Results 9,281-9,300 of 11,246 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2016)

Colm Burke: Again, it might be appropriate to table a Commencement matter. Sometimes, it is a more expeditious way of getting a Minister to come before the House.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2016)

Colm Burke: I will convey the Senator's concerns, which I share, to the Minister. Senator Mulherin raised the US election and the fact that we need to work with the President-elect. I agree with her in that regard. We should have no difficulty in inviting the President-elect to Ireland. Senator Gallagher referred to the US election and SUSI grants. I will raise his concerns regarding the latter with...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (Professional Home Care) Bill 2016: Second Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Colm Burke: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the Minister of State and her officials. I thank the Minister of State for the work she is doing in the area of elderly care. In 2011, the Law Reform Commission published a report on the regulation of people who provide home care or who care for individuals in their own homes. The research relating to the report was carried out...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (Professional Home Care) Bill 2016: Second Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Colm Burke: I thank each Senator who contributed to this very constructive debate. I also thank the Minister of State for her contribution. A number of important issues were raised. I agree with Senator Swanick on the issue of back-up support at local level, which cuts right across from nursing to general practitioners. As I said in my introductory speech, there was a prediction that by 2021...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (Professional Home Care) Bill 2016: Second Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Colm Burke: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 9 be dealt with before No. 1, if it is agreeable.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: It is the publication of a Bill on the registration of professional home care providers. The second issue is the whole health service and, following on from what Senator Humphreys said on a previous day, the need to have the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, in here regarding a number of issues. One of the issues we need to discuss with him is maternity services. A report was published...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (Professional Home Care) Bill 2016: First Stage (27 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I move:That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide for the regulation of professional home care, for that purpose to amend the Health Act 2007 and to provide for related matters.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (Professional Home Care) Bill 2016: First Stage (27 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: On Tuesday next.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Paediatric Hospital: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I suggest we ask questions and that the answers could be dealt with together.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Paediatric Hospital: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for their presentation and detailed submission. The issue of the location of the new children's hospital has been discussed for literally 25 years. We had decided on the Mater hospital site ten years ago. The planning for it from Dublin City Council was almost through when An Bord Pleanála overturned it. The decision on this matter was taken in 2012 and the site...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Paediatric Hospital: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: The reason I raised the issue was what was stated in the last sentence of Ms O'Shea's submission. It implicates the three clinical directors. It is in that context that I raise the question because it is a very serious allegation that the decision will cause deaths. The three clinical directors support the proposal. I am a little concerned that Ms O'Shea is implicating them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Paediatric Hospital: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I apologise for not being here for the start of the presentation. Unfortunately I had business in the Seanad I had to attend to. I was moving a Private Member's Bill. I have looked all the documentation on this. With regard to the presentation made earlier this morning, I raised in particular the issue that An Bord Pleanála looked at the Mater hospital site and decided it was not the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Paediatric Hospital: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I want to deal with an issue that was raised in the presentation made by the previous group of witnesses. They expressed the view that the Minister should intervene and locate the hospital the Connolly Hospital site. The last paragraph reads: "If the Minister fails to do so he should know with certainty that he will be responsible for the deaths of many children and the avoidable anguish of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs Staff (26 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister and I thank him for taking the time out from his busy schedule to deal with this query. St. Paul's School in Montenotte, Cork, has 95 students. Some have moderate learning disabilities and some have severe and profound learning disabilities. As I understand it, there are 15 class teachers and 35 special needs assistants. There is a problem in the school. I spent...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs Staff (26 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I very much appreciate the reply. I will send on the letter I received from the principal. One of the major issues is that because of the severe or profound learning disabilities of some of the students, extraordinary pressure is coming on staff. For example, when I was there one pupil required two staff members at all times. The school has a serious challenge in this regard.This pupil...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (26 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State and thank her for bringing forward the Bill. There is overall agreement that we need to tackle the drink problem. We have major problems in our health service and regarding many issues surrounding drink. The University of Sheffield, which was contracted by the Northern Ireland Executive, made a presentation to the previous Oireachtas Joint Committee on...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (26 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: Overall, there is a need for a major shake up in respect of how we approach alcohol consumption. We need an education programme and we need to control access to alcohol, especially for young people.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: We should consider the amendments put forward by the Independent Senators and Senator Black on advertising. This is especially relevant for advertising and broadcasting of a main sporting event. If such an amendment was to be brought forward, there is nothing to say it has to be put in place immediately. It could come in by way of regulation at some stage in future. I am somewhat...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: The national broadcaster is receiving some funds from the various companies in the drinks industry, in particular where advertising occurs around sports events. This is covered in the amendment tabled by Senator Black and others. While we may not be able to control or implement it now, my argument is that the amendment is valid. I am not asking that it would come into place immediately as...