Results 9,961-9,980 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Sep 2014)

Colm Burke: I agree with Senator Norris that there is a need for reform in how we elect Senators. I am one of those who agree with him because the current panel structure comprises technical procedures and nothing more.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Sep 2014)

Colm Burke: My points are in response to what has been said. There are a lot of allegations flying around. Individual panels are of a technical nature and some have questioned whether someone is fit to sit in the House. Anyone who is over 18 years of age is fit and qualified to sit in the House no matter what his or her background is, and Mr. McNulty is suitably qualified to be in the House. I look...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Sep 2014)

Colm Burke: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Sep 2014)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House, and join with my colleague in wishing him well in his new portfolio of health. It is a difficult challenge and there are a lot of issues that need to be dealt with. I have no doubt whatsoever that he is up to the challenge and will continue to improve and reform the current health service. I welcome the publication of this Bill. It follows on from the...

Seanad: Order of Business - Order of Business (24 Sep 2014)

Colm Burke: All those appointed to a board are suitably qualified if they are self-employed and running their own business. It they are able to manage their business, they are well able to serve on a board of directors, regardless of what that board is for.

Seanad: Order of Business - Order of Business (24 Sep 2014)

Colm Burke: The issue I wish to raise relates to the health sector. I agree with the remarks made by Senator Mullins. The general doctors issue is getting quite serious and by this time next year we will face a major problem. For the last 15 to 20 years we have been relying on doctors from non-EU countries to come here and apply for the jobs in this country, but the number of doctors from non-EU...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2014)

Colm Burke: I join Senator Sean D. Barrett in congratulating the three students from Kinsale, Ciara Judge, Émer Hickey and Sophie Healy-Thow, on their huge achievement in winning the EU Young Scientist competition and the Google Science Fair award. It is a major achievement not only by the students but by the school, teachers and parents who gave the necessary support. It is a credit to the school...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Gaza - Middle East Peace Process: Palestinian and Israeli Ambassadors (3 Sep 2014)

Colm Burke: What about the use of cluster munitions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Gaza - Middle East Peace Process: Palestinian and Israeli Ambassadors (3 Sep 2014)

Colm Burke: The use of cluster munitions means everyone in sight gets hit. Cluster munitions were used.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Gaza - Middle East Peace Process: Palestinian and Israeli Ambassadors (3 Sep 2014)

Colm Burke: I am speaking about-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Gaza - Middle East Peace Process: Palestinian and Israeli Ambassadors (3 Sep 2014)

Colm Burke: I know but they were used.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Gaza - Middle East Peace Process: Palestinian and Israeli Ambassadors (3 Sep 2014)

Colm Burke: I thank the ambassador for giving us his time today to deal with these issues. It is a very complex area. I have visited Gaza; I was there in 2009, four weeks after the hostilities in that year. There was a huge amount of damage done at that time with many people killed. I thought that after that event progress would have been made to try to come to a long-term solution, but that does not...

Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)

Colm Burke: -----an immediate arms embargo on Israel, Hamas and armed Palestinian groups; Israel to halt the obstruction of relief for the civilian population of Gaza and allow sufficient medical and fuel supplies into Gaza-----

Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)

Colm Burke: -----and humanitarian workers to be allowed safe passage into Gaza. Amnesty International has set out clear points that should be implemented immediately. The international community had the opportunity to do that, and now is the time to implement it.

Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister and fully support him in Ireland's decision to abstain in the recent vote at the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva. Similar to other EU countries, Ireland abstained in the vote. Our position was and still remains that during the recent hostilities there have been clear breaches of international law on both sides. The resolution before the Council...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Section 38 and Section 39 Agencies: Health Service Executive (22 Jul 2014)

Colm Burke: With regard to companies with charitable status, outside of having to account to the HSE, they must also account to the Companies Registration Office or the person in charge of companies with charitable status there. When we speak of the HSE, we know it has 100,000 employees. When we speak of section 38 and 39 organisations, are there an additional 33,000 employees on top of the 100,000...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Section 38 and Section 39 Agencies: Health Service Executive (22 Jul 2014)

Colm Burke: What is the total number of people employed with section 39 agencies?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Section 38 and Section 39 Agencies: Health Service Executive (22 Jul 2014)

Colm Burke: I asked about the ratio.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Section 38 and Section 39 Agencies: Health Service Executive (22 Jul 2014)

Colm Burke: I thank the delegation for the presentation this morning and for all the documentation that we have received. The latter contains a lot of information and I appreciate it being furnished to the committee. It is important that we acknowledge the work that all of these organisations are doing and the excellent service provided. We are not here today to criticise them, just to make sure that...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jul 2014)

Colm Burke: Following on from what Senator Barrett said about the Committee of Public Accounts, I think the CPP made an important decision in that for the past eight months, the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children has been denied the right to cross-examine the 2,600 organisations that get funding from the HSE and the Department of Health. The money they are getting amounts to €3.27...