Results 10,241-10,260 of 11,702 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medical Card Eligibility (20 Jan 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for his reply. I am raising this matter in the context of what has occurred in recent weeks. Applications were made to the HSE's medical card office by people with serious illnesses, yet discretionary cards were not granted. There has been quite a lot of media comment on that. I fully accept what the Minister has said about Huntington's disease because I have dealt...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medical Card Eligibility (20 Jan 2015)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. The matter I raise relates to Huntington's disease. A presentation was made to the Joint Committee on Health and Children last Thursday by Dr. Niall Pender, principal clinical neuropsychologist with Beaumont Hospital. Huntington's disease is an inherited, progressive degenerative brain disease. There is currently no cure. In Ireland at present,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Developing a National Strategy for Coeliac Disease: Discussion (15 Jan 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for their detailed presentation and the documentation we have received. As regards the area of specialisation, how many specialists are working in this area and how are we doing in terms of the ratio of specialists to population? Is there a need for a lot more people in this area? The first point of contact people have is with their GP and a lot of GPs are working...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Developing a National Strategy for Coeliac Disease: Discussion (15 Jan 2015)

Colm Burke: It relates to the use of dieticians and how we are not using them to the best effect in helping people. This goes back to the issue where 46.5% regarded their treatment as poor. How can we do a little more in relation to better co-ordination of services? What is the witnesses' recommendation in that area?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Developing a National Strategy for Coeliac Disease: Discussion (15 Jan 2015)

Colm Burke: Perhaps Professor Kennedy would also deal with the issue of specialists.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Coping with Challenges of Huntington's Disease: Discussion (15 Jan 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for coming here to deal with this issue. Both presentations referred to a need to develop a facility in Cork. Has a consultation or discussion taken place? There are three hospitals in Cork city. Has a suitable unit been identified to deal with this matter on a long-term basis? Is a new unit just a proposal and no discussion has taken place? Can the proposal be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Coping with Challenges of Huntington's Disease: Discussion (15 Jan 2015)

Colm Burke: I also suggest the joint committee should write formally to the medical card centre to the effect that when someone is identified as having Huntington's disease, it should not be a long drawn-out process, as it is not a disease that goes away.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Coping with Challenges of Huntington's Disease: Discussion (15 Jan 2015)

Colm Burke: The joint committee should write to the centre, in particular because the number of people affected is quite small in real terms.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Accident and Emergency Departments: Department of Health and Health Service Executive (15 Jan 2015)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for the presentations. I have a question about the Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann registration. A nurse who returned from the UK in early December and submitted an application has been advised that despite being due to start in a job on 1 January, the registration could not be completed until the end of January at the very earliest. Can...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Accident and Emergency Departments: Department of Health and Health Service Executive (15 Jan 2015)

Colm Burke: I do not understand why registration should take eight weeks. I have talked to people who have gone to New Zealand and Australia where, on average, it takes two weeks to register. I do not think it is acceptable that it takes eight weeks for health workers to be registered here when they come back home. It just does not make sense. Some representation should be made on the matter to see...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: I see where Senator Ó Clochartaigh is coming from. Where there is a health risk, Irish Water has a legal obligation to make full disclosure. In fairness, if it does not make a full disclosure, it walks a dangerous line because it must, at all times, keep and maintain records on water quality. These records must be made available if a person decides to enter litigation on a matter;...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: In fact, it would make it more confusing in terms of the definition of "householders". Someone might provide clarification because it is not defined in any section of the Bill. Should we now set out a definition of "householders" if we want to proceed with the amendment? On the contribution individuals are making to local government, there is a lack of knowledge of the contribution...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for being here. It is important for people to be constructive in this debate. In addition, those contributing should not be interrupted, as that is unhelpful. I welcome this section but do not agree with the amendment. Can someone give me a legal definition of "householder"? Does it have to be an owner, a tenant or just an occupier?...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: I join colleagues in wishing everyone a happy Christmas, including the staff, the Cathaoirleach and all Members. Regarding 2015, I hope we will not have to go through the process of an election until 2016. One of the issues that has come home to me in the debate on the water charges is the lack of information out there on the cost of running services in Ireland as evidenced in emails to me...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Prevention and Treatment of Lyme Disease: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: My apologies for not being present for the presentations, but I had to attend in the Seanad for votes. However, the delegates have given good responses to the questions put to them thus far. I would like to follow on from an issue highlighted by Deputy Billy Kelleher. There appears to be a huge difference of opinion on the diagnoses people are receiving from laboratories in Germany and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Regulation of Cosmetic Surgery: Discussion (18 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: Given the total amount of cosmetic surgery done in Ireland, have we any idea of the number travelling abroad for cosmetic surgery? Are we coming across problems where persons have gone abroad for cosmetic surgery, come back into the system here and it has had to pick up on mistakes made?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Regulation of Cosmetic Surgery: Discussion (18 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: Is it happening, where patients are coming back into the service here after mistakes being made elsewhere?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Regulation of Cosmetic Surgery: Discussion (18 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: Is Ms Eadie happy that the legislation on insurance that is going through will make some changes?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Regulation of Cosmetic Surgery: Discussion (18 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: Will the penalties for somebody not having insurance be adequate? Has this been considered? There is no point in bringing forward legislation if somebody can ignore it and continue to provide a service without adequate insurance. What does the standard insurance provided to GP practices cover? Does it cover cosmetic surgery and scanning? The public needs to know. The standard GP has a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Regulation of Cosmetic Surgery: Discussion (18 Dec 2014)

Colm Burke: Under new legislation, they will have to have insurance.