Results 8,941-8,960 of 11,246 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme: Statements (3 Oct 2017)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State and wish him every success in his role in this area. Many people have referred to the fair deal scheme. We are spending roughly €1 billion per annum and, at the moment, there are some 23,500 people in nursing homes under the scheme. If we take the number of people who will retire and require support over the next ten years and apply the same ratio,...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme: Statements (3 Oct 2017)

Colm Burke: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (27 Sep 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State. I fully accept a serious effort has been made with the MacCraith report, but I am very concerned that while the report set out a huge number of recommendations, it is not clarified how many of the 25 recommendations have been implemented. Perhaps we could get answers to this. I thought the MacCraith report would resolve many of the issues, but we are not...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (27 Sep 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for attending to deal with this matter. I have raised this issue with regard to junior doctors consistently over the past four to five years. In 2012, I conducted a survey of people doing their final medical examinations in Irish universities. It indicated that more than 60% of them did not intend to work in Ireland once they had finished their internship. A...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Colm Burke: I apologise to the Minister but I have a Commencement Matter in the Seanad on a health issue which I must go to. However, I will come back once it is dealt with. Respite care is a major problem. I notice the number of people who have been able to get respite care has reduced drastically. My understanding is that part of that has been the result of HIQA inspections on the basis of which...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Colm Burke: A week. My apologies. In real terms, it is what we have taken on in management as we have taken grades 6 and 7 out of the managerial category. It has gone from 4,700 to 5,400 in real terms. We changed how we defined "management". I do not understand why one major hospital in this country had its tenth manager in 18 years start this week. It has had ten managers in 18 years. There is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Colm Burke: I wish to go back to the hospital management issue. Earlier, I raised the question of a tenth manager being recruited in 18 years. There must be a problem in the smaller hospitals because there seems to be a vast turnover of administrative staff at senior levels. I appeal for this issue should be looked at. In fairness, no matter how big or small the hospital, the hospital manager is...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Sep 2017)

Colm Burke: I too join with others in congratulating everyone involved in preparing this Chamber. The facilities are clear evidence that there was a very good team effort between the people here in Leinster House, the planners, contractors and everyone involved. I congratulate them on the work they have done. I would like to raise the very good and welcome announcement today of €350 million to...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I join with other colleagues in thanking the Cathaoirleach for his help and assistance and all the staff here in the House. We also should thank the backroom staff in our own offices for their dedication, commitment and support over the past 12 months. I raise with the Leader an issue that arose in a recent survey carried out on the provision of palliative care in two hospitals, the Mater...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: Normally when we come in here and talk about health it is very much on the negative side. On the positive side, CSO figures for 2016 indicated the number of suicides has reduced from 451 in 2015 to 399 in 2016. It is a welcome drop but we have a long way to go. The frightening part about the figure is that of the 399 who died as a result of suicide in 2016, 318 were men. It is an area we...

Seanad: Mediation Bill 2017: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House and wish him every success in his new role. As a practising solicitor I am a little concerned at the views expressed on this area by some people. I think the Minister will agree with me. Solicitors do everything possible to get a resolution to a dispute. If one looks at cases listed for hearing, one will find that in the vast majority of cases people...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (13 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and agreeing to respond to the issue I raised on orphan drugs. Yesterday, the health committee heard presentations from the HSE and the body which approves drugs under the reimbursement scheme. There were also presentations from other organisations which expressed their concerns about delays. Orphan drugs are drugs for small groups of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (13 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I accept the Minister of State's response. The drugs which are going for approval have already gone through the whole scientific process. First, there is no doubt that the drugs have been approved and would be of benefit. Second, there is the mechanism that comes into play thereafter. I accept where the HSE is coming from, that if a particular price is required for a drug then that...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: Yesterday, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health decided to reject the draft Bill proposed by Deputy Gino Kenny. We took very detailed legal advice on the matter and it was found that the Bill had serious defects. It is important to convey the message that medicinal cannabis is available where a medical consultant is satisfied that it would benefit a patient. That consultant can apply...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I refer to a particular area that is very close to oncology. As many as three of the six people did not turn up for their appointments.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: The HSE could introduce simple measures such as texts to solve the problem of non-attendance. Many units text patients in order to remind them of their appointments. Texts would be one way to solve the problem and should be introduced in all cases.

Seanad: Naval Service Deployment: Statements (13 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for bringing forward and dealing with this debate. It is important to emphasise again that there is a triple lock system involved in this matter. It requires a UN mandate, approval by the Government and approval by the Dáil. We are going through that system. We have done that before in respect of peacekeeping operations. There are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (12 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for attending the meeting and giving us the detailed presentation. This is a complex area. My opening question relates to the population of Ireland and the overall cost of medications compared to other jurisdictions. Is there any comparison for what pharmaceuticals are costing us per head of population? The witness referred to a budget of approximately €2...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (12 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: On generic drugs, are the witnesses telling me that in the past three years, there has really only been a saving of less than 10%? It is €2 billion per annum and if we take €120 million out, is that €120 million over three years or €120 million per annum? If it is €120 million per annum then it is a minute saving of around 8% out of €2 billion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Evaluating Orphan Drugs: Discussion (12 Jul 2017)

Colm Burke: In real terms then, we are making no progress on drug cost savings for the HSE.