy (7 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: I thank the Acting Chairperson. I am here on behalf of the Minister for Education. I thank the Senator for the opportunity to update the House on this important matter. The State Examinations Commission or the SEC has responsibility for operational matters relating to State examinations. There is a reasonable accommodation for certificate examination scheme which facilitates access for...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Education Policy (7 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: I think the Senator would acknowledge that the SEC in the past has taken on board the concerns of both parents and students and has developed a comprehensive scheme. It is important there is a review. As mentioned earlier, almost one in four candidates in the 2024 certificate examinations was provided with some form of reasonable accommodation within the RACE scheme to support them in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Transport (7 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education. I think Thomas Byrne was to take it but he is in the Dáil dealing with a number of matters.I thank the Senator for raising this matter. Before I address the specific issue raised, I will provide an outline of the extent of the school transport scheme. The school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Transport (7 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: I understand the Senator's frustration. This was the response I was given by the Department of Education. In fairness to the Department, it is continuing to review the situation. From my experience, I know that one of the challenges in several areas is getting drivers. It is a challenge. By the way, the closing statement I have here refers to the Senator as a Deputy. I am sure this was...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (7 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: I thank the Senator. I apologise that the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, is not available to do the reply. She has asked me to deal with it on her behalf. A priority for this Government is to ensure that all children have an appropriate school placement and that the necessary supports are provided to our schools to ensure the needs of children with special educational needs are met....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (7 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: In October 2022 the Department wrote to all post-primary schools requesting each school begin planning to provide for up to four special classes to meet the needs of children progressing from primary school.Just last month, the Department issued a circular to all schools setting out new measures to support the forward planning of special education provision. Included in this circular was a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Air Navigation Orders (7 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: I thank the Senator. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister. I apologise that he could not be here today to take this Commencement matter. The carriage of munitions of war is prohibited on any civil aircraft in Irish sovereign territory or on an Irish-registered civil aircraft, wherever it may be operating, unless an exemption is granted by the Minister for Transport. This is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Air Navigation Orders (7 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: The legislation underpinning the carriage of munitions of war in civil aircraft was drafted in the 1970s, with amendments made in the 1980s. The context in which it was written pre-dates the significant growth seen in aviation in the following decades. As a result, it is deemed appropriate to update the legislation to ensure it is fit for purpose for the present day. The Minister for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces: Discussion (6 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: I thank the committee for the opportunity to discuss the important public health topic of drug and alcohol use and the issues facing local drug and alcohol task forces. I am accompanied, from the Department of Health, by Ms Siobhán McArdle, assistant secretary, and Mr. Jim Walsh, principal officer. I am also joined by a colleague from the HSE national social inclusion office, Mr. Joe...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces: Discussion (6 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: I outlined that we had the citizens' assembly and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Drugs Use. We are now talking about preparing a new report in 2025 and the task forces will play an important part in contributing to that. The existing policies were from 2017 to 2025. Therefore the new one will have to cover a five year programme and we have to hold a consultation to develop that new...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces: Discussion (6 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: If you take the way we responded to crack cocaine, for instance, take the south inner city drug and alcohol task force and its cocaine and crack cocaine research. There was a HSE-led initiative in order to reduce health-related hard from cocaine and crack cocaine in the south inner city area here in Dublin. Therefore, there was a response. This is the challenge now we have regarding...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces: Discussion (6 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: I gave the example of the south inner city area but there was also Tallaght. The Tallaght project is open seven days per week with 68 presentations per week. This deals with crack cocaine. This was the result of the Tallaght drug and alcohol task force working with the HSE to provide a response.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces: Discussion (6 Nov 2024)

Colm Burke: The actual funding for drug-related health expenditure has gone from 2020-----