Results 11,081-11,100 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I welcome the decision by the Minister for Education and Skills on DEIS schools. This is the first time I have heard Members complaining in this House about 235 jobs being saved.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: In my constituency of Cork North-Central, teachers who were going to lose their jobs will now be retained in an important area that requires additional teachers.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: The success of the breaking the cycle programme has been proven by the number of students who have progressed to second and third level. Let us look at the positive aspects of the education system. My colleague, Senator Leyden raised the issue of the schools building programme. Could savings be made in this area? It appears to take forever to take a project from start to finish. Surely in...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I welcome the raising of the important issue today of human rights in China. As I stated last week, it is also important, however, we have a balanced debate about the positives in China too. Over 150 million people have been brought above the poverty line in less then ten years. When I was in Shanghai some time ago, I noted over 350,000 young people were in third level education with a...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: If Senator Cullinane does not want the €100 charge collected what services does he want cut?

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I do. If we are to provide services to our citizens we must have money to pay for them. Last week I met the manager of a hotel which pays €10,000 a week in commercial rates. This is the reality of what the commercial sector pays to local authorities. We need to get real; if we want services we must have money to pay for them. We can no longer borrow ad infinitum and decide we will not...

Seanad: European Globalisation Fund (15 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. This issue relates to the European Globalisation Fund, EGF, and the need to ensure we draw down all the funds available to us. Some €35.7 million was to be made available to us under this fund and I understand that the companies and the names of the people entitled to draw these funds were submitted with the applications over the past 12 months...

Seanad: European Globalisation Fund (15 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply. As I understand it, he is suggesting that people can go outside the State-funded training organisations, such as the VEC, for courses, which I very much welcome. In regard to the application that was made for the €37.5 million, what is the total number of those who have completed training or are in training? What is the likely...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: First, I welcome the visit by the Chinese delegation to Ireland, which is extremely important. As lord mayor of Cork, I had the privilege of visiting Shanghai in 2003 or 2004, but I was criticised for so doing, in the same way that Senator Rónán Mullen has now raised the issue. One figure people forget to mention is that in the past ten years 150 million people have been raised above the...

Seanad: HSE National Service Plan: Statements, Questions and Answers (14 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I propose we extend the debate.

Seanad: HSE National Service Plan: Statements, Questions and Answers (14 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister for dealing with all of the queries raised. While he will revert to Members on a number of issues, I thank him for his contribution and wish him well in the implementation of the service plan for 2012.

Seanad: HSE National Service Plan: Statements, Questions and Answers (14 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister. I thank him for his detailed summary of the service plan for 2012. It is a difficult area. Last year we spent €13.416 billion on health care and the total income tax collected in the country was €13.317 billion. In other words, we spent more on health care than we collected in income tax. It is a frightening figure when one puts it in that context but it...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I also welcome the jobs plan announced yesterday. I wish to raise one issue with regard to the proposal to remove red tape. I refer to a European Commission document which I have here. I can download a page which clearly shows the responsibilities of each official. There are 89 names on this page-----

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: -----and 89 different departments, but it clearly shows who is responsible for what area. We need to change processes in Departments and local authorities in order that people can immediately access information on a website as to who is dealing with a particular area in a local authority instead of having to telephone reception and go around the house to find the responsible person. The...

Seanad: Immigrant Investor Programme and Start-Up Entrepreneur Scheme: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: A number of the doctors working in the health service who came from abroad several years ago are now applying for citizenship. Some of the nurses we recruited from the Philippines five or six years ago are also applying for citizenship. I acknowledge the efforts made to expedite their applications but I have been contacted by several individuals who are thinking about going to Canada...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: The Taoiseach has made clear his position on extending an invitation to the Pope. An invitation will be made available once the appropriate indications are given to the Government. Yesterday, we discussed medical matters and the prospect of allowing qualified individuals to open GP practices. More than one third of junior hospital doctors come from outside Ireland and 24% are from outside...

Seanad: Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome the students who have joined us in the Visitors' Gallery. I hope the debate relates to their careers and that in the not too distant future we will see some of them as part of the medical profession here, able to practise in this country. This new Bill gives the right to practise to those who meet the required criteria. The restrictions...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I compliment Senator Coghlan for never missing an opportunity. It reminds me of when Cork became European capital of culture and it was decided by those in Kerry that they would celebrate 250 years of tourism in Kerry. They never miss an opportunity. I agree with Senator O'Brien on the issue of European legislation and directives. I have already suggested that we set aside two days a...

Seanad: Private Residential Tenancies Board (7 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I, too, welcome the Minister of State and wish him well in office. The issue I raise is in respect of the failure of a large number of landlords to register properties with the Private Residential Tenancies Board. This information has emerged as a result of a survey of a large number of properties carried out by Cork University Residents Forum. The survey found that up to 60% of private...

Seanad: Private Residential Tenancies Board (7 Feb 2012)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State. I note he referred to the second quarter of 2011 and the figure of 18%. The survey carried by the Cork university residents' forum was done in December 2011-January 2012 and its results are from that period. Its information is quite up to date. I am a bit concerned that the Minister of State's figures are for the second quarter of 2011, which is up to...