Results 7,321-7,340 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2020)

Colm Burke: That is right.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2020)

Colm Burke: I raised the issue with the HSE when its representatives were before us. The response given did not deal with the issue and there was no indication that the HSE would deal with this issue, which is disappointing.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2020)

Colm Burke: Yes.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2020)

Colm Burke: Yes. It would be good if we got some indication that the matter is being taken seriously. Over the past two years, I have raised the issue on quite a number of occasions and absolutely nothing has changed. As my colleague stated, another issue is that relating to public health doctors. It is important that we examine the issue and reach an agreement at the earliest possible stage.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2020)

Colm Burke: Can I raise one matter before we conclude? It is the issue that arises when the Dáil is sitting in the Convention Centre and committees are expected to sit at the same time. We need to get something done about that, perhaps even a simple change such as that votes would not take place before, say, 6.30 p.m. It is an issue we need to examine.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Promotion (1 Dec 2020)

Colm Burke: 749. To ask the Minister for Health if he, Ministers of State within his Department or other officials in his Department have met third party groups in relation to promoting breastfeeding in Ireland; if so, the persons or bodies in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40319/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Promotion (1 Dec 2020)

Colm Burke: 750. To ask the Minister for Health if there are internal working groups, committees or other relevant bodies in his Department examining the issue of low breastfeeding rates in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40320/20]

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed)
Chapter 11 - Social Housing
Chapter 12 - Land Aggregation Scheme.
Chapter 13 - Pyrite Remediation Scheme. (26 Nov 2020)

Colm Burke: I wish to go through some of the sites that were purchased. In Goleen in west Cork, a lovely part of the country, €393,000 was paid for 0.82 ha. That is phenomenal money for west Cork. The second is Dripsey, where I come from myself, where over €500,000 was paid for 1.5 acres, which now has a value of €47,500. The third that really sticks out in my mind is the one for...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed)
Chapter 11 - Social Housing
Chapter 12 - Land Aggregation Scheme.
Chapter 13 - Pyrite Remediation Scheme. (26 Nov 2020)

Colm Burke: Eleven million euro for 13 acres is almost €1 million per acre.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed)
Chapter 11 - Social Housing
Chapter 12 - Land Aggregation Scheme.
Chapter 13 - Pyrite Remediation Scheme. (26 Nov 2020)

Colm Burke: Even close to Cork city, which is a fairly big urban area, we were not paying €1 million an acre. I am not taking from Sligo but it seems a phenomenal amount of money.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed)
Chapter 11 - Social Housing
Chapter 12 - Land Aggregation Scheme.
Chapter 13 - Pyrite Remediation Scheme. (26 Nov 2020)

Colm Burke: The sum of €1 million an acre was a lot of money at that time. That kind of money was not being paid for land in bigger urban centres like Limerick, Cork and Galway.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed)
Chapter 11 - Social Housing
Chapter 12 - Land Aggregation Scheme.
Chapter 13 - Pyrite Remediation Scheme. (26 Nov 2020)

Colm Burke: Regarding that, I will go back to what my colleague referred to earlier, that is, the timeframe involved. In particular over the past four years major efforts have been made to build more local authority houses. The timeframe from when the local authority decides to build to getting the building completed is running now at nearly four years. Can we do something to try to change the process...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed)
Chapter 11 - Social Housing
Chapter 12 - Land Aggregation Scheme.
Chapter 13 - Pyrite Remediation Scheme. (26 Nov 2020)

Colm Burke: Where does an estimate of the cost of building come in? When the tenders come in there is quite a big variation. There is a reluctance by the Department to respond in a timely manner. I have come across that on a number of occasions where there is an estimate of what the cost will be and then when the tender comes in it is way above the estimated cost. It appears that there is quite a...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed)
Chapter 11 - Social Housing
Chapter 12 - Land Aggregation Scheme.
Chapter 13 - Pyrite Remediation Scheme. (26 Nov 2020)

Colm Burke: I thank Ms Neary. I wish to go back to the sites which have now gone down in value. One of the sites in my area, in Dripsey, which is 1.5 acres, is now valued at €47,500. I know the area and I think that is an under-valuation. What has been done with local authorities to try to get these sites moving again?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed)
Chapter 11 - Social Housing
Chapter 12 - Land Aggregation Scheme.
Chapter 13 - Pyrite Remediation Scheme. (26 Nov 2020)

Colm Burke: That is grand.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed)
Chapter 11 - Social Housing
Chapter 12 - Land Aggregation Scheme.
Chapter 13 - Pyrite Remediation Scheme. (26 Nov 2020)

Colm Burke: What has been done by the local authorities with the lands, for which we now have a very low valuation, that were bought originally for housing? I know the area very well. The site to which I referred in Dripsey, which now only has a valuation of €47,500, is suitable for development. Why are these areas not being prioritised, as regards getting local authorities to work with the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed)
Chapter 11 - Social Housing
Chapter 12 - Land Aggregation Scheme.
Chapter 13 - Pyrite Remediation Scheme. (26 Nov 2020)

Colm Burke: Could I ask one question?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed)
Chapter 11 - Social Housing
Chapter 12 - Land Aggregation Scheme.
Chapter 13 - Pyrite Remediation Scheme. (26 Nov 2020)

Colm Burke: Is the delay in getting sites developed due to a lack of services from Irish Water on some of these sites?

Covid-19: Statements (24 Nov 2020)

Colm Burke: We are now in the final week of level-5 restrictions. The figures indicate these restrictions have significantly suppressed the spread of the virus. It has not been suppressed as much as we would have liked but the trajectory of the spread is downward. The hospital and wider healthcare systems have responded effectively to the autumn surge of cases. The various health agencies and...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 9 – Office of the Revenue Commissioners
Central Fund Related Accounts - Revenue Account 2019 (19 Nov 2020)

Colm Burke: I thank our guests for their presentation. I wish to raise the delays arising from Covid-19 in dealing with certain issues. A number of people have contacted me about family members who have loans under the fair deal scheme. As our guests will be aware, the moneys must be paid back and that is done through Revenue. The problem now is that because of Covid, there is a delay in taking out...