Results 1,421-1,440 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Health Services for Irish Communities in UK and USA: Discussion (11 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, for his contribution and for the important work he is doing. I thank all the people who presented this morning. I will comment on Irish people who have gone abroad in the past 25 or 30 years. A vast number of people in the professional area are now working in the United States, the UK and throughout the world. What level of support are we...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (15 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome the legislation, which clearly sets out the way forward in dealing with health insurance. It sets out the issue of risk equalisation whereby anyone over 35 coming into the market will face a 2% additional charge for each year after the age of 35. It will give balance in respect of people who pay for it throughout their lives. It will...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (15 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: At 3 p.m. next Wednesday.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: Regarding the point raised by Senator Marc MacSharry, the numbers attending outpatient services in hospitals has increased by 25% in the first eight months of this year and a service has continued to be provided. I do not want the impression being given that the health service is falling down left, right and centre. The level of services has increased in all hospitals right across the country.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: It is wrong that the message going out is that the health service is in chaos. The health service is not in chaos. Services are being delivered and there are more than 100,000 people within the health service who are extremely dedicated and committed to delivering a quality service. I accept there are issues, and there are issues that we have inherited and need to be tackled which I raise...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: -----the number of consultants in that area was to increase from slightly over 100 to 191. At present, we have 130 but by this time next year there will be 140 or 145.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: It is just to give a clear example of where progress has been made and where progress will continue to be made during the lifetime of the Government.

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. Several legal practitioners contacted me to express concerns in respect of the retrospective element of this Bill. I understand the Minister has taken the advice of the Attorney General in this matter, but there are concerns about penalty points issued since 1 August. I warned about retrospective legislation on a previous occasion. Fortunately the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: HIQA Review of National Ambulance Service: Health Service Executive (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: The Chairman will be lenient. I thank Ms Laverne for the presentation. I compliment the ambulance service for the service it provides throughout the country. Over the past two weeks I have made the time and effort to meet members of the ambulance service who are working on the front line. A few of the issues raised concern me. One is the number of people employed as supervisors....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: HIQA Review of National Ambulance Service: Health Service Executive (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: That is not the information I got. The information I received was there are no supervisors on for a significant number of days.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: HIQA Review of National Ambulance Service: Health Service Executive (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: That is not the information I got.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: HIQA Review of National Ambulance Service: Health Service Executive (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: On the question of communication in regard to grade 6 staff, their complaint in the southern region is that there is no one in charge. The person in charge, based in Dublin, is not communicating with them. This is why I am asking why there cannot be a meeting between all the grade 6 personnel within the ambulance service? Rather than hearing a report from HIQA, it could be heard directly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: HIQA Review of National Ambulance Service: Health Service Executive (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: Yes, but the managers were not met.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: HIQA Review of National Ambulance Service: Health Service Executive (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: It is not with grade 6 staff. That is the whole problem.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: HIQA Review of National Ambulance Service: Health Service Executive (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: Will a commitment be given that those at senior managerial level will meet with those on the ground? That is the complaint I have received and not doing so will case problems further down the road.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Áras Attracta: HSE (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: I apologise for not being here for the opening statement, which I have read, however. I had to launch a document on mental health, which is the reason I stepped out of the committee. I had given a commitment. On nursing homes, there is a perception currently that HIQA only inspects by giving notice. In fairness, HIQA also carries out inspections without giving notice at a large number of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Áras Attracta: HSE (16 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: It is important at the end of this meeting that we acknowledge the huge commitment made by nursing staff and people in the health care sector. It is important also that we identify the problems that are there and ensure they are weeded out but we must acknowledge the vast majority of people in the health care sector are extremely dedicated, committed and provide a very good service across...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: While I agree with my colleagues on the principle, it is a case of over-regulation through legislation at this stage. There is the argument that people who smoke make a contribution through a level of taxation on cigarettes. There are a huge number of programmes in place which are doing everything possible to encourage people to move away from smoking. I do not think that the insertion of...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (17 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: I will follow Senator Crown's comments, although not on the same issue. I know of a case where a specific procedure can only be done in a hospital and GPs are not allowed do it. This is specifically when people have very high iron levels in blood and blood must be taken once every three months. My understanding is that insurance companies would pay out approximately €300 every time...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Law Reform Commission Recommendations (17 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. My question concerns the Law Reform Commission report of December 2011, which set out recommendations on the legal aspects of professional home care. This followed a report in 2010 in the media that people providing professional home care were monitored. In a similar manner to what happened in Áras Attracta, we saw people who were paid to provide...