Results 221-240 of 5,087 for speaker:Kathleen Funchion

Commission of Investigation (Certain Matters Relative to Disability Service in the South East and Related Matters): Motion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I hope that after many long years of abandonment by the State, the Health Service Executive and Tusla, Grace will receive the truth and justice she deserves. As previous speakers pointed out, however, the commission of investigation must not be hypocritical by failing to address the cases of other children who were failed and who suffered abuse. It must bring fair retribution for Grace and...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (8 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I have a question on subhead B7, area-based childhood programmes. Some people involved in these programmes have a fear their funding will not be continued. Is there a commitment to continue the funding? Is it just for the next year? Is there a timeframe? Does the figure for the general child care programmes include the cost of the new affordable child care scheme?

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 40 - Children and Youth Affairs (Revised) (8 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I have a question on programme C. Is there an allowance for the publication and roll-out of the early years strategy?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Implications for Good Friday Agreement of UK Referendum Result (Resumed) (9 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: We have received apologies from Deputy Sean Sherlock, Senators Gerard P. Craughwell, Denis Landy and Niall Ó Donnghaile, Francie Molloy, MP, and Pat Doherty, MP. The joint committee is continuing its examination of the implications of Brexit for the Good Friday Agreement. Dr. Duncan Morrow, lecturer in politics and director of community engagement at Ulster University, will speak to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Implications for Good Friday Agreement of UK Referendum Result (Resumed) (9 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: That is fine. There are a number of members who will have to leave early.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Implications for Good Friday Agreement of UK Referendum Result (Resumed) (9 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: On behalf of the committee, I thank Dr. Morrow for coming. We appreciate him being with us and look forward to hearing from him. We will hear his opening statement which will be followed by questions and answers. Members, guests and anyone in the Visitors Gallery should please ensure their mobile phones and tablets are switched off completely for the duration of the meeting as they cause...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Implications for Good Friday Agreement of UK Referendum Result (Resumed) (9 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Implications for Good Friday Agreement of UK Referendum Result (Resumed) (9 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: Thank you, Dr. Morrow. I invite the members to put forward questions. I call Deputy Breathnach.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Implications for Good Friday Agreement of UK Referendum Result (Resumed) (9 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: Thank you. What was excellent in the presentation was the practical suggestions. That is welcome and refreshing. Obviously, we have been dealing with Brexit since last year but specifically in the last number of months because we will be compiling a report on it. It is helpful for us to get practical suggestions, particularly the first point you made about the special status. It is very...

Mother and Baby Homes: Motion [Private Members] (21 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I wish to commend my colleague, Deputy Ó Laoghaire, on tabling this motion and sharing his time. Sinn Féin is proposing that in light of the commission of investigation being deemed insufficient to deal with crucial issues in their entirety, that a truth commission be set up which would complement the work of the investigation. A truth commission would ensure that hearings...

Commission of Investigation Announcement on Tuam Mother and Baby Home: Statements (Resumed) (22 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this issue, particularly as a woman and as a mother. I feel it is quite personal, to a certain extent, as somebody who potentially could have been sent to a Magdalen laundry for having a child out of wedlock if I had been born in a different generation. I always think of that when I am reading the stories. While I welcome the establishment of the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Legislative Programme (22 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: 207. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to bring forward legislation regarding commercial surrogacy in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14350/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Staff (28 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: 19. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the measures she is implementing as part of the new affordable childcare scheme to tackle the issue of poor working conditions of the early years sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15277/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Staff (28 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I am sure the Minister is aware that working conditions for the early years sector are getting worse and while there are positive steps such as the introduction of the affordable childcare scheme and a welcome focus on improved standards to be introduced, I am concerned that there has not been sufficient consideration of the implications for the work force, that is, the increased...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Staff (28 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank the Minister for her answer and welcome her acknowledgement that wages in the sector are quite low. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs is preparing a report and I am its rapporteur. We have been speaking to workers throughout the country. The wages do not reflect the qualifications and expectations of those working in the sector. I understand there has...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Child Care Services Staff (28 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I welcome the fact that the Minister met the unions on this issue. As she acknowledges, underinvestment is the elephant in the room. Capitation rates are not high enough to subsidise an increase in pay for fair wages. What is the Minister's view of the introduction of a fair pay scale or a living wage? Would she and the Department support that? Government should advocate that all...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: 26. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the implementation of the access and inclusion model; her views on whether it will be sufficiently accessible to all children who are in need of extra assistance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15218/17]

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: The question relates to the access and inclusion model, AIM. I have read the Department's announcement about the opening up of 900 places to be made available on the higher education programme for leadership for inclusion in early years settings, known as LINC. A number of workers have raised some concerns and issues around AIM in respect of the best interests of the child. Will the...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank the Minister for her answer. I will pass on to her some of the concerns that were raised by the workers. Training, for example, was done on a lottery system. Access to training was not necessarily available to services that could have really benefited from the training, and some did not get it. Some services could have waited another year or so for the training and they received...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank the Minister and would welcome if she would look at that approach. I understand it is difficult to pick an approach that works but a lot of people felt they were left out. Finally, I have a concern about the under threes. While I know the access and inclusion model, AIM, pertains specifically to the early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme, when it comes to providing...