Results 8,281-8,300 of 11,246 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: I wish to raise the Supreme Court decision yesterday that section 249(1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 is unconstitutional. This subsection provides that someone in prison is not entitled to receive a pension. The case involved someone who was convicted of rape. The court ordered that he is entitled not only to be paid his pension but also to receive €10,000 in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the delegates for their presentations. The disadvantage we have is that, other than the Chairman, none of us is a qualified medical practitioner. We have to rely on the advice given to us by medical practitioners. One of the documents I have is from the Infectious Diseases Society of Ireland which was signed by 28 consultants. It has made a presentation to us. I will quote one or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: It is something that was made up for this committee this morning.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: The IDSI quoted a 2016 detailed analysis by the Swiss Infectious Disease Society. Is Dr. Lambert saying the report produced by the Swiss authorities is incorrect?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: The IDSI has quoted quite a number of reports. The IDSI relied on quite a number of research documents when they preparing its report because it referred to the documents in the report. The committee has received a report signed by 28 people. They are concerned that prolonged treatment, which is an issue that repeatedly arose in the submission, can lead to other medical difficulties.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: I am the only member of the committee who was here three years ago when this issue was dealt with. The same issues that were raised at that meeting have arisen this morning. We do not seem to have made any advances in the past three years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: Is it not then a matter for Dr. Lambert, as the professional here, to deal with the Infectious Diseases Society of Ireland? I mean in the sense that its view seems to differ in some respects with the view of Dr. Lambert.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: In fairness, they were brought in three years ago.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: We are lay people and being given the document in the same way as we were given it three years ago. It seems to be coming with a conflicting view. We have to deal with that issue. That is from where we are coming.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the delegates for their presentation and the work they do. During the earlier presentation I referred to the report given to us by the delegates. It is very comprehensive and provides references to previous research. The delegates heard the earlier submissions. It was said medical personnel were not taking this matter seriously and that there had been a lot of criticism of the way...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: Are they tests available in Ireland?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: Does the hospital deal with people who have been abroad for treatment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: I also asked this morning about the criticism of the profession. I have been contacted by a number of people who believe the medical profession is not responding appropriately.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: It has been said there are recent studies from the WHO which the profession here has not taken on board. What is Professor Butler's view?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: One of the things said this morning was that the medical profession in Ireland was ignoring the advances of science in this area. It is a very serious allegation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: Misinformation can be very dangerous in medicine. Do the delegates believe there is a need for more information on Lyme disease and a clear message to ensure people can accept the advice they receive here, rather than believing they have to travel abroad?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: This is the official committee dealing with healthcare and the Deputy should stop undermining it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: The Deputy is undermining the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Lyme Disease: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Burke: It is important to clarify that no one here, and certainly not me, is trying to discredit the work being done by those present. The issue I raised at the opening session was the report on which 28 people signed off. It is a clear document that sets out the views of the Infectious Diseases Society of Ireland on the management of this matter. Will the witnesses clarify that they are...