Results 9,421-9,440 of 11,271 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Prison Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for bringing forward this legislation and for the change relating to St. Patrick's Institution. I have visited Oberstown and have seen young people coming into the criminal justice system. We need a more comprehensive co-ordination of services at local level involving education, health and justice to keep the maximum number of people out of the system. I am concerned...

Seanad: Prison Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: On that matter, I saw the figures and they are quite frightening. Between 2008 and 2010, the number of people arrested for non-payment of fines increased from 2,500 to 6,500, even in that short timeframe. In fact, over 50% of all arrests for committal to prison, where people are going into the prison system, are for non-payment of fines. That will all stop, and rightly so. It has been a...

Seanad: Harbours Bill 2015: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: It is €200 million.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: Sinn Féin will lower the salaries.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: Sinn Féin will lower the salaries.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I would love to have a debate on health with Sinn Féin, which does not want anyone in the health service to be paid more than €100,000 at a time when one of the biggest problems in the health service is the difficulty recruiting consultants..

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: The policy of the Senator's party is that it wants to cut salaries.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: Senator Cullinane's party might clarify its salary position-----

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: -----before it starts mouthing off about what it will do. Sinn Féin has made out that consultants are being paid too much. We have a big challenge in this country with the recruitment of medical staff. One of the challenges we are going to have to face over the next four or five years is the appropriate remuneration for people who have worked to get to the grade they are in and who...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: We will see it put in place on 11 January.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I will not excuse Senator Norris for that comment, however.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Update on Child and Family Services: Tusla (10 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank Mr. Jeyes for the work he has done while with the agency and for the progress that has been made. I note the budget for the coming year has been increased and this is a result of producing results over the past 12 months. I welcome the recognition of that work through the increased budget. My main concern relates to young people who drop out of school. We seem to have fallen...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Medical Cards: Health Service Executive (9 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank Ms Hoey for the presentation. According to the report, "Eligibility granted to applicants certified clinically as being terminally ill is no longer subject to an eligibility review". I have come across cases where to my surprise applications were refused. I accept that people were over the qualifying criteria, people aged over 70. The same discretion does not seem to have been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Medical Cards: Health Service Executive (9 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: There is discretion in that if one applies for the card as if the person was under 70, there is discretion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Medical Cards: Health Service Executive (9 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: What concerns me and the issue I am raising is where discretion is not applied where there is clear medical evidence that it should be.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I agree with the remarks made by Senator Darragh O'Brien in regard to the drug for cystic fibrosis patients. It is important that this issue be resolved. It is also important, in the context of the negotiations relating to the drug, that we get value for money. There has been much coverage in the past couple of years with regard to the availability of particular drugs and the fact that the...

Seanad: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the Senators involved for bringing forward the amendment. As a practising solicitor, I have some concerns about it from my own experience which includes attending a nursing home to have a document granting power of attorney signed, only to find that the person concerned was not at all happy about signing it. I did not get it signed but two days later in my office I found a signed...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (8 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: On the Leas-Chathaoirleach's ruling, my Commencement matter relates to the provision of accommodation for homeless persons, which is the responsibility of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. While I respect the Leas-Chathaoirleach's decision, this is a case of buck passing between the Department and the local authorities. The accommodation referred to which has...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (8 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: I appreciate the Leas-Chathaoirleach's suggestion, but-----

Seanad: Business of Seanad (8 Dec 2015)

Colm Burke: While I accept the ruling, it is an important issue, particularly as we approach Christmas, when there are homeless persons on the streets, despite the fact that this accommodation is available.