Results 761-780 of 10,635 for speaker:Colm Burke

Written Answers — Department of Health: Misuse of Drugs (17 Jan 2024)

Colm Burke: 1638. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to reports of increasing the misuse of fentanyl (details supplied); the measures that the Department is taking to tackle fentanyl misuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1059/24]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Misuse of Drugs (17 Jan 2024)

Colm Burke: 1645. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to alerts issued by the HSE on ketamine (details supplied); the measures that his Department is taking to tackle ketamine use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1099/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (17 Jan 2024)

Colm Burke: 1816. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider a review of the requirement for certain apprenticeship applicants to pass the Ishihara colour vision test without the use of corrective lenses, in view of the fact that corrective lenses are available and could be used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56481/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (17 Jan 2024)

Colm Burke: 1820. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider extending the SUSI grant scheme to part-time students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56648/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (17 Jan 2024)

Colm Burke: 1821. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will give due consideration to increasing the income threshold for SUSI grants by 15%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56655/23]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (17 Jan 2024)

Colm Burke: 1873. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of an application by an organisation (details supplied) to Pobal for funding for an additional full- time worker; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1328/24]

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Vaccination Programme (14 Dec 2023)

Colm Burke: I am asking the Minister for Health to initiate a health technology assessment for an RSV vaccine following recent National Immunisation Advisory Committee, NIAC, approval, particularly in light of the large increase of hospital admissions of patients with respiratory infections. Respiratory viruses are reportable since 2012 and the figures are frightening. Last year, for the 2022-23 winter...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Vaccination Programme (14 Dec 2023)

Colm Burke: I thank the Minister of State for a comprehensive reply. As he noted, there were 370 admitted to hospital in the last few days of November and early December and for the week ending 9 December there were 335 admissions. That is a huge demand on our health service. Therefore, everyone will agree at this stage that we need to identify the best way forward with the use of these vaccines and...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Programme A - Housing
Financial Statements 2022 - The Housing Agency
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 11 - Utilisation of the Land Aggregation Scheme Sites (14 Dec 2023)

Colm Burke: On the land aggregation scheme, 736 houses have been delivered over 13 years. That works out at 56 houses per annum. Under proposals for development, the Department is talking about 12 sites. Why is it taking so long to get proposals for development? In fairness, 13 years is a long time to get to that point. If a private developer acquires land and does not have it developed 13 years...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Programme A - Housing
Financial Statements 2022 - The Housing Agency
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 11 - Utilisation of the Land Aggregation Scheme Sites (14 Dec 2023)

Colm Burke: Is that in the coming year, five years or ten years?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Programme A - Housing
Financial Statements 2022 - The Housing Agency
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 11 - Utilisation of the Land Aggregation Scheme Sites (14 Dec 2023)

Colm Burke: At a time of housing shortage, 13 years is a considerable period to come to that decision. According to note 13 of the 2022 financial statements of the Housing Agency, €3.35 billion has been loaned to local authorities and €3.214 billion has been loaned to approved housing bodies. Is that correct?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Programme A - Housing
Financial Statements 2022 - The Housing Agency
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 11 - Utilisation of the Land Aggregation Scheme Sites (14 Dec 2023)

Colm Burke: Yes.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Programme A - Housing
Financial Statements 2022 - The Housing Agency
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 11 - Utilisation of the Land Aggregation Scheme Sites (14 Dec 2023)

Colm Burke: Where are the checks and balances in relation to the Department and all of the housing agencies? It is a substantial amount of money. We have already heard that one of the approved housing bodies has run into difficulties. Is the Department satisfied there are enough checks and balances in place?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Programme A - Housing
Financial Statements 2022 - The Housing Agency
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 11 - Utilisation of the Land Aggregation Scheme Sites (14 Dec 2023)

Colm Burke: Why are we becoming ever more reliant on approved housing bodies as opposed to local authorities? Why has that slippage occurred? The AHBs and local authorities are borrowing nearly equal amounts so obviously property development by both is almost equal. What is wrong with the system that over 50% of funding is now going to approved housing bodies? Is there a glitch in the system in the...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Programme A - Housing
Financial Statements 2022 - The Housing Agency
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 11 - Utilisation of the Land Aggregation Scheme Sites (14 Dec 2023)

Colm Burke: The period from when the local authority acquires land to actually getting a development is the issue. Has the Department examined how each local authority is performing as regards the timescale? Can they become more efficient in the delivery?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Programme A - Housing
Financial Statements 2022 - The Housing Agency
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 11 - Utilisation of the Land Aggregation Scheme Sites (14 Dec 2023)

Colm Burke: Does it still take six or seven years from the start to getting a finished product?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Programme A - Housing
Financial Statements 2022 - The Housing Agency
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 11 - Utilisation of the Land Aggregation Scheme Sites (14 Dec 2023)

Colm Burke: Given the demand for housing and growth in population, do we need to re-examine how we can deliver faster and more efficiently in a shorter time period?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Programme A - Housing
Financial Statements 2022 - The Housing Agency
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 11 - Utilisation of the Land Aggregation Scheme Sites (14 Dec 2023)

Colm Burke: On the issue of accountability, to return to the LAGS and the acquisition of land, I will give two examples. Naas Town Council acquired 5 h of land for over €8 million, which works out at around €2 million per hectare. Likewise, Cork County Council acquired land at a cost of over €700,000 per hectare in 2001. There did not appear to be any accountability at that stage....

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage - Programme A - Housing
Financial Statements 2022 - The Housing Agency
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 11 - Utilisation of the Land Aggregation Scheme Sites (14 Dec 2023)

Colm Burke: On Irish Water and sewerage treatment, over 500 facilities built in the 2000 to 2008 period are not up to scratch from an environmental point of view and from the process that is in place. What is planned to get all of those facilities up to a proper standard? Local authorities have refused to take over estates until Irish Water takes over sewerage treatment plants but Irish Water is...