Results 9,021-9,040 of 11,702 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: Was the Department or HSE administration aware that there was an ongoing issue about consultants communicating information? At what stage did they become aware of that? They have told me that they made the case at an early stage in 2016 when they got the letters.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: The most important part of the review was the final element, namely advising the patient or the patient's family. There seems to have been no process in place to check that this final element was carried out completely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: Surely the Department must have been concerned. There was an accumulation of results and the bigger the numbers, the greater the problem was going to be. This was identified in February 2016. However, by September or October 2017 we still did not have the process fully in place about advising the patients and their families. We are talking about a period of 18 months. People surely must...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: My first question is for Dr. McKenna. I understand the audit was carried out on all of the people who had already received cancer treatment or who were in the course of cancer treatment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: That is the audit that was carried out. My understanding is that 275,000 smears are taken per annum. With regard to people who have not been identified with cancer, is there any view now that a sample audit should be done of people who have been advised they are all clear, just because of what has occurred? Does Dr. McKenna believe an audit should be done in respect of this at present? Is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: When that is finished, does Dr Holohan believe there may be an issue whereby we may have to do an audit of people who have not been identified with cancer, to see whether the results over the past two years are safe?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: I want to go back to the memos of February 2016, and this question is for Dr. O'Keeffe. The February 2016 briefing note stated the legal team was reviewing the content of case reports to be communicated and would advise. The note continued, "Await advice of solicitors." Is the advice of solicitors on how the information should be communicated in writing and is it available?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: When was that legal advice furnished?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: That is April 2016.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: There was still a problem by September 2017, at which time the information had not gone out to patients. Surely, having already received that legal advice in April 2016, more than 14 months later someone in CervicalCheck, the Department or anyone else who was aware that the information was not being given out must have been aware of the seriousness of that legal advice not being followed through.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: My understanding is that consultants other than Dr. Kevin Hickey in Limerick had raised issues about getting the information out there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: Has the HSE looked for that information from CervicalCheck?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: However, by June 2016, more than 200 letters went out to 29 clinicians, as I understand it. I find it strange that we now have only a written record of one medical clinician being concerned about getting the information out there. Is Dr. O'Keeffe saying the other 28 did not communicate at all and, at the same time, the information did not get out to the 200 patients?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: But-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: I will ask one last question. Was CervicalCheck aware that Dr. Hickey may have been conveying the concerns of other clinicians?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: However, Dr. Colm Henry would have been aware of the legal advice going back to April 2016.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Screening Programme: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Burke: Briefly, I thank everyone for their contribution here this morning. It is very much appreciated. I note that there is a lot of misinformation out there. For instance, on Sunday evening I had a discussion with nurses who believed that the audit was carried out in respect of people who had not been diagnosed with cancer, and that information was kept from them. Given this type of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (15 May 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for coming here today to deal with this matter, which relates to Scoil Cholmcille on Blarney Street in Cork. From 1 September, the school will have 216 students.If the number of students increases to 220 the school will be entitled to an additional teacher. Scoil Cholmcille currently has a difficulty due to changing demographics. A school was first built on the site...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (15 May 2018)

Colm Burke: Yes.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (15 May 2018)

Colm Burke: I appreciate the Minister's reply. The school has an extremely dedicated principal, teachers and assistants who work there and there is huge support from the parents. The numbers in the school have increased much faster than a school would normally experience. That is why there is pressure. There is also the issue of the site itself, but the school has clearly set out in its plan how it...