Results 10,541-10,560 of 11,285 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health Nurses: Discussion (27 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for the presentation and for the very valuable work they do. Yesterday, the hospice movement gave us an overview of the huge variation in hospice care across the country. The issue that comes to mind regarding children is the recent report on obesity which shows that 25% of children under three years of age are overweight or obese. It is obviously a problem created at...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I broadly agree with the amendment, which would still leave it open that the evidence would not be admitted except by order of the court. The amendment sets out the circumstances in which such an order could be made. The proposed amendment should be given serious consideration - perhaps it should have been considered at an earlier stage.

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the provision to facilitate the appointment of two additional judges to the Supreme Court. As the Minister outlined, there is a substantial backlog in dealing with cases. While I am open to correction, I understand that in a large number of appeals, the Supreme Court is finding that it must provide substantial assistance to litigants to ensure fair and proper procedures are...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: It is a matter of concern which cannot be ignored.

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: This is a welcome development given that many criminal cases take a considerable time in the courts. Does the procedure for having an open ballot need to be defined in the Bill? Normally, we select 12 jurors. Does this issue need to be clarified through definition, perhaps in a subsection?

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I wish to raise an issue in respect of the Coroners Act. The issue may already have been covered in other amending legislation but I have not been able to find it. The issue is about the duty of the coroner to hold the inquest within a certain period of time. The case I am citing is where a death occurred in a hospital through natural causes and there had to be an inquest but there was a...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (26 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I want to raise the two Bills which I published. The first, the Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2012, which relates to the need for comprehensive insurance, was first introduced in 2009 by the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, who was then in opposition. At the time, the then Department of Health and Children stated that by January of 2010 there would be agreement from it to this...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I support the Minister of State in what he is saying. While this is no criticism of the Minister of State or the Department, we need to do more long-term planning on hospital charges and elderly care. The history of this involves the 1970 legislation followed by the Supreme Court decision in 1976 which found that nursing home care came under the definition of medical care and therefore came...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: By abolishing the provision, are we opening an avenue in respect of people who are in nursing home care and who are not fully competent in the context of providing instructions as to what should be done regarding their affairs? I was involved in a case eight years ago in respect of someone who was a ward of court and who was in nursing home care. I applied to the wards of court office to...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I raised the structure of elderly care and the need to plan for the future on the initial Stages of the Bill. By 2021 we will need to have an additional 13,000 beds if everyone with certain disabilities or health issues are put into nursing homes. We need to work together in a more comprehensive manner. I discussed it with the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, and had an Adjournment debate...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the report from the National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre in Cork which deals with the management of maternity care in 19 of the 20 maternity hospitals throughout Ireland. The report quite clearly shows that Ireland is up among the best as regards the standard of care internationally. Over the past 12 months the debate on maternity services was such to infer maternity care was...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Courts Staff Recruitment (19 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: While I fully accept that reform is taking place, it will not resolve the problem immediately. There are issues to be addressed. I will be writing to the Minister directly about the matter. There is a cashflow problem and it will cost jobs. That is the reality and the position will not change immediately. The unnecessary delay due to the volume of work facing taxing masters is of major...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Courts Staff Recruitment (19 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter relating to the Department of Justice and Equality and the Courts Service. The High Court has two Taxing Masters and I do not want this matter to be viewed as a criticism of them because they are doing a good job, but there are long delays because of the volume of work they face. I refer to the need to appoint a third Taxing Master. I...

Seanad: Public Health (Availability of Defibrillators) Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (19 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Public Health (Availability of Defibrillators) Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (19 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State and I thank the Minister for Health for being here earlier. I also thank the proposer and seconder of the Bill. I thank Senator Quinn and his advisers for a carefully drafted Bill. I have drafted legislation so I know it takes time to draft and prepare legislation. I will start by referring to the Minister of State's area of Castlebar. In the past few weeks...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (19 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State. It is not often that I agree with Senator Marc MacSharry, but it would have been helpful if the Minister's speech was given to us before the debate commenced. I am a little disappointed. I made two calls to the Department yesterday seeking clarification not only on this matter but also another health Bill to be discussed after this and I find it unhelpful...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2013: Order for Second Stage (19 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I move: "That Second Stage be taken today."

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I support my colleague on the matter raised by Mr. Justice John McMenamin yesterday. According to the court reporting, consent was dispensed with in May 2010 when the person was under 18. The point made yesterday concerned the need to notify State authorities when someone is under 18. The requirement for three months notice was dispensed with when the application was made for consent to go...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: I was not present last Thursday because EMC announced the creation of an additional 200 jobs in Cork. This brings to more than 2,000 the number of employees the company has in Cork. I pay tribute to the company and to its chief executive officer, Mr. Bob Savage, who is also the chairman of the board of Cork Institute of Technology. I refer to the changes he has brought about since taking...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jun 2013)

Colm Burke: You gave it to Eoin Ryan.