Results 10,601-10,620 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Nessa Childers, MEP (1 May 2013)

Colm Burke: Ms Childers is very welcome to the Seanad. I agree with her views on Seanad reform and I have been arguing the same case for the past two years. I will refer to Europe's role in the area of medicine, the role it is playing and the role it can play. I was in the European Parliament for two years, a brief time, but at the time the internal market committee dealt with the cross-border health...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 May 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the decision by the Government yesterday in regard to proceeding with the publication of the heads of the protection of life during pregnancy Bill. I agree with Senator O'Brien that it is important that there be a reasoned debate on this matter. I know some Senators, such as Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú, have very strong views and I very much respect those views....

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Pat The Cope Gallagher, MEP (25 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: The second matter is the issue of whether, in the case of proposed European directives and regulations, more should be done about analysis here. I suggested that the Seanad would set aside two days a month to go through regulations and directives much more comprehensively than is being done. There was a recent example in the Joint Committee on Health and Children where the committee was...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Pat The Cope Gallagher, MEP (25 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: Those are the two questions I want to ask. I wish to know, in view of Mr. Gallagher's involvement here, both in government and in dealing with the Seanad, whether the Seanad could play a more active role in working with MEPs and in looking at EU directives and regulation.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Pat The Cope Gallagher, MEP (25 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome Mr. Gallagher to the House and pay tribute to the work he has done in the fisheries area. As one who served as a substitute member on the fisheries committee, I know full well the amount of work involved. I owe him an apology as it was agreed that the fisheries committee would visit Ireland in 2008 or early 2009. His colleague, Mr. Seán Ó Neachtáin, was also a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Organ Donation: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: I just wanted to hear the answer. I will skip it if I have to.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Organ Donation: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank all the contributors for their excellent presentations this morning. I have learned a great deal from them. Has there been any discussion of providing one transplant unit for the country among the medical profession, the HSE and the Department of Health? The need for a long-term plan has been highlighted. I have a serious problem with the way the HSE is dealing with the general...

Seanad: Financial Stability and Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (24 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: Financial Stability and Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (24 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I also welcome the Bill put forward by Senator Barrett. As someone who has also published a Private Members' Bill, I know the amount of work involved. This area is extremely complex and this is a very well researched and drafted document, on which I compliment him. He raises the very important issue of whether we learnt lessons from what has...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: Could I comment briefly on the proposed legislation on the X case? It is important to realise that the comments that have been made recently about the requirement for six consultants is not a practical proposal. I do not think it was ever on the table. It is amazing how speculation can go wild on occasion. Of the 18 maternity hospitals, 11 of them have only three obstetricians, which...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: I agree with Senator Cullinane on the housing issue. It is not only about the problems that local authorities have in managing their housing stock as there is also an issue regarding vacant housing. As I understand it, Cork City Council has over 500 vacant houses, so we must devise new schemes to bring such properties back into use. If necessary, we should work with the private sector to...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. I welcome the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2013, which has arisen on foot of the European Court of Justice ruling on minimum pricing. The Minister went through the figures. It is amazing that there has not been a substantial decrease, in real terms, in the number of people who smoke. We still seem to have a problem with people in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Organ Donation: Discussion (18 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: I wish to thank all the witnesses and commend them on their very comprehensive presentations. I recently spoke to a medical consultant who was involved in a team looking after a patient. They spent five hours in the operating theatre trying to get someone through a very difficult situation and they thought they had done a great job. They found that in the theatre next door there was a team...

Seanad: Adjournment Debate: Medicinal Products Prices (17 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister. My principal issue is that people should get a detailed statement at the end of the month regarding the total cost of the medication, including what refund is coming from the Department. There is a huge lack of knowledge as to what medication is now costing. If one is under the €144 threshold, one knows exactly what it is costing, but if it is over €144,...

Seanad: Adjournment Debate: Road Network (17 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: Perhaps they were trying to save paper.

Seanad: Adjournment Debate: Medicinal Products Prices (17 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for coming to the House at this late hour to deal with this matter. The issue I am raising relates to what happens when people purchase drugs or medications from their local pharmacies. I understand that after they have made the maximum monthly payment of €144, they are not given a detailed breakdown of the total cost of the rest of the medication from which they...

Seanad: Mortgage Arrears: Motion (17 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: That is outrageous.

Seanad: Mortgage Arrears: Motion (17 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State. We need to deal with other issues as well as that of mortgage arrears. For the past two years the Government has been working to encourage job creation, as jobs generate income and borrowings can be serviced. The Government has made significant progress in the past six months on the issue of financial stability, which will assist many families in dealing...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: In dealing with the Croke Park agreement it is important for us to look at what has happened in the private sector. Many workers in the private sector have suffered pay reductions of more than 40%. Many small business owners are putting whatever money they have saved in the last ten, 15, 20 or 30 years back into their businesses to try to preserve jobs. Many are stuck in that position. We...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2013)

Colm Burke: The Senator's party had 14 years, but it did nothing about it.