Results 2,041-2,060 of 11,183 for speaker:Colm Burke

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (28 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: 220. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current status of an application (details supplied) for citizenship; when a decision is likely to be reached, in view of the fact that the application was submitted over two years ago; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41958/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Spinal Surgery Issues at Children's University Hospital Temple Street: Children's Health Ireland (28 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: For a review of surgery, and this is quite complex surgery, is there any referring back to make sure? For instance, we identified quite a number of operations with a high incidence of infection. At what stage does CHI start investigating why that is arising?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses from the HSE and the Department of Health for their attendance and for the progress that has been made. There has been a huge increase in staff. It is a question of retaining those staff right across the board. People here may not be aware of a really difficult issue, which is to do with radiation therapists. My understanding is that there are a number of units...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: There is an issue in regard to long-term planning. My understanding is that the number of training places for the entire country is very small. Has there been engagement with the Minister, the Department and the higher education sector to discuss increasing the number of training places for radiation therapists? Even if we start increasing the numbers now, it will take four years to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: I have a question on long-term planning in respect of staff, particularly consultants, retiring from the HSE. My understanding is that much of the effort to recruit someone to replace a consultant starts only after that consultant has sent in notice that he or she is leaving three months or six months from that date. I have raised this issue on numerous occasions. If we look back to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: My question is quite specific. Where there is an awareness that someone is coming up to the retirement age of 65 or 66, whichever it is, is the HSE putting in place a plan 12 months in advance to ensure that consultant is immediately replaced? Around the country at this time, there is a significant number of locum consultants right across the board, and likewise with nursing staff. My...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: I have not seen any evidence of that at any stage.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: May I have the figure for locums currently working in HSE hospitals right across the board?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: Locums are in place temporarily. They will move on to another job once it becomes available. It is hit and miss. There is no guarantee of how long they will stay and then we are trying to get a replacement. It is consuming considerable time of administrative staff as well. Is sufficient forward planning being done? I fully accept that there has been a significant number of staff...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: That is out of 2,500 consultants.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: It is still a very high number of locums in real terms. If long-term planning is done, this issue can be dealt with. I will move on to the issue of planning for the winter months and the demand for beds. We have already heard from the private hospitals about engagement being too late. They are now talking about a three-year plan. What is the status of that and the issue with nursing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: On the step-down facility with the nursing homes, for instance, last year we found that some of the nursing homes had contracted beds and in the first two weeks of January, those contracted beds were empty. I refer to the co-ordination about getting people out. People could not get into hospital because there were not beds available. It is about getting people out. Is a better plan in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: The problem we now have is that-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: Can I just outline the problem? We have lost 1,200 beds. According to the CSO figures yesterday, more than 800,000 people are over 66 which means we will have a growing demand for either home care or nursing home care.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: I am only saying we are not planning for it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: On the issue of the elective hospitals and where we are with them, I know that it is with the design team. We are under pressure in relation to services in Cork. Where are we with the elective hospital issue in Cork? We have identified a site and a design team was appointed. Where are we with it now? The second issue I want to touch on is that of HSE staff with long Covid. I know that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: Is the Department looking for an extension?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: Can Mr. Watt come back to us on whether or not the Department has looked for an extension?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Colm Burke: Is there a timescale for when the design will be finished? Is it going to finished be by the end of October?