Results 10,481-10,500 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I was interrupted.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I am looking for a debate because by the end of this year, 48% of the population will have a medical card or GP card so please stop giving misinformation in this House.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Priorities for Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union: Discussion (11 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the ambassador to the meeting and wish his government every success during its Presidency. The European Commission is winding down between now and 2014. Certain issues will be parked by Commissioners because they know they will not have them dealt with by the end of June 2014, while others will be prioritised. Has Lithuania any concerns about these issues? Another issue that...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I am seeking information from the Minister. If the HSE will not give it to us, then the Minister has an obligation to do so.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I wish to raise an matter, which I acknowledge I have raised repeatedly over the past two years, in respect of the junior doctor issue. A meeting of the Joint Committee on Health and Children was due to be held this morning but did not go ahead because of the late sitting of the Dáil last night. However, in the report to the Joint Committee on Health and Children regarding the...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: The monthly economic bulletin issued by the Department of Finance is interesting because it sets out the average weekly wage in the first quarter of 2013 was €696.67. It also highlights that in six of the 13 categories or sectors of employment there was an increase in salaries or wages and in certain sections there was a decrease, mainly in the professional sector. These are gross...

Seanad: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (9 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, has already given a full and detailed explanation of the reasons for this Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013, which is meant to deal with a loophole that has arisen with the 2009 Act. That law was introduced to reform the Registration of Title Act 1964 and the Conveyancing Acts 1881...

Seanad: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (9 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I am giving an example from the Senator's comments. The Senator argued there should be no change in the law and it should be left as it is, even if the house in question is worth €5 million. There is a loophole in the legislation and the Minister has brought forward this Bill, making provision under sections 2 and 3 specifically with regard to a principal private residence, as the...

Seanad: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (9 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: We got a lot of that from the Senator's party.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: In recent days more than 600 young people who qualified with a medical degree started working in Irish hospitals. I am sure everyone joins me in wishing them well in their future careers. I hope most of their careers will be in Ireland and not in other countries. I welcome that the Minister for Health has announced that by November he hopes to have in place more structured contracts for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Transgender Health Issues: Discussion (4 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for their comprehensive presentations. With regard to the survey which showed 90% of service providers have not had specific training, for which group in the health care sector does Ms Lacey believe training should be prioritised? Will Dr. Crowley tell the committee what is the programme for the next one to two years in terms of the provision of training? According to...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I join colleagues in welcoming the appointment of the Ombudsman, Ms Emily O'Reilly, as European Ombudsman. Ms O'Reilly played a major role in identifying, more than ten years ago, the inadequacies and irregularities in the procedures for charging nursing home residents. Unfortunately, the Department of Health ignored her advice. The news of her new appointment is very welcome. Will the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Democratic Legitimacy and Accountability in the EU: Discussion (Resumed) with CEPS (2 Jul 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the witness for the presentation. There is an eight-week window in which parliaments and member states can give their observations on proposals from the European Union. Does Dr. Piedrafita consider that while around November every year the European Commission publishes a programme for the following year, there should be more engagement with national parliaments even with that...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospice Services (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for his very detailed reply. In view of the projected figures given for 2016 and the fact that when people are being cared for and supported under the hospice care and home care packages, significant savings are made, in real terms, in hospital services, is it time to look at the plan in view of the changes that have taken place to see how we can further improve...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospice Services (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. My Adjournment matter follows a presentation yesterday and the publication of a report by the Irish Hospice Foundation entitled, Access to Specialist Palliative Care Services in the Place of Death in Ireland. The figures in the report reflect the need for action to be taken. I am not blaming the Minister or the Department because this is a...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. A number of years ago, I promised him a No. 2 vote in a Seanad election, which at the time was as good as a No. 1 vote. I made it clear who I was giving my No. 1 vote and why giving the Minister of State a No. 2 vote would be as good as giving him a No. 1 vote. Little did I think when I was marking that ballot paper that I would be in here...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I join in thanking the Minister for taking on board the concerns we had in the House when the Bill was going through. This is a welcome development and I fully support it.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I have a question about the intervening section. When litigation is issued, the director general is not required to appear before an Oireachtas committee. What would happen if someone makes an allegation and the director general immediately issues a High Court writ, thereby preventing an Oireachtas committee dealing with it? That is dealt with in section 16 of the Bill. I accept the...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: It is an issue that arises and I am concerned about it.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I seek clarification. I note that we are raising the number of directors from six to eight. Perhaps we could get some clarification. I am not against it but I seek clarification about why the increase arises. I understood it was clearly designated originally that the maximum would be six. Are we now adding two further positions? Perhaps the Minister could provide some clarification.