Results 2,961-2,980 of 3,336 for speaker:Kate O'Connell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Ancillary Recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly Report: Department of Health and the HSE (30 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I thank all the witnesses for coming in here today. I am familiar with some of them from many meetings of the health committee. I am a firm believer in prevention being better than cure. Looking at the report on folic acid as a preventive measure against birth defects in Ireland, for example, I note we actually have an increase in neural tube defects in this country. Such defects encompass...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Ancillary Recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly Report: Department of Health and the HSE (30 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I thank the Chairman.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Ancillary Recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly Report: Department of Health and the HSE (30 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: The problem concerned the safe upper limits of water-soluble vitamins. The nerd in me is coming out.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Ancillary Recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly Report: Department of Health and the HSE (30 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: The licensing of abortion pills was mentioned. I am concerned about the cost of a drug license in Ireland, and the relatively small number of users, if we are using the figure of 5,000 terminations a year. I wonder if someone will actually seek a licence to manufacture it. It is something that may not be in the witness's remit. Drug companies are only interested if there are lots of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Ancillary Recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly Report: Department of Health and the HSE (30 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: They are very helpful, especially for people who have had difficulties in previous pregnancies. They are able to have a maternal blood test done at eight weeks and know that everything is all right, so they are not waiting and dealing with the unknown. We talk about perinatal mental health, and I think the Harmony or Panorama tests offer great comfort to families.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Ancillary Recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly Report: Department of Health and the HSE (30 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I have a question for the Department on the amount of money it costs the State for the general medical scheme and for the drug payment scheme. I spoke to the Minister about it. There is an issue with quantifying the private patient on no medication because it is very common. In the UK, it is provided free universally. As far as I know from my time in the UK, it is for a year after one...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Ancillary Recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly Report: Department of Health and the HSE (30 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: It did not form part of the Sláintecare report. It was an omission on my part and perhaps on my colleagues' part. Many of us were shocked last week when the Irish Family Planning Association, IFPA, said that 17% to 20% of people in the non-medical card cohort are having issues with access due to cost. It is out of that conversation that this has arisen and we have picked up on it as a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: Mr. Peter Thompson, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital (29 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I thank Mr. Thompson for coming over today. Some of the conversations we are having here seem to be on preconceived parameters and I am not sure who put them in place in this country. Based on Mr. Thompson's evidence, he seems to have dedicated his life to saving life during pregnancy, including the mother's life. I am assuming that foetal-to-foetal transfusion syndrome means...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: Mr. Peter Thompson, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital (29 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I have only heard of it described as twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome before. Mr. Thompson is dedicated to saving life and we are having conversations here about term limits, gestational stages, survival rates and all of that. I am concerned that we are trying to frame our work into a preconceived diagram and, at this stage, there is no need for that. We should trust experts in their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: Mr. Peter Thompson, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital (29 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I thank Dr. Thompson very much.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: Mr. Peter Thompson, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital (29 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: God, I never have extra time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: Mr. Peter Thompson, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital (29 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: Dr. Thompson mentioned foeticide being performed prior to the delivery of a child with complex abnormalities. We have heard testimonies about injections through the heart and graphic descriptions of cutting up dead unborn children. I wonder if Dr. Thompson could expand on the use of foeticide. Who is benefitting here: the mother; the doctor; the child? What is the holistic approach to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: Mr. Peter Thompson, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital (29 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: He is an expert.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Termination in Cases of Foetal Abnormality: Mr. Peter Thompson, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital (29 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: He is a medical expert.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Ancillary Recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly Report: Discussion (29 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I thank all the witnesses for their attendance. I am very concerned about some of the evidence I have heard today, and many of the previous speakers have spoken well about it. I am concerned that it is down to the ethos of the school to frame sex education. Mr. Moran spoke about age-appropriate education. Deputy Bríd Smith spoke about the Dutch system. In Holland this education...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Ancillary Recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly Report: Discussion (29 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: I understand that we have a standardised approach but that the ethos has influence, because I heard all of what Ms Egan said. However, if the ethos of the school is Catholic, and the Catholic Church teaches that barrier contraceptives are wrong and that abstinence is the way forward, surely there is a contradiction.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Ancillary Recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly Report: Discussion (29 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: Does Ms Egan think it is right though? Does she think it is the correct system for the children of this country?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Ancillary Recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly Report: Discussion (29 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: Who should answer that question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Ancillary Recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly Report: Discussion (29 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: Does Ms Egan think the system is fit for purpose?

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Childcare Scheme (28 Nov 2017)

Kate O'Connell: 58. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the issue of Tusla registered child care services not taking part in the affordable childcare scheme has been addressed; if so, the measures that have been taken; if she has a record of the participating childcare providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49853/17]