Results 1,821-1,840 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Commencement Matters: General Practitioner Contracts (2 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, for making time available to deal with this matter, which relates to the new contract for GPs. It is an urgent matter in that many GPs are under pressure. Things have changed quite substantially during the past four to five years. While GPs have been able to carry them for the last four to five years, the additional costs they have...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: General Practitioner Contracts (2 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for the comprehensive reply. I know the negotiations are ongoing and I understand progress is being made. Do we have any guideline on whether any aspect of the contract can be concluded? I do not want to tie down the Minister of State on this. I suppose the big problem is that GPs are dealing with such uncertainty at the moment. Is there any way that a...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: General Practitioner Contracts (2 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I appreciate what the Minister of State has said.

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: This is not a debate on the report; it is a debate on the Bill that has been brought before the House.

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: He is not moving it.

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House and welcome this legislation. It is legislation that must be introduced annually. The Bill makes proposals for 2016. It is welcome that we have risk equalisation in order that people will not be penalised as they get older.We have a huge and increasingly older population and it is important that they have access to health care and health care insurance...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: Next Tuesday.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Gardasil Human Papillomavirus Vaccine: Discussion (3 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: It was said that 300 people are identified each year as having cervical cancer and 60% of these are under 50 years of age. Do we have figures on people aged under 30? Is there a difference in how people of different ages recover? Do we have figures on this other than those with which we have been furnished?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Gardasil Human Papillomavirus Vaccine: Discussion (3 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I asked about cervical cancer among those under 30. I was recently speaking to someone who had a patient who was only 21 and who had been treated by her GP for eight months before being referred on, and it turned out she had cervical cancer. I wonder do we have any figures. We were talking about 60% under the age of 50.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (8 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: On the Leas-Chathaoirleach's ruling, my Commencement matter relates to the provision of accommodation for homeless persons, which is the responsibility of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. While I respect the Leas-Chathaoirleach's decision, this is a case of buck passing between the Department and the local authorities. The accommodation referred to which has...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (8 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I appreciate the Leas-Chathaoirleach's suggestion, but-----

Seanad: Business of Seanad (8 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: While I accept the ruling, it is an important issue, particularly as we approach Christmas, when there are homeless persons on the streets, despite the fact that this accommodation is available.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: On the flooding issue, it is important to prioritise the provision of flood defences, but it is also important that they be planned correctly. Interestingly, one report from the United Kingdom shows that in one area £37 million was spent on flood defences, yet, four or five years later, the entire area was flooded again. Consequently, it is not only about building flood defences but...

Seanad: Charities and Voluntary Organisations: Statements (8 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank Senator Ó Murchú for raising this matter and I also thank the Leader for allowing the debate. It is important that we give recognition to people who work in voluntary organisations. The great change that has occurred in recessionary times was the swing back to voluntary organisations. It is important as the economy picks up that we do not lose that and that we encourage...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I agree with the remarks made by Senator Darragh O'Brien in regard to the drug for cystic fibrosis patients. It is important that this issue be resolved. It is also important, in the context of the negotiations relating to the drug, that we get value for money. There has been much coverage in the past couple of years with regard to the availability of particular drugs and the fact that the...

Seanad: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the Senators involved for bringing forward the amendment. As a practising solicitor, I have some concerns about it from my own experience which includes attending a nursing home to have a document granting power of attorney signed, only to find that the person concerned was not at all happy about signing it. I did not get it signed but two days later in my office I found a signed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Medical Cards: Health Service Executive (9 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank Ms Hoey for the presentation. According to the report, "Eligibility granted to applicants certified clinically as being terminally ill is no longer subject to an eligibility review". I have come across cases where to my surprise applications were refused. I accept that people were over the qualifying criteria, people aged over 70. The same discretion does not seem to have been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Medical Cards: Health Service Executive (9 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: There is discretion in that if one applies for the card as if the person was under 70, there is discretion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Medical Cards: Health Service Executive (9 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: What concerns me and the issue I am raising is where discretion is not applied where there is clear medical evidence that it should be.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Update on Child and Family Services: Tusla (10 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank Mr. Jeyes for the work he has done while with the agency and for the progress that has been made. I note the budget for the coming year has been increased and this is a result of producing results over the past 12 months. I welcome the recognition of that work through the increased budget. My main concern relates to young people who drop out of school. We seem to have fallen...