Results 1,441-1,460 of 11,183 for speaker:Colm Burke

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (30 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: 37. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport what action his Department is taking to deal with recruitment and retention challenges of bus drivers in the bus service, given the ongoing capacity issues across services nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52789/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (30 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: 96. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what action her Department is taking to deal with recruitment challenges of bus drivers under the school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52791/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (30 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: 135. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what progress has been made to date by her Department in relation to the establishment of a transfer or relocation scheme for post-primary school teachers to stem the teacher retention crisis; to outline in detail her Department's plans going forward to address this issue; if engagement is taking place with stakeholders (details supplied); and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (30 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: 149. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline in detail what steps the Government is taking to strengthen trade and diplomatic ties with European Union member states in light of recent global political developments. [49713/23]

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disease Management (28 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: Could I just ask the Minister of State about the issue I raised about a liaison person to be appointed? That would take out a lot of the uncertainty within the Department on that.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disease Management (28 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. I know that health is not his area but I appreciate his taking this so late in the evening. All of those involved in the whole area of rare diseases, both families and those involved in developing new drugs, are concerned at worsening trends which suggest that rare disease patients in Ireland are being subjected to even longer waiting...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disease Management (28 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State. I fully appreciate the funding that has been made available. However, we need to remember the figure I gave at the start. I know very many new orphan drugs have been made available over the past two or three years. We need to remember that we are still talking about the average number of days from approval by the European Medicines Agency to being available...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Management (28 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: 46. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the actions his Department will take in order to help expedite current flood relief projects, in view of the fact that the average flood relief project is taking 10-12 years to reach a conclusion; if this process can be made more efficient to ensure delivery of projects in a faster timeframe; and if he will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Management (28 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: 213. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to arrange for Cork City Council to put in place temporary flood defence barriers in an estate (details supplied) in view of the fact that over 25 houses recently suffered severe flooding and this is the second occasion on which it occurred; if the necessary funding will be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Management (28 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: 50. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the current position of the Blackpool flood relief scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52140/23]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Meetings (28 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: 353. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to arrange for her Department to appoint a liaison person to deal with the residents in an area in County Cork (details supplied) which suffered severe flooding recently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51911/23]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: There is a section in the planning Act so-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: -----let us use it.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: Many houses suffered severe damage as a result of recent flooding. Some people have had to spend over €100,000 in refurbishment and replacing furniture. In order to take remedial action we have been advised it may have to go through the planning process. Can the Department work with local authorities on using section 181 of the Planning Act 2000 in order to expedite flood relief...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: It is an emergency.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 45 - Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Financial Statements 2022: National Training Fund
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 19: National Training Fund (23 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: I would like to agree with colleagues regarding the 100th anniversary of the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. It has had huge achievement over that 100 years, and long may it continue. We have been very good and successful with regard to both the democratic system and the management of expenditure in this country. It is a job well done over the past 100 years, and may it...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 45 - Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Financial Statements 2022: National Training Fund
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 19: National Training Fund (23 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: The replies we get in the appeals process seem to be someone ticking boxes. No matter what element of social welfare or Revenue I am dealing with, within 48 hours I will get a response to state the issue is being dealt with or a detailed explanation as to why a decision was made in a particular way. Here I find that explanations are not given and it is very hard for us to explain to...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 45 - Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Financial Statements 2022: National Training Fund
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 19: National Training Fund (23 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: To take radiation therapy as an example, the colleges tell us they need funding to employ additional people.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 45 - Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Financial Statements 2022: National Training Fund
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 19: National Training Fund (23 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: It is very straightforward. Trinity College has said it is prepared to increase its number of places from 30 to 50 overnight if it gets the funding for additional staff. Likewise, UCC is prepared to double the number of places overnight, from 12 to 24. Even if we do this, it will still take four years to have Trinity graduates and two years to have UCC postgraduates. At the same time the...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 45 - Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Financial Statements 2022: National Training Fund
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 19: National Training Fund (23 Nov 2023)

Colm Burke: Approximately 50% of dental places are going to students coming from abroad. Can we have something in place by September next year to deal with a lot of these issues?