Results 1,581-1,600 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Mar 2015)

Colm Burke: There has been a matter in the newspapers in the past few days, with pharmaceutical industries claiming 500 job losses because of Government policy on reducing the cost of drugs. It is important that we provide the right information, that in 2000 the cost of pharmaceuticals to the health boards was €570 million and that by 2008 and 2009 it had increased to over €2 billion. We...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Nursing Staff Recruitment (31 Mar 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for coming into the House to deal with this matter. The issue I raise concerns the training courses available for nurses who have trained abroad but who now wish to return here. I am led to believe that the number of courses available in recent years has been cut back and that the number available is inadequate. Currently, Irish nursing homes have over 500 vacancies...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Nursing Staff Recruitment (31 Mar 2015)

Colm Burke: I am aware of that. The issue that must be dealt with is increasing the number of places on the adaption courses for nurses who have trained abroad but who wish to work here to allow them go through the training process and then become available to work in Irish hospitals and nursing homes. The other issue facing nursing homes is that many of the nurses working in them are taking on jobs in...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Nursing Staff Recruitment (31 Mar 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for the reply. I note there is an acceptance that there is a need for additional training positions. It is a major problem within nursing homes. It is also a major problem within hospitals. Some Irish nurses contacted me recently who trained in the United Kingdom and who returned to Ireland. They applied in early December to register but ten weeks later they were...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Nursing Staff Recruitment (31 Mar 2015)

Colm Burke: I appreciate the Minister's response.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: I wish to raise the issue of the housing budget. I welcome the announcement that in Cork city and county over €205 million has been allocated for the period 2015-17. It is very welcome that an extra 2,500 houses or apartments will be built and made available. However, I have concerns about the ability of local authorities to be able to respond to the funding. My concern arises with...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: To reply to the previous speaker, there are 22,000 fair deal beds, not 7,000. The Senator's information is totally incorrect.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: I can give the Senator the reply. There are 22,000 beds and it is costing €970 million per year. They are the figures. The Senator has incorrect figures so he should check them. That is the first point. Second, with regard to the fair deal scheme, it is interesting to note that the scheme involves 80% of people's income and 7.5% of people's assets, to a maximum cap of three years....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Possible Exit of UK from European Union: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank Professor Todd for the paper she presented. A report was published recently which discussed the knock-on economic effect on Ireland of a British exit from the EU. We are now talking about a lot of ifs, as the UK may decide to do certain things rather than actually leaving, and may go down a road of reduced involvement. Is there not then a reason for us now to start looking at the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Intellectual Disability and Ageing: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank Professor McCarron for her presentation and for all the work that everyone has done in this area. It is important that all the issues are examined, especially in respect of people with intellectual disabilities. How many people with intellectual disabilities are affected? How many are looked after at home with the support of the health services and how many are in full-time...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Intellectual Disability and Ageing: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: What numbers are we talking about? Professor McCarron referred to 67%. Do we have any idea of the numbers?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Intellectual Disability and Ageing: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: On the co-ordination of services, I asked about local authorities and all other services. There is no single co-ordinator. The health service is doing it but we are also talking about housing, health care, support care and physical care such as physiotherapy and so forth. There is co-ordination in certain areas but not in terms of an overall package. Have the witnesses dealt with any...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Intellectual Disability and Ageing: Discussion (16 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: I would like to raise a further question. I apologise for raising the issue of the local authorities once more. Under the Disability Act 2005, a local authority that does not have an access officer is in breach of legislation. I know of a local authority that has posted on its website that it is pleased to advise that it has two access officers. I have spent eight weeks trying to find out...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Alcohol Sales Legislation (21 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State. The issue I raise is the failure to commence section 9 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008 which provides that premises selling alcohol and other goods must establish a separate area for the sale of alcohol, including a separate entrance inside the premises. The section has not been commenced. High levels of alcohol consumption are causing significant...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Alcohol Sales Legislation (21 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for a very comprehensive reply. The legislation was enacted in 2008, but seven years later no regulation has been put in place to implement it. I acknowledge that the Minister and the Government are working on the best way forward, but it might be helpful if the timeline was clarified. It is one thing to publish the Bill, but there is a need for a timeline for...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: I join my colleagues who have raised the issue of the crisis in the Mediterranean.The sinking of the Titanic occurred 103 years ago yesterday. A great number of people lost their lives in that tragedy. Many more people are now losing their lives in the crossing from North Africa to Europe. We have questions to answer on issues such as the arms trade. Many of these conflicts are fuelled by...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: The front page of the Irish Examinertoday includes an article about the dangers of purchasing medications online, including a slimming medicine containing the highly toxic substance, dinitrophenol, or DNP, which was implicated in the death of a young girl in England in recent weeks. Many people make purchases online but when it comes to medication, including slimming aids, it is important to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Semester - Draft National Reform Programme 2015: Discussion (23 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the Chairman. I focus on health care and my first questions relates to generic drugs substitution, which has been in place for a short time. I have seen three or four sets of figures that have been bandied around. I am not at all convinced that we have done enough. A saving of €50 million last year and €25 million this year has been made by substituting generic for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Semester - Draft National Reform Programme 2015: Discussion (23 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: I raised the arms trade issue. It is a fundamental issue in the whole conflict. Is it on the agenda?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Semester - Draft National Reform Programme 2015: Discussion (23 Apr 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the councillors for their contributions as well as for their work at local and European level, which is much appreciated. My question, specifically to Councillor Maria Byrne, is about the whole structure of Limerick City Council. Limerick city and county are now under one council. People might not be aware that there is greater industrial output in the Cork-Kerry region than in...