Results 8,241-8,260 of 11,246 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Jan 2019)

Colm Burke: I have waited to the end to hear all of the contributions, but it is interesting to note that not one contributor outlined from where the €300 million would come. What service do they want the Government to cut?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Jan 2019)

Colm Burke: The Government does not pay anyone. It is the taxpayer who pays and there is only a certain amount of money that comes in in taxation. I have met nurses who have returned from Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and the USA and their biggest complaints about pay and conditions here fall under three headings, one of which is the level of taxation. One can earn up to £50,000 in the...

Seanad: Housing for Elderly People: Motion (30 Jan 2019)

Colm Burke: I second the motion as proposed by my colleague Senator James Reilly. This is a huge issue we now face. It was brought home to me a number of years ago when I was calling door to door in an area. In eight of ten houses - one after the other - there was a widow or a widower living on their own in quite good three-bedroom and four-bedroom houses. They were all holding on and not selling...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Jan 2019)

Colm Burke: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Jan 2019)

Colm Burke: I, too, convey my sympathies, the sympathies of the Fine Gael Party and, indeed, the sympathies of the House to the families who have suffered loss as a result of the tragedy in Donegal. It is very difficult on everyone in the local community and it is a huge loss of so many young lives in one event. It is a really tragic accident that occurred. Our thoughts are with each and every one of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jan 2019)

Colm Burke: I am impressed by the concern expressed about Brexit by my colleague, Senator Ó Donnghaile. In view of his party's inactivity in respect of participating in the decision-making process in the House of Commons, I do not think people can come into this House and outline the failure of this Government. Over the past two and half years we have done everything possible to make sure that our...

Seanad: First Aid and Mental Health in Schools (Initial Teacher Training) Bill 2018: Second Stage (23 Jan 2019)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I thank the Senators for bringing forward these draft Bills. Having introduced Private Members' Bills previously, I know they involve a great deal of work and I very much appreciate the work they have put into bringing them forward. Health and safety in our schools is an important issue. A large number of young people attend preschools,...

Seanad: First Aid and Mental Health in Schools (Existing Teachers) Bill 2018: Second Stage (23 Jan 2019)

Colm Burke: Tomorrow morning at 10.30 a.m.

Seanad: Government's Brexit Preparedness: Statements (22 Jan 2019)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Tánaiste to the House. I thank him, the Taoiseach, and all the Ministers for the work they have done on this matter to date in protecting Ireland's interest. I also thank all those in the Opposition parties for the work they have done and for their contribution. We have shown very much a united front in the way we have approached Brexit, which is important because we...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2018)

Colm Burke: I wish to raise concerns over something that occurred yesterday. I was at a committee where there was a vote and three Senators voted, meaning it was a tied vote and the proposal to accept a report was lost. A Dáil Deputy implied that the vote was not valid because three Senators had voted and Senators are not directly elected. There is a Constitution and the joint committees consist...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2018)

Colm Burke: As the decision did not go the way of the committee member in question, there was a remark about it. We had this in the case of the Sláintecare report, from which Senators were excluded. This is wrong and unfair. My understanding is that the cost overrun for the new national children's hospital will be €1.433 billion, which is an increase of €450 million. This is...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2018)

Colm Burke: It was stated that we did not have the right to vote. In fairness, one committee member voted against the proposal so it was not that Senators voted in one way.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2018)

Colm Burke: On the issue of assets and the transfer of local authority houses, I understand that when the Bill is passed and the changes are made to the Cork city boundary, the new city area will have more than 10,000 local authority houses. That poses a major challenge in respect of maintenance and making sure adequate support services are provided for all those living in local authority houses. We...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2018)

Colm Burke: I seek clarification as well. For instance, the city and county sheriffs are involved in organising polling stations and making sure they are adequately supervised etc. How will such tasks be dealt with during the transition period? The city sheriff is responsible for the polling stations in a city. How will such tasks work out for local elections?

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2018)

Colm Burke: I agree with Senator Lombard. My home parish of Inishcarra is divided in two with which I have no difficulty. I have a difficulty with the division of townlands.There is one stretch along the dividing line, approximately 500 yd. wide, that runs from Moyle between a road and a river. That road is the dividing line. The way it is done does not make sense. If there was a straight line along...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2018)

Colm Burke: When planning contributions are made, they are not ring-fenced for work to be done. In some cases, they might be but that would be unusual. Planning contributions go to the local authority and are used in the overall budget for the development of services. One cannot say that if a local authority receives funding because planning permission was granted for 100 houses in an area that that...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2018)

Colm Burke: This is an important issue. I hope the structure that will be in place for payment by the city council to the county council will deal with many of these issues. It is also important that one of the areas that was not transferred into the city is Little Island, which has quite a good commercial rate income. In addition, regarding many of the larger ratepayers, when I did a survey of Cork...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2018)

Colm Burke: This is about the review of the area plans within the city and county. It is important the local authorities do it once the change occurs in 2019. In fairness, there will now be a different focus. It is important as plans that would have been dealt with by the county may not now fit into the overall plan for the city; likewise, plans for the area not brought into the city will see a...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2018)

Colm Burke: For clarification, my understanding is that Monard, which we are talking about, is not coming into the city but is, in fact, staying in the county. That was the issue I raised earlier on. It is proposed to take in Blarney and Tower. I know this was discussed between the city and county councils. I understand that, subsequent to an agreement being reached on the matter, there was a further...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Second Stage (18 Dec 2018)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and I welcome the Bill. As a former Lord Mayor of Cork city, I welcome the extension of the city boundary. The most recent extension was in the 1960s, more than 50 years ago, so this is welcome. We have undertaken planning well in Cork. More than 30 years ago, we had the Cork Land Use and Transportation Study Plan, LUTS, which was about...