Results 841-860 of 2,011 for speaker:Frances Black

Seanad: TRIPS Waiver: Motion (15 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. I am so proud to co-sponsor this motion with my colleagues and friends, Senators Higgins and Ruane. I commend Senator Higgins on her leadership on this issue and her passion for fighting for what is right. I am just blown away by this debate.I commend Senators Malcolm Byrne, O'Loughlin and Garvey on the stand they have taken. It gives me...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: The Minister is very welcome to the House. I wish her and her family, including the new grandchild she had only this year, a really happy Christmas. The first Christmas is always a very special one. I must highlight a few issues, however. Now, more than ever, is the time to invest proactively and strategically in our public services. While the nominal increase in welfare payments will no...

Seanad: Live Industry Supports: Statements (16 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I thank my colleague, Senator Warfield, for allowing me to speak next in case we run out of time. The Minister is very welcome to the Chamber. This is a critical debate. As the Minister can imagine, I am very concerned about the music industry. We need to act now to save the music and live entertainment industry in this country. Some action has to be taken. The long and short of it is...

Joint Committee On Health: General Scheme of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: I will bring Deputy Kenny in first. There will be plenty of time for Deputy Hourigan to come in again after Deputy Buckley.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Business of Joint Committee (7 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I propose the meeting be rescheduled as, to be honest, a time allocation of five minutes for the members is not enough. We would be rushing everything. It would be a good idea to reschedule the meeting for next week. I have a meeting of the Joint Sub-Committee on Mental Health next Tuesday and perhaps we could reschedule this meeting for that time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I welcome the Minister and I thank him for being here. There is significant concern with regard to the chairperson still not being in place, particularly to support the development of the research tenders on service provision and the selection process for researchers. I wanted to note my concerns around all of that. I want to follow up on a couple of points. When one is towards the end...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I thank the Minister. Will the review also look at findings of recent reports such as, Too Many Barriers, by the Abortion Rights Campaign, which highlighted structural, social policy and practical barriers that prevent legal access to abortion? An example of some of the findings include a lack of English interpreters, geographic disadvantage, lengthy travel times and participants citing not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: Will the review include input and testimony from those who provide abortion services in regard to what changes they might need to deliver their services to those most in need of them? I hope that makes sense.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I thank the Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I thank the HSE management for joining us to discuss this important issue. I want to highlight the fact that when we had the first meeting of the Joint Sub-Committee on Mental Health on this issue in early September, two family members of Owenacurra residents were present. It was probably one of the most moving, emotional and powerful meetings that we have had. It gave the committee...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: Can I interrupt Dr. O'Brien there because I am concerned around my own time? I heard, from the residents and from the families, how important for the residents' own mental health it is to live in their own community. It was one of the top priorities. I merely want to know what the witnesses' own belief is around that. Do they agree that it is absolutely vital that the residents have the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: Why is the 24-hour staffed care being removed from east Cork which has a population, between the two mental health teams, the Midleton-Youghal team and the Cobh-Glenville team, of nearly 100,000? Why are they being taken out of east Cork? Mr. Fitzgerald stated that it is only down the road. It is half an hour down the road for those residents. It is a good distance. They cannot just...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: Am I correct in saying that senior management would have been there for those inspections this year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: Will Dr. O'Brien give us an overview of the issues that will be covered in more detail in the report?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: St. Stephen's Hospital will be used for many other service users in the future, many of whom will be from the east Cork area. Am I right in saying that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: To clarify, St. Stephen's Hospital will be used for east Cork service users into the future rather than just the Owenacurra centre. Is that right?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: Families and local public representatives have written to us about the model of care provided in north Cork. There are three community residences in the area, one each in Fermoy, Mallow and Kanturk. Each residence is staffed 24 hours a day and has 14 single en suiterooms. That adds up to a total of 42 rooms for a population similar in size to that of east Cork. There is a waiting list for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: There have been other east Cork residents who required long-stay or respite placement this year but the Owenacurra Centre was not available to them. Can Dr. O'Brien tell us what mental health facilities those service users have been placed in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I am sorry; I have to cut Dr. O'Brien off because I am concerned about my time. I want to clarify one matter with her. Will there be no 24-hour community residence in east Cork? That is really what I wanted to ask. Will there now be no 24-hour community residence in east Cork because the Owenacurra Centre is closed?