Results 1-20 of 2,296 for speaker:Colm Burke in 'Dáil debates'

Dentistry Services: Motion (22 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I thank the Deputies for tabling the motion and giving us the opportunity to discuss oral healthcare services, to provide some updates on developments in the sector and to outline the Government’s priorities to fundamentally reform these services over the coming years. I am taking this debate on behalf of the Minister. To be clear, this Government allocates over €200...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (22 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Education. The Minister asked me to thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides the Department with an opportunity to clarify the position regarding the development of Fermoy Educate Together National School and, more specifically, the school's request for further accommodation. The Deputy may be aware that Fermoy...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (22 May 2024)

Colm Burke: Officials in the Department of Education have been engaging with the school patron, Educate Together, in respect of the current and future needs of the school.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (22 May 2024)

Colm Burke: As already outlined, there are 19 primary schools in the Fermoy planning area. I again thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The Department has ongoing communication with the school's patron regarding the accommodation needs of the school. The Department of Education continues to liaise with the school and NCSE regarding the provision of accommodation for pupils with special...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (22 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I note what the Deputy says in relation to the specific vacancy in Youghal and I will take back his concern to the Minister. The Minister fully acknowledges the frustration of those waiting too long to access vital primary care services and that of their families. He agrees that much more needs to be done to address waiting lists for speech and language therapy in addition to other key...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (22 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I fully understand the frustration the Deputy feels on this matter but it is important to acknowledge – this is not from a script - that there are more than 1,500 projects being dealt with by the Department. While the interim works on the Scoil Phádraig building will serve as a first phase for the Holy Trinity National School project, the progression of the project for the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (22 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I will come back to the Minister with the Deputy's concerns. As I said, I am stepping in for the Minister for Education and that is the information I have received. I will convey the Deputy's concerns to her.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (22 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I am.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (22 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Education. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it gives me, on behalf of the Minister for Education, the opportunity to provide an update to the House on the current position regarding the major school building project for Holy Trinity National School in Westport, County Mayo. The major building project for Holy Trinity is to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Departmental Funding (21 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I am dealing with this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter of funding for East Galway and Midlands Cancer Support, which is based in Ballinasloe, County Galway. The need to address survivorship care for those living with and beyond cancer is now recognised internationally. Groups such as East Galway and Midlands Cancer Support emphasise...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Departmental Funding (21 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I very much agree with her in respect of the number of people diagnosed with cancer who have come through treatment. They need support. The Department of Health and the NCCP are committed to working with cancer support services. This will ensure that various programmes and services are appropriately developed and made more widely available to those who need them. The current National...

Delivering Universal Healthcare: Statements (15 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I thank all Deputies for their contributions. It has been a useful discussion around delivering on a goal that we all share in this House. The programme for Government set out the pathway for expanding universal access to healthcare in a manner that is fair and affordable. The Government has delivered and is continuing to deliver on that commitment. The final progress report on the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Dental Services (14 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I fully understand where the Deputy is coming from in relation to any person having difficulty accessing dental care. It is clearly set out in the statement, "The HSE is required to support the provision of emergency care to adult medical card holders who have difficulty accessing a local dentist." Access to dental care, including for adult medical card holders, is a top priority for the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Dental Services (14 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I thank Deputy Buckley for raising this matter. I am dealing with this reply on behalf of the Minister. Dentures and denture repairs for medical card holders are provided by contractors through the dental treatment services scheme, DTSS, which provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. Denture-related items are available from both dentists who hold a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (2 May 2024)

Colm Burke: Most of the funding for section 39 and section 56 organisations comes through the HSE. The funding for some of the programmes that employ people did not necessarily come through the HSE and therefore they fell outside the agreement that was reached under the WRC. It is my understanding there are further discussions on that issue and every effort is being made to resolve it. It affects a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (2 May 2024)

Colm Burke: It is not necessarily from the HSE. It comes from different sources, which is one of the problems.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (2 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, Deputy Crowe and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for their kind comments. I thank Deputy Collins for tabling this question. Following many months of extensive negotiations in the WRC an agreement was reached in November 2023 which saw an increase in funding for pay of staff in section 39 organisations, as well as section 10 and section 56...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (2 May 2024)

Colm Burke: Officials from the Departments of Health and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the HSE and Tusla were invited to attend a WRC process on 16 October 2023 following similar engagements with trade unions representing section 39 and section 56 bodies in recent months. Following productive engagements with the WRC, strike action was averted. This is a recognition of the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Primary Care Centres (1 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I thank the Deputy again for raising this issue. An objective of the programme for Government is to deliver increased levels of integrated healthcare, with service delivery reoriented towards general practice, primary care and community-based services to enable a home first approach in line with the Sláintecare goal of receiving the right care in the right place at the right time. ...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Primary Care Centres (1 May 2024)

Colm Burke: I will come back to the Deputy. I wanted to say that as someone coming from a legal background I understand this, but I accept 14 years is a long timeframe and it should not take that long. Work continues on the provision of health centres in the Galway region. The primary care in Moycullen opened in April 2023. Proposed-----