Results 301-320 of 12,151 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: EU Legislative Proposals: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: The problem Europe has is the conflict that has occurred in Ukraine. There is a genuine fear that it will spread to other European counties. Therefore, Europe must be careful that is not allowed to happen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: EU Legislative Proposals: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: That has not worked in Gaza.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: EU Legislative Proposals: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: I am not in favour of arms or ammunition being purchased. That is the last thing I want to happen. The best example in respect of arms relates to the fact that 46,000 people in America died as a result of the use of guns in a 12-month time period. By comparison, we in Ireland are grateful that only five people were admitted to hospital with gunshot wounds in the same period. The more we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Key Issues Relating to the Health Service: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: I thank the Department and the HSE for the work they are doing and for the services being delivered. I want to touch briefly on the issue in relation to Portiuncula University Hospital and going back to the Baker report. My understanding in relation to maternity services is that each month a safety statement is signed off on. The Baker report was in 2018 and issues were highlighted at that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Key Issues Relating to the Health Service: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: But it is a safety statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Key Issues Relating to the Health Service: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: If something is not satisfactory, however, what are the triggers then that get someone from outside to intervene? There were quite a number of incidents in a short period of time. What I am concerned about is how that number of incidents happened in such a short period of time and whether there were incidents before this that were not attended to.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Key Issues Relating to the Health Service: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: Moving on from that, we have 19 maternity units around the country. My understanding is that only six of them are computerised at this stage, even though the computerisation programme started five or six years ago. When are we going to progress it to 19 units being fully computerised? Second, we have a lot more consultants now in each of the smaller units but the problem is that they are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Key Issues Relating to the Health Service: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: Could I move on to the issue of the development of health services in Cork? In the past 20 years, no new beds have been made available in the Cork region, even though there has been a substantial increase in population. Cork, in particular CUH, is also dealing with other work. In fact, I heard of a case recently where a patient was referred from as far away as Sligo. In relation to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Key Issues Relating to the Health Service: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: Is there a target date for applying for planning?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Key Issues Relating to the Health Service: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: So, it is going to be the end of 2026 before it-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Key Issues Relating to the Health Service: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: I think Mr. O'Connell would accept that there are huge demands in Cork now as regards beds because we have a growth in population and also because of the fact that Cork is dealing with work from outside of the Cork city and county region, for example, from Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford. As I said, I have even heard of a case that was transferred from Sligo.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Key Issues Relating to the Health Service: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: Where are we with neurorehabilitation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Key Issues Relating to the Health Service: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: However, are we going to provide additional beds in Cork to deal with this? My understanding is that we have identified a site but that there is a wait for a budget. Is it going to be allocated in 2026?

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: 23. To ask the Minister for Finance if serious consideration will be given to removing VAT on counselling and psychotherapy services to support professionals in the industry and persons who require the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50513/25]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: 24. To ask the Minister for Finance to confirm that tax relief will be made available on counselling and psychotherapy fees, thereby establishing parity with other healthcare expenses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50514/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: 53. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to confirm that further investments will be made and strategies developed in the area of school counselling, particularly in the areas of prevention and early intervention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50515/25]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: 124. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of paper applications for naturalisation by Irish association received by his Department in each of the years 2017 to 2023, inclusive, in tabular form and the number of these applications which have been finalised and a decision reached; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50787/25]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: 125. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of staff currently on the designated team in the citizenship division responsible for processing citizenship applications via Irish association, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50788/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (24 Sep 2025)

Colm Burke: 162. To ask the Minister for Health the details of the actions being taken to raise the level of psychotherapy standards and criteria; the level with which she and her Department have engaged with the sector on this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50512/25]