Results 1,561-1,580 of 2,011 for speaker:Frances Black

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: I move amendment No. 15: In page 20, line 14, after "concerned" to insert ", unless doing so would place the applicant at risk of harm".

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: I move amendment No. 17: In page 20, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following: "(3) Where, in the interests of the applicant’s safety and wellbeing, an application cannot be made on notice to the respondent concerned, an application may be made ex partewhere, having regard to the circumstances of the particular case, the court considers it necessary or expedient to do so.".

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: The Government amendment proposes increasing the maximum penalty for assaults on peace officers, that is, members of An Garda Síochána, prison officers and members of the Defence Forces. As with the extension of the penalties available in respect of conspiracy to murder, we are concerned about the effectiveness of increased maximum penalties for assaults against police officers....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: I thank all of our witnesses for coming. This is an important topic and I am glad we are speaking about it today. I thank the witnesses for the work they do on this issue. It is fantastic. I attended a powerful briefing on endometriosis hosted by Senators Ruane and Chambers in March, I believe. I realised that I do not know an awful lot about endometriosis apart from having friends who...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: I could imagine that could be fairly traumatic all right.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: Ms Darcy made reference to surgery in the context of creating a window of opportunity for conception. Is conception a recommended form of treatment or am I getting that wrong?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: I cannot even imagine what that must be like for some women who hear that. It is quite traumatic. I know Ms Darcy gave a detailed statement regarding the impact of endometriosis on mental health, and she may have spoken about the hormone imbalance, anxiety, depression, and mood fluctuations. Are there other factors that need to be considered here? For example, I have a very good friend...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: I can imagine the trauma and feeling of isolation, especially when people are going to services that do not really understand the impact, symptoms and all of that. I imagine it is very depressing to feel so isolated in that place. In the opening statement, Ms Nic Liam mentioned that treatment for endometriosis is far from accessible. She also mentioned the upfront costs of the cross-border...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: Do I have time for one more question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: I want to ask about education. The school programmes used in New Zealand and France were noted. I am sorry if the witnesses have touched on this, but how might something like this work within an Irish context? Where would be best to concentrate a pilot programme? Does the New Zealand programme work really well? Are the witnesses aware of it?

Seanad: Local Government Matters: Statements (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: The trend of limiting councils' powers and imposing unelected bureaucratic management began during the emergency period of the Civil War and led to decades of neglect or hostility towards local government from successive governments. We have to face that. We have seen the centralisation of power at the national level, the abolition of parish and town councils and reductions in the number of...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: I second the amendment. I am concerned that we are not using the full extent of State power to force guilty parties such as religious orders and pharmaceutical companies to contribute to the scheme. We have retabled amendment No. 45, which would require the Government to explore legal options to require relevant parties, including religious orders, pharmaceutical companies that ran illegal...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Services for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Endometriosis Association of Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Frances Black: I thank the witnesses for their work. It is a really important issue. I do not think it gets enough coverage in general. We need to continue to highlight this issue on behalf of women who have and have not been diagnosed. I cannot imagine what that is like for women. The witnesses should keep up the great work. I hope they are able to get funding and that our committee can play a role...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Jul 2023)

Frances Black: I again raise the issue of Palestine. I sometimes feel that people might consider me a broken record or, even worse, that they will switch off and not listen to the latest update on what is happening to the Palestinian people. There is such a steady flow of bad news, broken promises and hideous oppression that it can render even compassionate people desensitised to the point of absolute...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (5 Jul 2023)

Frances Black: I move amendment No. 3: In page 16, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: “Amendment of Act of 1997 23. The Act of 1997 is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 9: “Non-intimate partner coercive control 9A. (1) A person commits an offence where he or she knowingly and persistently engages in a course of conduct that consists of...