Results 2,701-2,720 of 5,087 for speaker:Kathleen Funchion

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: General Scheme of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: We are coming to the close of the meeting. This session has been of particular interest. People were anxious to have more time. I feel like I am always the person who has to cut people off. I do apologise but, unfortunately, we must adhere to the rules relating to Covid. There were some very good suggestions about having Mr. Sunderland and Mr. Murphy back before us again. That is...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: General Scheme of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank Mr. Sunderland. As I say, we will obviously have future and ongoing engagement. I need to get agreement to publish the opening statement to the Oireachtas website. Is it agreed? Agreed. I sincerely thank Mr. Sunderland and Mr. Murphy for their time. We will suspend for a few moments to allow for the commencement of the next session with the Irish Human Rights and Equality...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: General Scheme of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: We will resume our pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the birth information and tracing Bill. I welcome the representatives of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC, which will address the committee virtually via MS Teams. They are Ms Sinéad Gibney, chief commissioner, Professor Ray Murphy, a commission member, and Ms Maria Mullan, senior research and...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: General Scheme of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: There is time now if Senator Seery Kearney wants to come back in.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: General Scheme of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: That is no problem. Some of those questions were more relevant to the first session. Perhaps Ms Gibney, Ms Mullan or Professor Murphy would like to come in on any of the other points.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: General Scheme of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank Professor Murphy. Senator Seery Kearney wanted to ask another question.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: General Scheme of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: Is there anything else that members or witnesses would like to add briefly? Would Ms Gibney want to add anything?

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: General Scheme of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank Ms Gibney. I thank all our witnesses today. We look forward to ongoing engagement. Can I get agreement to publish the opening statement to the Oireachtas website? Agreed. As this is our final public meeting before the recess, I thank all members of the committee for their patience and understanding and all their work since January. I wish to say a particular and sincere thank you...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: General Scheme of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: That would be not be a problem.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (6 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: I reiterate that it is important to address the issue of pay and conditions in the early years sector. It is one of the most difficult jobs. One entrusts one's children to excellent people and I often wonder what their trick or skill is to get children to do certain tasks that I, as a parent, struggle to get my kids to do. It is an invaluable role. They do not want to hear sympathetic...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (6 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: 50. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects the survey on income and costs for the childcare sector being compiled by Pobal to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36208/21]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (6 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: This is quite similar to the previous question. Some of the points have probably been raised. The question relates to the survey on the childcare sector that is being compiled by Pobal. When will that be published? Is there an update?

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (6 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: A number of reviews are ongoing. When does the Minister expect that this will filter down to the sector? A lot seems to be due at the end of this year. Does he imagine some of this will be implemented early next year? In the context of this and the previous question, the workforce in the sector is primarily made up of women. Time and time again, we see that sectors dominated by women...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (6 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: I hope there will be something in the budget because I noticed that the early years childcare sector was very much forgotten in last year's budget, particularly those who work in it. I would welcome moves to include it. I do not think anyone expects all this to be done overnight or in one go but if the Minister wants the trust of the sector, he has to show he is doing something. It would...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (6 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: Yes, I am taking this question on behalf of Deputy Carthy. What are the Minister's proposals to improve the pay and conditions of professionals in the early years childcare sector?

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (6 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank the Minister. As users of Facebook will now, one has memories come up on the platform and, funnily enough, it was four years ago yesterday that the Dáil unanimously passed a motion I brought forward with regard to the pay and conditions of those working in the early years sector. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and some others who were here at the time will probably...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Guardian Status (6 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: I am very glad to hear that. It will be welcome news for families who have gone through surrogacy or are facing surrogacy in the near future. It is welcome that surrogacy is an option and I am sure we will see much more of it in the near future. On the report, the Minister has met with some of the families and advocacy groups. They are open to meeting with him, the Minister for Health,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (6 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: 46. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he requested his departmental officials to conduct a review specifically into the continual discrimination of disadvantaged children through the under allocation of hours under the national childcare scheme, NCS, given comments he made during parliamentary questions in May 2021; and if he will make a...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (6 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: This question relates to the review of the national childcare scheme, an issue I have raised a few times. Deputies are coming across continual discrimination against disadvantaged children under the allocation of hours through this programme. I ask the Minister to make a statement on the matter.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (6 Jul 2021)

Kathleen Funchion: I am glad to hear the Minister's comments because they address the crux of the matter. We raised this issue in May, and I have raised it a number of times since. Following that, some services that had brought it to our attention tried to get in contact about the review. They were led to believe it was a one-year review of the whole NCS, which was not looking at the issue of potential...