Results 341-360 of 11,236 for speaker:Colm Burke

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Telecommunications Services (22 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: 133. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there are any plans to introduce legislation to facilitate an SMS scam filter to better protect consumers from mass fraudulent text messages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43016/24]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Services (22 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: 246. To ask the Minister for Finance if there are any plans to prevent non-regulated entities from directing online financial services and investment advertising at Irish consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43014/24]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (22 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: 286. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if consideration could be given to the introduction of a grant to aid disabled entrepreneurs in hiring appropriate assistance, in view of the challenges disabled entrepreneurs face managing the day-to-day aspects for running a business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42980/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: 515. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an invalidity pension appeal (details supplied); when a decision will be likely to be reached in this case, given that the appeal was submitted some time ago; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43003/24]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (22 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: 578. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when she plans to introduce regulations to facilitate an industry shared fraud database; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43015/24]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (22 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: As this refers to a service matter, I have sent this PQ to the HSE for direct response. As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October 2023. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (22 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: 859. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration would be given to altering the requirements Irish citizens need to fulfil in order to qualify for Irish or EU fee rates in universities, as many Irish parents who work outside of Europe are required to have their children attend school or reside in Ireland for three of the five years before attending college in order qualify...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (17 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: 258. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when an appeal (details supplied) for a visa application was received; when a decision is likely to be reached; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42171/24]

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: The additional funding in budget 2025 is €4.2 million. An additional 34 whole-time-equivalents will be employed. Some €2 million will be allocated to expand community-based drug services. Some €1 million will be allocated for the national roll-out of the community alcohol service, and that includes the employment of 24 whole-time equivalents. There is €500,000...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: There is a substantial increase in the overall budget for 2025. It is going to be the biggest budget ever in real terms. I will get the correct figure for the Deputy but the increase in total is the biggest figure. For instance, the total increase in funding is €40.5 million for the coming year. There is a €10.1 million increase for pay awards agreements. Some €5...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: As the Deputy knows, we hope to have the supervised injection facility in Merchants Quay opened by the end of the year. I have been there and I have seen the progress being made in the building work. The target is to have it opened by early to mid-December. That is a really important facility that needs to be open. As the Deputy knows, the initial proposal on that was going back to 2019....

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: The Deputy should remember that 422 different centres around the country provide support for people with alcohol or drug addiction. Last year, 13,000 people received treatment for drug addiction and 8,000 people received treatment for alcohol addiction. Those figures are likely to go up. I have visited many of those centres over the last three to four months and each one of them is doing a...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: The target date is for early to mid-December and the construction work has really progressed. I was down there recently - in the last three weeks - and I have seen the work that has been done. The people involved in it are doing everything possible to make sure we can reach that target date of somewhere in the first two weeks of December.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: My understanding is that wastewater can be analysed to see the issue regarding the use of drugs. I am not into the detail of it but it is a mechanism that can be used to identify and to evaluate. Regarding the figures we have, we rely on centres such as all the HSE treatment centres around the country but we do not have a full picture in real terms of the people who are using substances. It...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: On that point, many of the drug treatment centres are helping people to get access to medical services. I visited a number of centres. In one centre, for instance, a GP and nurses are going into the street and getting people into the centre for medical treatment. Many people who have had an adverse event in an accident and emergency department are now afraid of going to an accident and...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: The total budget is €40.5 million. The social inclusion budget has increased by €40.5 million in two years.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: I gave the figures earlier. The drugs budget is €4.2 million and this is for new initiatives in the whole drugs area. The budget for 2025 will be €4.2 million in addition to what is in 2024. The total social inclusion budget is €40.5 million of an increase. It has increased from €220 million to €260 million.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Colm Burke: It is for a whole range of services.