Results 11,041-11,060 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Clotting Factor Concentrates and Other Biological Products Bill 2012: Second and Subsequent Stages (21 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State and the Bill to the House. It is administrative legislation, in that it tidies up a situation. The Government and the Department received legal advice to the effect that the Bill was required to transfer this aspect of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service's work to St. James's Hospital. It is a short Bill of just three sections and the Minister of State...

Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: It is about leadership.

Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I wish to share time with Senator Jim D'Arcy.

Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: In dealing with this debate we need to examine one or two issues with regard to the economy. This morning I referred to the cost of health care and that we spent €13.4 billion on it last year and brought in €13.317 billion in income tax. We need to communicate what services cost because there is a total disconnect between what people feel they pay for and what they get. In real terms...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: We need some realism in this House. Last year we spent €13.4 billion on health care, including on medical cards, elderly care and hospital care, and we brought in €13.317 billion in income tax. Every cent paid in income tax last year was spent on health care. I refer to the payment of commercial rates. If one is a member of a local authority, one is not entitled to hold one's seat if...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: People have criticised Ministers for not coming into the House but we must get our own house in order. I raise again the role we can play in European legislation. I understand a letter was sent to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission about the allocation of staff to deal with that issue. That was more than six weeks ago and I am anxious that the Deputy Leader looks at this issue again -...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I have a few questions.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: The other issue I wish to raise is that of third level colleges. It is wrong in this day and age that we have colleges producing graduates for whom there are no jobs in this country. I refer, in particular, to the law faculties, in respect of which we have not adjusted to the times. It is sad that it takes so long for a third level institution to change to meet what the market is now...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I agree to an extent with Senator Darragh O'Brien that priority should be given to addressing the problem of mortgage arrears. As someone who wears both a political and legal hat, every week I encounter cases of people who want to address their mortgage difficulties but do not have an avenue for doing so. While it is important to implement legislation to address this issue, we must do so...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: Unfortunately, the legislation in question did not stand up constitutionally, as the Senator's party was advised.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: Let us do this properly.

Seanad: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements (14 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: In a debate about EU matters we need to be positive in respect of what the European Union has done for us, because it appears we walk away from that when debating such issues. In 1992, 1.2 million people were at work. By 2008 the number had increased to 2.1 million, a huge increase in the number in employment in a short time. The reason we were allowed grow the workforce was that we had...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: With regard to recent judicial decisions, it is important to realise that in each case there is a right of appeal on matters still pending. Before a decision was arrived at a number of days were spent in court and a lot of issues were dealt with. To be fair to the Judiciary, it adopted a balanced approach. It does not always get it right, but there is an appeals procedure in place. I wish...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: They have not.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: On a point of order-----

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I agree with Senator Ó Murchú's comments to the extent that yesterday we discussed a motion on the issue of rare diseases and the need for a proactive Government policy to deal with it. There was broad agreement across the House on how the issue should be approached. Likewise with the jobs issue, everyone in the House regardless of party affiliation has one aim, that is, to get people...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: It should be outlawed because it was wrong. It should not have been done and it should be made illegal now. This is one of the issues I want on the agenda if we are to debate the banking issue. The sooner it is on the agenda, the better for everyone in the country. I call for a debate on the issue at the earliest possible opportunity.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome this Bill. The Minister gave a comprehensive overview of the legislation in his opening statement. I agree with Senator Thomas Byrne that former Tánaiste and Minister, Mary Harney, made a valuable contribution in this area. On competition, I was fortunate enough to be apprentice to the solicitor who took one of the first...

Seanad: Rare Diseases: Motion (7 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, for attending the House today to deal with this matter and to listen to the Senators' views. I thank all the Senators who contributed to the debate. Everybody who did so was very constructive and supportive of the work the Minister and the Department have done to date in dealing with this matter by...

Seanad: Rare Diseases: Motion (7 Mar 2012)

Colm Burke: I move: That Seanad Éireann: notes that a rare disease is defined in the EU as a condition that affects fewer than 5 in 10,000 people, 0.5% of the population. Further notes, that even though specific data on rare disease prevalence have not been compiled in Ireland, the Department of Health recognises that between 6% and 8% of the population could be affected by a rare condition, according...