Results 7,941-7,960 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: Mr. Bell spoke about the lack of flexibility in regard to accommodating healthcare workers. Going forward, what does he suggest should be done to deal with that issue? We may have challenges in this regard in the future. How can we introduce the flexibility that is needed and how can management work with staff to ensure they are accommodated?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for coming here today, for making their presentations, for all of the work they do and for the commitment that they and their staff have. It is very much appreciated. A number of people touched on the issue of insurance. Could we have some idea of the annual premium for the average facility at the moment? What is the level of claims against facilities? Can it be...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: If we take it as €9,000, what number of children would we be talking about in such a facility?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: Has there been any discussion with any of the Government Departments on this issue of insurance? We have had to do a deal in this regard with the healthcare sector, whereby the State has had to take over insurance in the healthcare sector. In particular given there is, I think it was said, only one main insurer for the sector, the question is whether or not this would be part of a package...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: As I understand it, there is one organisation dealing with insurance for the primary schools. Would it not be possible to incorporate the cover for childcare facilities under a similar arrangement as what is at present in place in primary schools?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: I will move on to the area of staff recruitment. I think a presentation earlier referred to 23.4% annual turnover of staff. When staff move on, have we any idea where they go? Is it the case that they move on to other facilities? Do they move on to a total change of work style? I think there was a 40% turnover of workers in full-day care facilities. Have we any idea where people move to...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: Have we any idea of the percentage of people working in the childcare sector who earn less than €350 per week?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: Outside of insurance and wage costs, what are the biggest costs that the childcare sector faces? What are the other obstacles at the moment to providing an efficient system?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: That would obviously depend on whether the service was in an urban or a rural setting.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed). (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: I might not take the full ten minutes, but I have a number of questions. I thank the witnesses for their presentation and for all the work that has been done. It has been a challenging time for everyone in all Departments and for all people involved in this area. I have a question about the development of childcare generally. In other countries, big employers in particular are extremely...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed). (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: In real terms, however, the involvement of major employers has been very low, regardless of whether they operate in the healthcare sector or in private enterprise sectors such as those relating to technology, pharmaceuticals or whatever. Is there a need to look at that and to see how we can all work together to develop more comprehensive services in the area of childcare? We certainly have...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed). (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: Have we looked at other jurisdictions to see what we can gain from them and at what we can implement in a reasonably timely manner to deal with the new challenges arising?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed). (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: Dr. Lynch stated earlier that approximately 40% of facilities would normally be open at this time of the year. That is approximately 1,800 out of 4,500 providers. He may have answered this question already but, of the 1,800 Dr. Lynch said would normally be open at this time of the year, does the Department have any indication as to how many will open from next week on?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed). (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: Evidence was given earlier that insurance, although a significant cost, accounts for only 1% of childcare facilities' costs. I referred earlier to what might need to be done in regard to cover for health service providers, where there is a difficulty in getting insurance. A number of years ago, one or two of the main insurers pulled out of the market. I understand from what we heard today...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed). (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: Do we have any idea of the total number of claims in any one year against childcare facilities? We have talked around this issue quite a bit today but no one has actually given a figure for the total number of claims in this area. I am wondering if it is possible to get that information.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed). (23 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: I thank Dr. Lynch.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (18 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: I thank Mr. Breslin, Mr. Reid and all of the staff from the HSE and the Department for the work they have done. I also thank the staff in all of the medical facilities in nursing homes, hospitals and care facilities. My understanding is that in February 2019, the number of deaths in nursing homes connected to the flu virus increased from about 600 per month, which would be the normal number...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (18 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: Would Mr. Breslin accept that there was also expertise within nursing homes? There were 23,500 people in nursing homes, so a very large number of people were being catered for. It was 1 April or 2 April before consultation started with nursing homes. If they had been involved from 6 March, perhaps we would have been better able to deal with the challenges they had.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (18 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: In a ward, for instance, with six patients, my understanding is that no action was taken until the outbreak started and there were no isolation facilities. There were no staff changing rooms. Staff came in from home and straight into work without any changing facilities available.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (18 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: This indicates that there was no planning.