Results 8,841-8,860 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Judicial Council Bill 2017: Second Stage (22 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister. I apologise for being slightly late. Senator Conway was to deal with this matter and he was delayed so I apologise on his behalf also. I welcome that the Minister has brought forward this Bill. Like my colleagues, I would also set out that over the past 90 years the Judiciary has served us well and has enjoyed total independence from the Oireachtas and the...

Seanad: Justice Matters: Statements (22 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I will be brief as a lot of what I had intended to say has been said by Senators Boyhan, Buttimer and Conway. The Tánaiste has served this country well whether in opposition or in government. She has always been above board in every action that she has taken.On this matter it was quiet clear she had no role whatever in what is now being alleged against her. I think it is wrong that we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of the Sláintecare Report (22 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for his presentation. He referred to €25 million for primary care during his presentation. One of the issues in relation to any health report and change is about focusing on the primary care setting. At present a huge amount of work is being referred to hospitals and GPs claim, and rightly so, that they do not get enough support. I am concerned about the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of the Sláintecare Report (22 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I would not use the NHS as the template.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of the Sláintecare Report (22 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: Under clause 20, subsection (g), of the contract the Department is entitled to carry out an audit. Does the Minister now envisage doing that if there is a question mark over, or a conflict of interest in, the HSE doing that audit?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of the Sláintecare Report (22 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: The Department does have the power. Is that correct?

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (21 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Bill the Minister of State has brought before us. Risk equalisation is important in ensuring there is a level playing field for all, regardless of age. It is an indication of the upturn in the economy that 150,000 more people have taken out health insurance in the past two years and more than 2.1 million people are now covered. We must acknowledge the contribution the private...

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (21 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I very much welcome the Bill. It sets out a number of amendments to the principal Act, namely, to sections 9, 28, 28A, 31, 38, 91 and 91A. It sets out a number of amendments that are required, and we are talking about 14 different professions here. My understanding is, as the Minister of State said, that for 11 of the professions the boards...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I refer to the UK Supreme Court decision yesterday on minimum alcohol pricing in Scotland. The court unanimously ruled that minimum pricing could be introduced. The Scottish Whisky Association, SWA, has now accepted the decision. If we are now going to have minimum pricing in Scotland the implication of the UK Supreme Court decision is that there is a need for both Northern Ireland and...

Seanad: Health Services: Statements (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for the comprehensive overview. It is important to thank everyone in the Department, across the HSE and everyone involved in the provision of health care which is always demanding. It is important to begin on a positive note. We regularly speak about waiting lists. It is right that we raise the matter and try to deal with it to make the...

Seanad: Health Services: Statements (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I move to suspend the sitting until 5.30 p.m.

Seanad: JobPath: Motion (15 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I work in an area where at one stage unemployment went from 40% up to 80%. I was elected in that area, where a lot of work has been done by community groups. I was involved in community groups for a long period, serving as chairperson of a local community association which was providing accommodation for over 41 different organisations. At the time, I was chair of the board of management...

Seanad: JobPath: Motion (15 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: Can Senator Devine not now take the criticism?

Seanad: JobPath: Motion (15 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I will stick to the motion but let us be constructive.

Seanad: JobPath: Motion (15 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: We went into government in 2011. There was 15% unemployment. We took on the issues. Critics stated it was all pie in the sky and they are disappointed now because it turns out that it was not pie in the sky and we delivered. We will deliver on housing and we will deliver on health care. I hope that Sinn Féin is still in opposition when we do that as well.

Seanad: JobPath: Motion (15 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: But the jobs are there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Home Care - Rights, Resources and Regulation: Discussion (15 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: Sorry, I have a problem about that. I am here at the committee every day -----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Home Care - Rights, Resources and Regulation: Discussion (15 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I apologise.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Home Care - Rights, Resources and Regulation: Discussion (15 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I have no difficulty with the Vice Chairman's proposal. I apologise, I thought that the Vice Chairman was treating -----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Home Care - Rights, Resources and Regulation: Discussion (15 Nov 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for their presentations and the huge amount of work which they have done on this. Their studies have been very comprehensive. I have concern based on looking at how we legislate here. I mentioned it earlier but in 2012 I produced a Private Members' Bill in 2012 on professional indemnity insurance for medical practitioners, Senator James Reilly had brought in a Private...