Results 8,361-8,380 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (Section 95(3)) (Variation of Title: Physical Therapist) Regulations 2018: Motion (24 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the witness for the work done on this. It is very much appreciated, particularly in the context of taking on board the concerns that physical therapists had about the regulations. I thank all the departmental officials for their work on the matter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overspend on the Health Budget 2018: Discussion (24 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the officials for their presentation. One of the issues about which I am very concerned in the HSE is the growth in staff numbers since December 2014. My understanding is that there are now 12,000 additional people working in the HSE, of whom over 2,600 of them are working in the area of administration and management. In the past three to four years I have not seen a clear plan...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overspend on the Health Budget 2018: Discussion (24 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: The argument was put to me about additional administrative staff in clinics. Every person to whom I have talked running clinics says no additional staff have been provided in the past two to three years. I have seen no evidence and no one to whom I have spoken who works on the front line has seen evidence of increased numbers of administrative staff supporting clinics.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overspend on the Health Budget 2018: Discussion (24 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: It is a matter that was ongoing for 18 months. It is not unusual, given the number of times I come across something I deal with 18 months or two years and no decision is taken. It is a huge problem we run up against. One talks to someone and is told that there is a waiting period for someone up the line to make a decision. I give the example of GPs who went to the HSE with a cost savings...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overspend on the Health Budget 2018: Discussion (24 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: The GPs gave detailed reports time and again on how the savings could be made. They had the whole thing structured with a number of organisations and presented it to the HSE, and after 18 months there was still no decision and they walked away.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overspend on the Health Budget 2018: Discussion (24 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overspend on the Health Budget 2018: Discussion (24 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: Yes. It is a matter of the overall planning and the other issue I raised as to how we have had overruns in recent years. How can we guarantee we will not have the same scenario this time next year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overspend on the Health Budget 2018: Discussion (24 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: We seem to have a problem with people now reaching 18 years of age, though. Anyone who was getting respite care is continuing to get it, but anyone who has recently reached the age of 18, certainly in the South/South West hospital group area, is unable to get respite care now. This is a huge problem for parents. They are providing 24-7 care themselves. Respite care is not available to...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I welcome today's announcement that there will be an extensive exhumation of bodies at the Tuam mother and babies home. The remains will be forensically examined and, most importantly, there will then be a respectful burial. This issue has been widely debated and discussed. I understand the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, presented the proposal to Cabinet this...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Therapy Services (17 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for being available this morning to deal with this matter. It relates to Scoil Cara in Cork city. The school started off in 2011 with 30 students. It now has 72 students for 2019. This Commencement matter relates to children with special needs and the need for adequate services to be put in place. My question this morning is about the adequate provision of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Therapy Services (17 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I note that this programme is to be rolled out during the second quarter of 2019. I believe it is an area that should be given priority. It is very important for the children. One of the people providing therapeutic services in that school has retired or resigned and there has been difficulty in appointing a replacement. It is so important for...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I second the Senator's amendment. On jobs growth in Ireland, we are entering challenging times with Brexit coming down the road and it is good news to see the announcement of new jobs. For instance, this morning Voxpro announced 400 new jobs in Cork. The company started off in Cork with a small number of staff. It was built by people from Cork and it now employs more than 3,000 people in...

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2018: Order for Second Stage (17 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (17 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for bringing forward the legislation, which is very welcome. There is a need for regulation and I have come across it quite a bit in recent years. Certain areas not covered by this are still not regulated and I acknowledge the Minister is also working on these areas. It is important that we make sure everyone who provides a professional service has gone through a...

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (17 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: Next Tuesday.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New Standard Operating Procedure for Assessment of Need under the Disability Act 2005: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I apologise for missing some of the meeting. I was in the Seanad dealing with the availability of therapeutic services for children with autism in a school. The Minister for Health had come to the House to deal with the queries I had on the matter. One of the responses he gave me was that a review is being carried out that is supposed to be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New Standard Operating Procedure for Assessment of Need under the Disability Act 2005: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: This is in the southern region. It was contained in reply to a Commencement matter I received this morning. It stated:HSE disability services is currently engaged in a major reconfiguration of its existing therapy resources for children with disabilities into multidisciplinary, geographically based teams as part of its national programme on progressing disability services for children and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New Standard Operating Procedure for Assessment of Need under the Disability Act 2005: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: Has better delivery with the existing resources been examined, as well as blips in the system? Overall, the HSE has taken on an additional 12,000 people in three years, a significant number of people. However, we are still finding waiting lists like this. In my dealings with the HSE, I have found there is meeting after meeting but, 18 months later, there is no real progress. Why does that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: New Standard Operating Procedure for Assessment of Need under the Disability Act 2005: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: Has the association looked for meetings?

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: In respect of events in the past week, particularly the budget, over the past four to five years there has been a growth in employment and a resulting inflow to the Exchequer. There are benefits for every taxpayer. I have done an analysis of a married couple with two children and one earner with an income of €50,000, and find their net gain through reduction in income tax is...