Results 8,121-8,140 of 11,246 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I think the Minister has explained this matter. In fairness, we have appointed a judge to chair this tribunal and two other people with at least ten years experience will be appointed to the tribunal. One of the major issues in assessing damages is the foreseeability of something happening in the future.That is what a court will have to do in assessing damages. Likewise, the tribunal will...

Seanad: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I can see where Senator Higgins is coming from. In fairness to the tribunal, however, and Ms Justice Mary Irvine, who has been appointed as its chair, where an application is made for a matter to be held in public, she will give serious consideration to it being held in public. There is no major concern about it being held in public. However, for people to take part in the tribunal, they...

Seanad: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for introducing this legislation and getting it through both Houses. It is important and it is crucial that its provisions be available to people who have had to go through the trauma of the past 12 months. Options now exist that did not previously. Where testing is concerned, we are very reliant on resources from outside the State. We should set out a clear programme...

Seanad: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Second Stage (11 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, for coming to the House to introduce the Bill. I also welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, for attending to deal with it. This is welcome legislation. We have the report from Mr. Justice Meenan which recommends the setting up of a tribunal and deals with how it is to be established and operated. We have appointed the...

Seanad: Genetic Testing: Motion (10 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for his response and Senators Norris and Boyhan for raising this extremely important issue. I recall attending a meeting dealing with the issue of rare diseases in Farmleigh a number of years ago. As a result of that meeting, at which representatives of quite a number of the organisations concerned were gathered, it was decided a national rare diseases office would be...

Seanad: Genetic Testing: Motion (10 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: Last week, we passed a Bill dealing with missing persons, the Civil Law (Presumption of Death) Bill 2016. It has been passed by both the Dáil and Seanad. A connected area which I raised earlier in the year relates to where a body or part of a body is found and we are not able to identify who the person is, or the part of the body is from. If a body is found in Kerry and the name of...

Seanad: Defence Matters: Statements (9 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House to take these statements. I acknowledge that he would like to have seen a lot more done on the issue of remuneration of Defence Forces personnel. What we do have is Cabinet approval for €10 million in funding for this area, based on the recommendations of the Public Service Pay Commission. I was disappointed by that allocation, which does...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Flood Relief Schemes Status (4 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for making time available to deal with this matter. The seventh anniversary of the flooding of Meadowbrook in Glanmire was on 28 June. More than 60 houses and businesses were flooded. That flooding was 4 ft to 5 ft high in some parts of the estate. Many houses were severely damaged. The situation now is that it is impossible to get insurance for those houses...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Flood Relief Schemes Status (4 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State. I fully appreciate and understand his role in the Office of Public Works. I have found all of his staff in the office to be extremely helpful and supportive of this flood relief work. I fully understand where the Minister of State is coming from. Anything I said is not a criticism of him or his Department but local residents are frustrated with the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Flood Relief Schemes Status (4 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Flood Relief Schemes Status (4 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I thank the Cathaoirleach.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I, too, agree with my colleague Senator McFadden on the need to deal with the pay issue in the Defence Forces. In fairness to Defence Forces personnel, they have served the country well, both at home and overseas. It is appropriate that we respond accordingly to recognise the work they do. Many allowances were cut during the years and need to be restored. It is interesting to compare the...

Seanad: Civil Law (Presumption of Death) Bill 2016: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (3 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I welcome the amendments because they put in place proper procedures to make sure a clear and defined process is put in place. The amendments are welcome and I support them.

Seanad: Civil Law (Presumption of Death) Bill 2016: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (3 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for agreeing to take on this legislation and I thank all of the officials in the Department who were involved in it from an initial stage when the Bill was published. A large amount of work was done subsequently in bringing forward changes, and in fairness those changes were correct, as were the amendments that were brought through. I also thank all of the Members of...

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (3 Jul 2019)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister and everyone else who has been involved in the introduction of this Bill. I thank all the officials for the work they have done. It is important that we get this legislation right and that it is put in place properly. The work of the Department and the Minister clearly indicates that we have now arrived at the correct format. Amendments were required and amending...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Jun 2019)

Colm Burke: I will respond to some of the issues raised already around the strike. It is important to outline that pay has been restored to that group earning under €30,000 income-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Jun 2019)

Colm Burke: With all due respect-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Jun 2019)

Colm Burke: The position I am quite clearly stating is that people earning under €30,000 have had their pay restored and it is now 4% above the 2009 pay level. That has not occurred in other sectors of the HSE. This is point No. 1. My second point is that an additional 13,000 whole-time equivalent, WTE, staff were taken on in the HSE in the last four years in order to assist and make sure we...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Jun 2019)

Colm Burke: If Senator Nash does not want to hear the truth that is fine-----