Results 521-540 of 636 for speaker:Joan Freeman

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Future of Mental Health Care: Engagement with Minister for Health and Minister of State at the Department of Health (11 Jul 2018)

Joan Freeman: Those are the questions. I thank the Minister of State. He got off very lightly.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2018)

Joan Freeman: I wish to draw attention to mental health in the workplace, especially following the VHI report on mental health in the corporate workplace. The VHI released a study during the summer called Mind Matters, which examined mental health and resilience in corporate workplaces in Ireland. One in five corporate employees feels extremely or very stressed and this increases to one in four in the...

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Joan Freeman: I believe that section 6 has been agreed. Forgive me for being late. The storm is causing havoc. I wonder whether we could go back and discuss section 6?

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Joan Freeman: It is really important.

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Joan Freeman: I support Senator Devine's point that this board must be comprised of experts with lifelong experience in this area. The appointment of people just for their name or for the sake of it would be unwelcome. I also support Senator Devine's proposal in amendment No. 2 regarding the addition of the words "mental health". This amendment is important because it highlights the importance of mental...

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Joan Freeman: I know, but I just wanted to make that point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Future of Mental Health Care: Health Sector Pay Report: Public Service Pay Commission (26 Sep 2018)

Joan Freeman: I welcome to the meeting Mr. Peter McLoone, Mr. Kevin Duffy, Mr. Michael Kelly and Ms Joan Curry. On behalf of the committee I thank the witnesses for their attendance today. The format of the meeting is as follows. Witnesses will be invited to make a brief opening statement which will be followed by a question and answer session. I draw the attention of witnesses to the fact that by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Future of Mental Health Care: Health Sector Pay Report: Public Service Pay Commission (26 Sep 2018)

Joan Freeman: I thank Mr. Duffy. Deputy O'Loughlin has kindly agreed to allow me to make the first contribution because I have to leave at 2.30 p.m. My input will be more of a statement than a series of questions. While I understand Mr. Duffy's view that the report and its recommendations should be applied right across mental and physical health services, we are aware of the serious challenges and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Future of Mental Health Care: Health Sector Pay Report: Public Service Pay Commission (26 Sep 2018)

Joan Freeman: Staff find it especially difficult to cope with the hours of work. Does Mr. McLoone wish to comment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Future of Mental Health Care: Health Sector Pay Report: Public Service Pay Commission (26 Sep 2018)

Joan Freeman: The solution may be to adopt an agency model in which staff have flexibility and better pay and do not have to reduce their income through pension payments, etc. That could be a solution-based approach.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Future of Mental Health Care: Health Sector Pay Report: Public Service Pay Commission (26 Sep 2018)

Joan Freeman: I must ask Mr. Duffy to move on because we are running out of time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Future of Mental Health Care: Health Sector Pay Report: Public Service Pay Commission (26 Sep 2018)

Joan Freeman: As Deputy Buckley will take the Chair in approximately ten minutes I invite him to ask his questions now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Future of Mental Health Care: Health Sector Pay Report: Public Service Pay Commission (26 Sep 2018)

Joan Freeman: It has been absolute repetition on our part. There are 12,000 reports, incidentally, and many do exactly what you are doing. We are also looking at the retention and recruitment issues. Thank you for that and thank you for attending. Deputy Buckley will take over the Chair and I thank members for letting me leave.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2018)

Joan Freeman: It is nice to be back. I thank my Seanad colleagues for some of the lovely messages of support during the recent presidential election. Besides encountering incredible community initiatives around the country during the campaign, the night before the election, my family presented with me with a medallion, on the back of which was inscribed, "Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2018)

Joan Freeman: That is why I was so delighted I had the opportunity to run in the presidential election. I was also proud to have brought the issue of mental health to the fore of the national conversation during this period. This is an issue on which I have worked for decades and one which could not be closer to my heart. I look forward to continuing this work in the House. I will never tire of...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Discussion (13 Nov 2018)

Joan Freeman: I congratulate Senator Ó Céidigh on organising this event. I have been enlightened in so many ways. I address my first question to Ms O'Toole and the second to Mr. Doheny. I have just come back from travelling the country. Ireland exists outside of Dublin, even though most people think that it does not. I have seen that many counties have been neglected, especially in the area...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2018)

Joan Freeman: Last year €10 million was spent on counselling and talk therapy in comparison with €400 million spent on anti-depressants. We have seen a significant increase in the use of anti-depressants in this country, with one in ten people being prescribed them, not necessarily because they are depressed but because 80% of general practitioners who are the first stop in terms of primary...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Governance Issues in Scouting Ireland: Discussion (21 Nov 2018)

Joan Freeman: One of my questions is similar to one asked by Deputy Sherlock. When Mr. Elliott spoke to the Minister last night, did he outline a procedure to put in place a protocol for the victims? Is action on funding the only punitive measure the Department wishes to consider to deal with this revelation? As the Minister said there are 50,000 members of Scouting Ireland. Is just withdrawing funds...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Governance Issues in Scouting Ireland: Discussion (21 Nov 2018)

Joan Freeman: I know the Minister only received the figures last night and is just as much in the dark as everybody else. My fear is that when this becomes public there will be vast numbers of victims. The answer is probably "No, not yet," but will there be a protocol ready to handle the impact of this information?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Governance Issues in Scouting Ireland: Discussion (21 Nov 2018)

Joan Freeman: Yes.