Results 10,221-10,240 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: One cannot have property rights if the product one distributes causes deaths. No property rights attach in that situation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I asked a question on the Charter of Fundamental Rights. I referred to specific sections of the charter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I asked a specific question on the charter. It is quoted in the submission that-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for making their contributions this morning. It is good to hear both sides of the argument. Back in 1964, Luther Terry, the then US Surgeon General, identified that smoking was a cause of death. The average number of people who die in this country as a direct result of smoking is 5,000 per annum, so a 250,000 people have died in the 50 years since 1964. That is...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Insurance Coverage (12 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for the comprehensive reply. I am not trying to impose an obligation on the State but rather more co-operation between the insurance industry and the State, which has happened in the UK. Could we consider what happens in the UK and see if we can implement similar measures? Comprehensive cover is not provided for everybody but there are particular cases where...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Insurance Coverage (12 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: This matter was already discussed today with the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Brian Hayes. I submitted this matter on the Adjournment last week when I was not aware that a debate on flooding would be on the Order of Business today. I have said three or four times in the past week that the Motor Insurance Bureau Fund is available to compensate an uninsured person...

Seanad: Recent Flooding: Statements (12 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State of the House and thank him for attending a meeting in Cork last Thursday night with the business community, the local public representatives and Oireachtas Members. It was an extremely constructive meeting. Moreover, the proposal made at that meeting about the setting up of a forum involving the Office of Public Works, Cork City Council officials and the...

Seanad: Health Identifiers Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State and the officials in all the Departments involved with the matter. It is an important step. We have much catching up to do, as I mentioned in a previous debate on the matter. In Denmark, the computerisation process began in 1994. We have 1,700 different computer systems in the health area but in Denmark they have 27 and are working to a target of five or six...

Seanad: Health Identifiers Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: Does the Bill adequately cover the situation of someone with dementia, particularly if there is no court order or enduring power of attorney in place? Have we adequately covered all the problems that might arise? While the amendment is welcome it is also important that those situations are adequately catered for, particularly enduring power of attorney, and even powers of attorney, because...

Seanad: Health Identifiers Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I fully support the Minister and I do not support the amendment. I have raised this matter in the House previously. A 1976 High Court decision decided that nursing home care came under the definition of medical care. As a result people received an entitlement that was not intended when medical cards were introduced. Likewise, this section states that having an identifier number does not...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Rare Diseases Strategy Implementation (11 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Rare Diseases Strategy Implementation (11 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I apologise for being late. I was awaiting a reply to a question at the health committee. This issue is about the provision of a national office for rare diseases. Much work is being done in this area and I was asked to raise this issue in view of the fact that there would be a national conference in Belfast at the end of the month and that it would be helpful if we could have some idea...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Rare Diseases Strategy Implementation (11 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply and apologise, again, for being late. I understand there are many demands on his Department; however, having worked with a number of the organisations, we should do everything possible to progress this matter. If the national plan was published, it would help. Is it possible for the Minister of State to give any guideline as to when...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Neurological Health Issues: Discussion (11 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I thank each witness for the very comprehensive presentation and the work they are doing. I fully appreciate that it is very difficult area. Deputy Ó Caoláin referred to the issue regarding Cork. If the people have been interviewed, does anybody understand why the appointments have not gone ahead? The people to fill the vacancies seem to have been selected. The worry is that if...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: Nursing Homes Ireland launched a report this morning entitled Health’s Ageing Crisis: Time For Action, A Future Strategy for Ireland’s Long-Term Residential Care. It highlights the challenges we will face over the next few years in respect of the growing number of people over 65 years of age. For example, there is an interesting statistic indicating that by 2021 there will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: It would be easy to amend the proposed legislation in order that we deal with that issue. We should take a proactive approach to it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I inquired earlier as to whether any progress had been made on the issue relating to smartphone apps.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I thank all the contributors for taking the time and effort in preparing their contributions. Some constructive proposals have been made this morning. As we sit here today, 14 people per day in real terms will die either at home or in hospital as a direct result of smoking and smoking-related illnesses. That is a conservative estimate and that is where we are coming from as a health...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (6 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: I welcome the witnesses and thank them for all the work they have done and are doing in this area. It is very valuable and they are making a huge contribution in this regard. One point on which I wish to touch is the high level of smoking within the poorest socioeconomic areas. How do the witnesses think this issue can be tackled? While legislators can make all the changes in legislation...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Feb 2014)

Colm Burke: On the failure to appoint hospital consultants, when the rules applying to consultant contracts were changed in 2012 I stated the new structure would not work. I have been proved correct as a number of vacancies for hospital consultants remain unfilled, including a consultant post in paediatric urology in Dublin, specifically to deal with children with spina bifida. This post has been...