Results 8,381-8,400 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: -----on how we go forward as an island. A very relevant section of that debate is the fact that we want to have a united Ireland, and we should work towards that. It is important, now more than ever, that we do not become more divided. If Brexit goes the way some UK politicians want, that is exactly what will happen. Sinn Féin could play a part in making sure that division does not...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (16 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House and I welcome this Bill. I always believed that the HSE should have a board and welcome this change in how the HSE should be managed into the future. We need a proactive board that is comprised of people that have business or legal expertise, which I have said previously. Major decisions are made on a day-to-day basis and, therefore, it is important that...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (16 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: Yes. Patient advocates should have a background in legal, financial or HR management thus adding to the expertise of the board. That aspect would be useful and should be kept in mind. That is why I believe the composition of the board should not be tied to any one group of people.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (16 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I agree technically with what Senator Devine is saying. The only reason it might arise is if there was a structure set up for something within the health services that needed to be separated out from the HSE but where it would be important that the chief executive of the HSE would also sit on that board. That is the only context. Take the national children's hospital for instance. The...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (16 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hospital Waiting Lists (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for taking the time to deal with this issue. I am concerned about the waiting time in having cataract operations performed and accessing the required expertise to deal with eye problems, particularly for elderly persons. In the past six months I have received many queries about the waiting list and waiting time for cataract operations, particularly in Cork....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hospital Waiting Lists (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State. I note the figures to which he referred. Unfortunately, the people who have been in contact with me have not benefitted under outsourcing. It is in that context that I raised the question. How are people selected to receive treatment under the NTPF? How are they prioritised? Is it based on the period of time they have been waiting or on decisions made by...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2018: Order for Second Stage (10 Oct 2018)

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

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2018: Second Stage (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister. The legislation is a welcome development. I disagreed with the abolition of the board some years ago because I believed it was not the best way forward. I am delighted that the board will be re-established. I served on the board of the Port of Cork for ten years and found it to be a great experience. The board was comprised of people from various backgrounds and...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2018: Second Stage (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Bill, which has now gone through the Lower House. I thank the Minister for staying with it. One of the health issues that has been highlighted is that up to 30% of those attending any accident and emergency department on any night are there because of excessive use or abuse of alcohol. One of the problems that we must face up to is that while we are very quick to criticise the...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister, his staff and the Department for staying with this matter. The Bill was introduced in the Seanad on 11 December 2015. The third anniversary of its introduction is approaching and there has been a long series of debates in both Houses. The legislation is welcome but I accept what my colleague, Senator Lombard, said about Northern Ireland and the important point of...

Seanad: Mental Health (Capacity To Consent To Treatment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State and thank the Senators for introducing this Bill. As someone who has introduced a number of Private Members' Bills here, I am aware of the time and effort that it takes to get it to draft stage and introduced here. I thank them for the work they have done, which is appropriate as it is World Mental Health Day. We need to give more time and effort to the...

Seanad: Mental Health (Capacity To Consent To Treatment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank Dr. Scally and his team for a comprehensive report which deals very well with all of the issues. In fairness, a great deal of work was done in a very short period of time. I think everyone appreciates the work that has been done and the report that has been presented.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I would like to ask about cases in which clinicians who were dealing with people who had been identified as having cancer were aware that those people had received smear test results at an earlier stage. Did it occur to front-line staff that they should go back and look at the smears that had previously been taken? Did front-line staff raise concerns to the central management system of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: Should that issue now be looked at? If we do not have the required number of people with the expertise at the front line, we need to focus on that area. I also asked if Dr. Scally was aware of people who had been in the service and had left the service because they were unhappy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: I seek clarification. Is Dr. Scally saying no training was provided?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: Therefore someone could be providing the service without-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (10 Oct 2018)

Colm Burke: Would that be unusual?