Results 7,941-7,960 of 11,246 for speaker:Colm Burke

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.

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

Colm Burke: On the 56% which showed Covid free and the transfer of patients to those, can I get the numbers of transfer patients?

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

Colm Burke: Can we get the numbers of staff recruited, both nurses and care assistants, who previously worked in nursing homes?

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

Colm Burke: One of the problems nursing homes had, especially in February and March, was that they found the staff that they had were suddenly gone. Accordingly, they then had to recruit agency staff, which was a challenge in itself.

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

Colm Burke: Regarding the 56% of nursing homes that are Covid-free, could we have the number of patients transferred to them?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State's Response to Impact of Covid-19 on Gaeltacht Areas and the Islands (18 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: I want to deal with the issue of online shopping, which came up earlier. It increased substantially during the lockdown. What plans have we put in place to deal with this issue and the challenges? The more shopping that is done locally, the more jobs that are protected. What plan has been put in place to deal with this in the Gaeltacht areas and across the entire country? A lot of the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State's Response to Impact of Covid-19 on Gaeltacht Areas and the Islands (18 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: What about after Brexit? I refer especially to goods coming from the UK.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for their attendance and for the work they are doing in economic planning. On the issue of helping the economy, one of the problems I am coming across is the delay by banks in responding to the new challenges, especially in the housing market. I have seen cases where banks are not allowing people in receipt of full incomes to draw down loans because the employer of one...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: Does Mr. Barnes agree that it will add to the economic downturn if the way the banks are managing the situation is allowed to continue?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Colm Burke: It is about cash flow. It also applies to small businesses with a good track record that are now looking for an extension of their borrowings to assist them with cash flow. The same response is being given to SMEs by the banking sector. In real terms, the banking sector could be adding to the economic downturn. I am not saying it is adding to it.