Results 1,041-1,060 of 5,732 for speaker:Fidelma Healy Eames

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: There is nothing to support the Leader's proposal. A 10% bonus might be reasonable.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: The Leader's proposal would amount to a lowering of standards.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: It would lower standards.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Yes. The point is that his proposal for a 50% bonus is ridiculous.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Will the Minister attend the debate?

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: At one level I am inclined to agree with the Minister of State in that when a person has been counselled and gone through the assessment process as a prospective adoptive parent, there should be a very good understanding of what is about to be undertaken. In the case of the young mother of baby Ann recently, she clearly did not know the import of what she was embarking on. Ultimately, the...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I have a query on the rights of the father where the mother wishes to place the child for adoption. What is the position if the father cannot be found or there is no certainty as to who he is?

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Does the Minister of State wish to comment on it to lead us into discussion on the issue that will be dealt with later?

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I support Senator Bacik in her choice of words because, as I alluded to earlier, there may be cases where the mother does not know who the father is and the baby may have been conceived as a result of a very traumatic experience, be it rape or incest. The word "refuses" implies a lot that may only add to a great deal of pre-existing pain. Therefore, the words "does not" or "unable to" would...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I support Senator Bacik. I would like the section to stand without amendment. It is important to consider the welfare of the child without any qualification. When a child is placed for adoption only the child's welfare must count and not whether the birth mother is placing requirements etc. The welfare of the child is a very wholesome concept. It embodies all the aspects, including the...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I am happy to support the amendment. To be fair to current practice, social workers do try to establish medical history and while it has not been my experience in this country that they have supplied medical records of biological parents, they have certainly established medical history in anecdotal form. However, in the case of foreign adoption, I have, in my own case, been provided with...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I seek clarification. Senator Bacik is not pressing this amendment. Can we expect to see it adopted in some manner in the next draft of the Bill?

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: That is good.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: With respect to my colleague's views, I have some difficulty with this amendment. I see merit in a suite of options being made available to adoptive parents and adopted children in both full and open adoption. I have no difficulty with the exchange of photographs and information updates on a birthday basis as this is quite normal. When birth mothers and adoptive parents meet, they often...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I support my two colleagues and question the purpose of this section. If the birth mother must know and consent to the religion of the family to which the child is going, it could prevent many adoptions taking place. I refer to inter-country adoptions. In some countries, the child must be technically abandoned. I am familiar with cases where children are left at dumpsters. For a mother to...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: The difficulty with the way the section is framed is that it could be another blocking mechanism to enabling a mother to have her child adopted. There are so many other considerations that this is very last thing a mother needs. If the mother needs a parent of a particular religion to adopt her child it may not be the best parent for the child's broader needs. It could really slow down the...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I mentioned that having this section in the Bill could slow down adoption.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: A natural mother may have a desire to have her child adopted into a particular religion. I accept that could be something a natural mother would wish for. However, it will not be her sole consideration. She will have many other needs for the child. If one puts the issue of religion on top of her other requests, one may be very slow to find a suitable adoptive parent. I know this for a...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I accept that consent should be fully informed.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I am supportive of the mother's right to be informed, as her consent should be informed. Medical records can be attained without there being a legal requirement. Establishing a religion can be done in much the same way. Including it as a major section could lead to its becoming a blocking mechanism, a new hindrance to a child getting——