Results 1,141-1,160 of 2,011 for speaker:Frances Black

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...

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...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Ambulance Services: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I will speak now, if that is possible because, unfortunately, I have to leave.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Ambulance Services: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: First, I thank the witnesses for coming to the meeting today. I also pay a big tribute to the front-line workers who work in the ambulance service and the fire brigade. I do not know how they keep going, particularly in the current circumstances. Could Mr. Kenny give a little more detail about the investment in, and better staffing of, pre-hospital emergency care? There is no doubt that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Ambulance Services: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I agree. Did Mr. McEvoy wish to respond?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Ambulance Services: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: Did Mr. McCann wish to respond? I will make a comment while he unmutes himself. I can only imagine the trauma of what ambulance and fire brigade personnel must face on a daily basis. With my therapist hat on, we are committed to getting supervision for some of the work that we do. What we do is nothing compared to the trauma dealt with by ambulance and fire brigade personnel. Could...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Ambulance Services: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I apologise. I must leave. I thank the witnesses for their wonderful presentations.

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?

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

Frances Black: That is pretty shocking, to be fair. It is very disappointing. I cannot even imagine what it is like for the families and people in east Cork and for their representatives here today to hear that there will now be no 24-hour community residence in east Cork.

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

Frances Black: It is not good enough. I am sorry, but it is not good enough that, because the Owenacurra Centre is closing, there will be no 24-hour community residence in the east Cork area. That is very disappointing. Something needs to be changed in this regard. We have heard unbelievable feedback from residents and family members about the importance of this service to them. This is their home where...