Results 9,601-9,620 of 11,271 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Flood Prevention Measures (28 May 2015)

Colm Burke: I know the Minister of State has a very busy schedule and I thank him for taking the time to deal with this important matter. Cork has had major flooding on a number of occasions. The most recent flooding was extremely severe. The Office of Public Works drew up plans following detailed consultation in July 2014. It is important that we are given an outline of the intended work and its...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Flood Prevention Measures (28 May 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State. I note he referred to the third quarter of 2015. I ask that work would commence in the very early part of the third quarter because this matter should be progressed as early as possible. The ESB has implemented flood control measures in Inniscarra and Carrigadrohid dams and this is welcome. The local authority has a warning system in place.We have a lot of...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 May 2015)

Colm Burke: I wish to raise the issue of home care providers, which was featured on the front page of the Irish Examinerthis morning. The fact is someone can serve five years in Mountjoy jail and still set up a company to provide home care the day after release. There is no regulation governing the matter. I published a Private Members' Bill on the matter over four months ago. Resistance to a debate...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Ombudsman for Children: Presentation (28 May 2015)

Colm Burke: I have tabled a Commencement Matter in the Seanad this morning and I must leave soon. I thank Dr. Muldoon very much for his very detailed presentation and for outlining the work he is doing. He raised homelessness and children and the considerable pressures on local authorities at the moment. It is an issue that must be tackled urgently. I was involved in referring two cases to Dr....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Ombudsman for Children: Presentation (28 May 2015)

Colm Burke: In about ten minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Ombudsman for Children: Presentation (28 May 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank Dr. Muldoon and Mr. Walsh.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Recognition of Deafblindness as Distinct Disability: Discussion (28 May 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for their presentations and apologise for my late arrival. I had a prior commitment to raise an issue in the Seanad. However, I have read the presentations. The issue of deaf-blind and deaf people who require full-time care arose three or four years ago when we discussed deaf-blind and deaf people who are in care facilities that lack communication and co-ordination....

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2015)

Colm Burke: I am surprised by Senator O'Brien's comments about the private sector. Fianna Fáil relied very much on the private sector for donations over many years-----

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2015)

Colm Burke: -----so I am surprised by his criticism of the private sector. I have no difficulty-----

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2015)

Colm Burke: The private business sector employs many people in this country and it is important that it gets support. I will not comment further on the Aer Lingus takeover. The figures just announced in respect of medical services and the review for the month of March show that collective inpatient admissions are up 2% and outpatient attendance is up 3.8% ahead of target. For the month of March alone,...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2015)

Colm Burke: There is a lack of gender balance over there.

Seanad: Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements (27 May 2015)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank her for her commitment and dedication in this area. It is worth reiterating the figures she outlined in her statement. People often talk about taxation, but it is important to consider the purposes for which taxation moneys are used. As the Minister of State indicated, €1.5 billion is being spent in this area in 2015. This will...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 May 2015)

Colm Burke: Can I remind Senator Leyden that it was his party that sold off 75% of Aer Lingus? He should not forget that, and-----

Seanad: Order of Business (26 May 2015)

Colm Burke: Moreover, it sold off the controlling interest in the airline, and the Senator should not forget that.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 May 2015)

Colm Burke: I will start by paying tribute to the late Bill O'Herlihy. Senator Eamonn Coghlan summed it up well, and the only thing the Senator left out was that he was from Cork. That was an important part of Bill O'Herlihy.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 May 2015)

Colm Burke: In his major contribution to the media and to sport, he never forgot that he was from Cork and always retained that Cork accent that was very important in any presentations he made, no matter what it was, be it current affairs or sport. I pay tribute to the contribution he has made and sympathise with his family, as he will be greatly missed on his passing. On the equality referendum, like...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 May 2015)

Colm Burke: It held the referendum on marriage equality.

Seanad: National Drugs Strategy: Statements (26 May 2015)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for the work that he has done in this area. I compliment him on the way he has dealt with the media. He has conveyed a positive message on the new approach being taken to tackle this issue. We need a new approach to certain ways we have of dealing with the matter. Let us look at an interesting study produced by the European School...

Seanad: National Drugs Strategy: Statements (26 May 2015)

Colm Burke: Yes. We need a change in legislation if we want to introduce it. Has the Government looked at alternatives to methadone? Quite a large number of people have been on methadone for more than ten years. An expert group was set up to assess the situation. The drug is called-----

Seanad: National Drugs Strategy: Statements (26 May 2015)

Colm Burke: Suboxone, yes. My apologies. An expert group recommended that Suboxone be introduced, but we need a change in legislation first.Amending legislation will be necessary to allow it to be used. There are advantages in using the product as opposed to methadone. It has been tested and there is a reduced risk of misuse, overdose and death. It is unlikely to be diverted as a street drug and it...