Results 21-40 of 1,855 for speaker:Frances Black

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jul 2016)

Frances Black: I wish to speak about the comprehensive employment strategy for the employment of people with disabilities, which is a ten-year approach to ensure that people with disabilities, who are able to and want to work, are supported and enabled to do so. It is a cross-Government approach led by the Department of Justice and Equality and is based on five strategic priorities: building skills and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Charity Appeals Tribunal: Chairperson Designate (14 Sep 2016)

Frances Black: I welcome Mr. O'Connor to the meeting and apologise for being late. I was not expecting the traffic to be so bad this morning. This is my first meeting of the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality and while I am a little nervous, I am delighted to be here. I do not have a specific question for Mr. O'Connor. I simply wish to congratulate him on his appointment. He is highly skilled,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Implications for Good Friday Agreement of UK EU Referendum Result: Discussion (27 Sep 2016)

Frances Black: I thank the Minister for coming before the committee. I do not envy him the job he has ahead. I am keen to highlight the issues that my colleagues have spoken on, especially in respect of funding. I have worked closely with community initiatives in north Belfast such as Bridge of Hope, which does fantastic work, especially for people who have been affected by the conflict. The issues that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Fiscal Implications for Northern Ireland of UK EU Referendum Result: Discussion (27 Sep 2016)

Frances Black: I thank the Minister for attending. I love his positivity. It is great to see that - to use the "F" word - he is going to fight. He mentioned that he already felt he had his foot in the door and had more chance in Scotland. Can he say a little bit more around that and is he feeling positive around the fact that there is a possibility that the North can remain in the EU? How does he see...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Sign Language: Irish Deaf Society (28 Sep 2016)

Frances Black: I thank everyone for coming here today. The work Senator Daly is doing in pushing forward this legislation is fantastic. Ms Murray mentioned various issues. I cannot even imagine what it must be like to feel the isolation one might feel at times when trying to communicate in general with society. It must be very difficult. She mentioned mental health issues which can often arise. Is...

Seanad: UK Referendum on EU Membership: Statements (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: I welcome the announcement by the Taoiseach of the establishment of an all-Ireland civic dialogue on Brexit. My father came from Rathlin island, a small island off the coast of north Antrim, and if he were alive today he would have a lot of concerns. One of these would be over the Border becoming harder than it is at present. Some of the harder-line Brexiteers in Mrs. May's Conservative...

Seanad: Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement: Motion (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: I commend Senator Norris on bringing up the issue of tobacco health warnings and CETA. As we all know, according to the World Health Organization tobacco kills almost 6 million people annually. The 2005 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control advocates numerous regularity measures to restrict tobacco marketing and promotion. The multinational tobacco industry has opposed these measures,...

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Citizen-Centred Health Care: Civil Engagement (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: I thank the committee for inviting us to come along today. We were all delighted to come. I want to speak on a specific issue of concern. I have worked in the addiction area since 2003 during which time I have learned a great deal, particularly from family members, about the impact of harmful drinking on families and particularly on children. We know that we have a huge problem with...

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Citizen-Centred Health Care: Civil Engagement (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: It is a bit of both. I feel very privileged to address the committee today. Both of my colleagues from Civil Engagement are very experienced in this area. I probably do not have the same experience. I can only talk about the experience I have had in the charity sector working with the RISE Foundation, which I set up myself, and the lack of resources we have had. We provide a service for...

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Citizen-Centred Health Care: Civil Engagement (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: I am very concerned about this area because we are aware of the relationship between alcohol, drugs and even gambling and mental health and how they are so closely linked. Gambling probably has the highest rate of suicide out of all the addictions. When I worked as a therapist in the Rutland Centre, I do not think I had met anybody in there with an addiction who did not have underlying...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister for Justice and Equality (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: The Tánaiste has covered a lot of the questions that I wanted to ask but I will highlight a couple of issues. There is a lack of services provided to help people recover from addictions and mental health issues in the Prison Service. I appreciate that the Tánaiste has spoken a lot about the matter. I have worked closely with many of the women in the Dóchas prison so have...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: With regard to the budget, I wish to highlight the homelessness issue. Homelessness is one of the greatest scandals of our time.The fact that children are forced to grow up in hotel rooms is totally unacceptable. The imposition of rent controls should be a priority. I do not agree with the granting of tax relief to landlords who are driving rents up to unsustainable levels. The housing...

Seanad: UK Referendum on EU Membership: Statements (13 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: I welcome the Minister. This subject is very close to my heart as I have many family members who live in the North. We were all greatly surprised and shocked by the result of the Brexit referendum and are still coming to terms with the possible implications of this decision. The setting up of a hard border between the North and South would be a huge setback to the progress made since 1998....

Seanad: UK Referendum on EU Membership: Statements (13 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: Another concern I have is over the status of Irish people living in the United Kingdom after Brexit. According to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the right of Irish people to live and work in Britain should not be affected by Brexit. He told a House of Lords select committee that the British Government stood fully behind its commitments under the Good Friday Agreement,...

Seanad: Fire Safety in Traveller Accommodation: Statements (19 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: I really will keep it brief. I thank the Minister for coming in today. I had a speech ready but my colleague, Deputy Kelleher, just said it all. What she said in her speech is fantastic. I welcome the citizens of the Traveller community who are here today and I convey my condolences to the families of Carrickmines. When I heard my colleague's speech, it reminded me of being born and...

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2016: Second Stage (19 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: I wish to share time with Senator Lynn Ruane.

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2016: Second Stage (19 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: I welcome the citizens from the deaf community and from Bishopstown Community School. I commend Senator Mark Daly on the fantastic work he has done in the Committee on Justice and Equality on the issue of the Irish Sign Language Bill and in bringing the legislation forward. I was not aware of this so I appreciate the education I got on this issue in the committee. I was initially appalled...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for Garda Inspectorate: Discussion (19 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: I thank the delegates for attending and congratulate them on their recommendations. I am frustrated by the lack of implementation. If I feel frustrated, I cannot imagine what it must be like for the delegates. Mr. Toland made a point about the problems encountered. Some of the recommendations from a few years ago, perhaps 2009, were not implemented. If they had been, we would not have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for Garda Inspectorate: Discussion (19 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: Is bringing in a team to change the culture something that has worked previously? Have the witnesses seen it work where a team was brought in to work with the leadership in an organisation? Perhaps, the team has put a small bit of pressure on the leadership to try to get the implementation done. Do the witnesses have any experience of that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for Garda Inspectorate: Discussion (19 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: If there was new leadership, would that make a huge difference? If somebody came in and really wanted to make that change, would it then be implemented?