Results 6,001-6,020 of 11,585 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: I am concerned about the figure that states that we have moved from 23% to 37%. We are also moving in that the number of young people smoking has gone up again. There is a connection between the two. While Mr. Dunne is talking about legislation, something is still driving it in terms of making it attractive for young people to move to electronic cigarettes. As well as not being able to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: As for warnings regarding e-cigarettes, does Mr. Dunne accept, for instance, there are now studies from the United States showing that a far higher number of those who use e-cigarettes suffer from asthma than people who have never smoked or who have never used e-cigarettes? My point is there also health risks in using e-cigarettes. While I accept it is a step down from smoking, health risks...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: In relation to health risks, there is a study that shows a raft of warnings over the use of e-cigarettes. There was a recent finding that electronic cigarettes might increase the odds of erectile dysfunction and of stroke at middle age. That is now showing up in studies. There is also a study on eye conditions, which looks at people who suffer from eye problems. There are a higher number...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: The eye study shows that there is a substantial difference and that there is a greater risk. There are a greater number of people who have eye difficulties as a result of electronic cigarettes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: I thank our guests for their contributions. Let me start with the figure they have given for the number of deaths as a direct result of smoking. Obviously, this is spread over a period of time. Is there any indication the level of smoking has reduced in this country and that the number of deaths will come down likewise? I ask this because most recent studies show the greater the number of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: One of the problems is that, during the lockdown, people were not travelling abroad and, therefore, the opportunity to bring in cigarettes by people travelling abroad reduced substantially and, in fact, the sale of cigarette products here went up dramatically during the Covid lockdown. Is the number of people smoking far higher than what the figures are showing in real terms?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: The point I am making is that the huge increase in the sale of tobacco products during the lockdown gives an indication of the number of cigarettes coming in from abroad when people are travelling back and forth, whether to Spain, Portugal, Greece or otherwise. Is there now a need to tighten up the regulations on the number of cigarettes people can bring in when travelling from abroad? For...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: Three countries - Estonia, Finland and Hungary - banned the use of flavourings. Have we any lessons to learn from what they did? Did they get it right or are there things we can learn in regard to dealing with this legislation that we should be aware of?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: We want to have the most effective legislation possible so we can assist people and reduce the number of people who smoke, but also reduce the number of people who have to use e-cigarettes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Mar 2022)

Colm Burke: I thank our guests for their presentation. With regard to the figures for teenagers and e-cigarettes, my understanding is that a 2015 study showed that 23% of teenagers used e-cigarettes whereas a study in 2019 showed it was 37%. Teenagers who use e-cigarettes are five times more likely to move on to smoking cigarettes. How do the witnesses view the challenge in dealing with that? How can...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Residential Tenancies Board - Financial Statements 2020 (24 Feb 2022)

Colm Burke: I thank our guests for their presentation. I wish to discuss an issue I have raised previously, that being, student accommodation near third level institutions and residents groups being unable to file complaints about a large number of unregistered properties that they have surveyed. A complaint about each property has to be filed individually. My point has to do with making efficient use...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Residential Tenancies Board - Financial Statements 2020 (24 Feb 2022)

Colm Burke: The letter I received from them is dated Tuesday, 22 February of this year and states that properties surveyed in 2017 which were not registered and had tenants still have tenants and are still not registered. That is a large number of properties in the immediate area of University College Cork. Why has nothing happened in the past four years? It raises questions about the effectiveness of...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Residential Tenancies Board - Financial Statements 2020 (24 Feb 2022)

Colm Burke: In what circumstances would they not require to be registered?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Residential Tenancies Board - Financial Statements 2020 (24 Feb 2022)

Colm Burke: Is Mr. Byrne saying we are down to 17 properties that are not registered and the rest of the 142 are registered?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Residential Tenancies Board - Financial Statements 2020 (24 Feb 2022)

Colm Burke: What is the timeframe for resolving the issue? It has been ongoing for some time. I understand there is a similar problem in Limerick. What action has been taken on that?

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Residential Tenancies Board - Financial Statements 2020 (24 Feb 2022)

Colm Burke: I will touch on regulation in relation to the role of the RTB. Much good work is being done on registrations but another issue is arising with regard to student accommodation. I got an email from seven students, dated 16 February this year. They are all staying in one apartment or house. The landlord is looking for a €1,500 deposit to be paid by each student if they want the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Residential Tenancies Board - Financial Statements 2020 (24 Feb 2022)

Colm Burke: Is the fact that this has been set out to seven individuals not an indication that the landlord does not believe any action will be taken against him by the RTB? I am sure this is not the only case around. This is just a group that contacted me. I am concerned that in the forthcoming academic year, we could have this happen across the board.