Results 9,341-9,360 of 11,271 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Nursing Home Accommodation Provision (12 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I received a letter from the HSE to the effect that it was not the HSE's problem and that I should deal with St. Vincent's. I wrote to St. Vincent's and received no reply. This is not a way to deal with something that has been going on for four months. The HSE told me it did not know who it should contact in St. Vincent's hospital. It is unacceptable.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Nursing Home Accommodation Provision (12 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: Thank you.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I agree with Senator Norris and my colleagues in Sinn Féin on this matter. It is deplorable. It was a deplorable decision by Bank of Ireland. I am supportive of a motion being passed in the House criticising Bank of Ireland and calling on it to reverse its decision. It was wrong and there was no justification for it. I also want to raise an interesting issue that we need to be very...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I welcome the budget today and in particular the increase of €1 billion in the health care budget. It is extremely important that it be managed properly. I was interested to listen to the leader of Sinn Féin giving out about the budget. We are trying to encourage more nurses and doctors to come home to work in Ireland whereas Sinn Féin’s proposed increase in...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: Many good people from the health care sector have left the country and it is important that we do everything possible to bring them back. A total of 38% of the doctors working in this country are non-Irish graduates. Many are abroad and we need to encourage them back. Between now and 2025 there will be a shortfall of 95,000 medical practitioners in the United States. That is the challenge...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I was intrigued by Senator Devine’s submission on the health care issue. She raised a very important issue and I fully agree with her in many respects. However, there is a ten-year strategy committee and I am seeking to have Senators appointed to that committee. I now understand that Sinn Féin is opposing that. I am intrigued that Senator Devine is telling us what we should...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: She raised the issue.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: You did not restrict her. I am trying to raise this issue regarding where-----

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: ----- a political party, a group in this Chamber, opposes Senators being added to a very important committee. It is important that the House is aware of the position. I am just raising that issue here because I think it is important.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: It now appears that Sinn Féin has taken an opposite view.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: It is intriguing that now it appears that Senators in this House are no longer interested in a ten-year health care strategy.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: We will need to roll out an increasing number of home-care packages in the coming years. I am concerned over whether adequate training is available for people who want to provide such services. The Minister should come to the House to outline what is proposed in the area. It is an area that will grow very fast and it is important that we are able to respond to it accordingly. I ask the...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I wish to raise the methods the media have adopted regarding the health service. I have raised this previously. Everything that is done in the health service is reported in a very negative way. At 7.30 this morning I attended a presentation on a survey done by MSD. It shows that 39% of the population are very optimistic about our health service, 40% are pessimistic and 20% have no view...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I wish to raise the issue of commercial rates, which will come before local authorities in the next two months. An analysis was undertaken over the summer months to identify the amount of commercial rates being paid in local authorities and the lack of discretion allowed to councillors. For example, Cork County Council collected over €118 million in commercial rates, which is local...

Seanad: European Commission Decision on State Aid to Apple: Statements (4 Oct 2016)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for his presentation. I come from the local electoral area where the Apple facility in Cork is based. It is a mixed area, in that a large section comprises local authority housing where at one time unemployment reached well over 50%. It is an extremely important facility in Cork, in terms of the contribution it is making to the local...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Minister for Health (29 Sep 2016)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for a very comprehensive overview. I wish to raise a couple of points on the issues he has discussed. The first point is about the cost of drugs. I want to know what the actual total cost is. The Minister mentioned a figure of €1.9 billion in reimbursement and another €300 million in relation to the hospitals. That brings us to €2.2 billion. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Sep 2016)

Colm Burke: I also welcome everyone back for this term. A number of Members have raised the issue of health and it is an important issue for discussion. While there are difficulties in certain areas, Members should also acknowledge and check out an interesting report that has just been published in the medical journal, The Lancet. Ireland is ranked 13th out of 188 countries with regard to the United...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Charities Regulatory Authority (21 Sep 2016)

Colm Burke: I wish Mr. Farrelly every success in his new role. He was appointed on 16 May so he is only a short time in office. As he stated, there is a very significant number of charities in the sector. I am interested in the number of registered charities that receive HSE funding. The HSE's annual report of 2015 states that 1,847 different groups receive €100,000 or less and when one adds...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Charities Regulatory Authority (21 Sep 2016)

Colm Burke: It is a question of trying to encourage people to become involved. In many areas there are good ideas. In the health sector many services are now being provided that would not be provided only for people putting their necks on the block, pushing the boat out and developing those services. These are dedicated and committed people. We seem to have stepped away from that. How can we...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (19 Jul 2016)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for making time available to deal with this matter, which is in regard to nursing homes. It is a difficulty that has been experienced for quite some time which applies very much to nursing homes outside Dublin. The moneys they are entitled to collect under the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, may be far lower than the cost of providing care to elderly...