Results 1,161-1,180 of 2,007 for speaker:Frances Black

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee
Engagement with WAVE Trauma Centre (9 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I thank Ms Lynskey. Ms Peake has already spoken about how the committee can support the work that WAVE is doing but I ask her to elaborate on how Operation Kenova works.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee
Engagement with WAVE Trauma Centre (9 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I thank Ms Peake for that. I thank all the witnesses. My deepest condolences to Ms Morgan on losing her sister and to others who have lost loved ones. It is so hard. I thank the witnesses for coming in today to share their stories with us. It has been extremely moving. I cannot even imagine the trauma, pain and heartache they are going through.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I welcome the Minister and I thank him for being here. There is significant concern with regard to the chairperson still not being in place, particularly to support the development of the research tenders on service provision and the selection process for researchers. I wanted to note my concerns around all of that. I want to follow up on a couple of points. When one is towards the end...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I thank the Minister. Will the review also look at findings of recent reports such as, Too Many Barriers, by the Abortion Rights Campaign, which highlighted structural, social policy and practical barriers that prevent legal access to abortion? An example of some of the findings include a lack of English interpreters, geographic disadvantage, lengthy travel times and participants citing not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: Will the review include input and testimony from those who provide abortion services in regard to what changes they might need to deliver their services to those most in need of them? I hope that makes sense.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I thank the Minister.

Seanad: Covid-19 and the New Measures (Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (7 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: The Tánaiste is welcome to the House. It is hard to believe but here we are again, speaking about the reintroduction of restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19. As we have seen on too many occasions throughout this pandemic, the road ahead is full of twists and turns. It is very upsetting. I recognise the need for the public health guidance and guidelines to help us in preventing...

Seanad: Maternity-Paternity Leave for County and City Councillors: Motion (7 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I welcome the Minister of State. I thank my colleague Senator O'Loughlin and all those on the administrative panel for introducing this topic for debate. I thank also the Cathaoirleach for introducing this additional format whereby we can discuss and debate matters of importance in this House. The matter of providing for maternity and paternity leave for county and city councillors is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Business of Joint Committee (7 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: I propose the meeting be rescheduled as, to be honest, a time allocation of five minutes for the members is not enough. We would be rushing everything. It would be a good idea to reschedule the meeting for next week. I have a meeting of the Joint Sub-Committee on Mental Health next Tuesday and perhaps we could reschedule this meeting for that time.

Joint Committee On Health: General Scheme of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: I will bring Deputy Kenny in first. There will be plenty of time for Deputy Hourigan to come in again after Deputy Buckley.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: I am jumping between what is happening in the Seanad and what is happening here. I commend all the delegates on their phenomenal work. As many members have said today, we were at WAVE last week. It was extremely moving to meet everyone, particularly Mr. Oliver McVeigh. I cannot even imagine what it must be like for family members not to know the location of someone they have lost. My...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: I wish to speak again about the music and entertainment industry, more specifically the impact this dreadful pandemic is having on the lives of individuals employed in that industry in Ireland and, ultimately, on our heritage and our culture. I understand totally that we need to take action to curtail the spread of Covid-19, but I believe that the music and entertainment sectors have...

Seanad: Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland: Statements (17 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: The Minister is very welcome to the House. I commend him and the Department on the work they have done on this issue. I also commend Senator Chambers on the work she has done on Brexit. It has been phenomenal. Her dedication has been brilliant. I welcome this opportunity to contribute to the discussion on the protocol. No doubt about it, the starting point must remain Brexit. No one...

Seanad: Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland: Statements (17 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: The Irish Government has an obligation to plan and prepare for the Border poll that is promised in the Good Friday Agreement. The Government has the necessary resources to undertake the research on what a new Ireland, a new Ireland that is a warm house for all, would look like in areas such as health, education and housing. It is legitimate to promote the idea of reunification of the island...

Seanad: Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland: Statements (17 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: -----so that when people are asked to vote, they will do so with as much knowledge as possible. Let us plan for a better future for everybody on this island. We must defend the protocol, we must embrace the many opportunities it provides and we must prepare for a better future together on this island within the European Union. I would love to see the establishment of a cross-party...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I broadly welcome the Bill and commend the Minister on the efforts that he and his Department are making to promote the development of a more sustainable housing system in Ireland. I am aware that much positive work has been done but we have a great deal more to do.I look forward to engaging constructively with the Minister and his Department to ensure that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019 (Resumed): Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: I thank all of our witnesses for their informative presentations this morning. I have learned so much today. I want to return to the issue of flavours and the banning of flavoured e-cigarettes which I agree is vitally important, particularly as HRB research indicates that adolescents who vape are more likely to take up smoking. Flavoured e-cigarettes are definitely targeted at children....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019 (Resumed): Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: It is good to hear the Department has not made up its mind on this. It will be our job to persuade it. I worked very closely on the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015. This is not unlike it. We have a big battle fighting against the industry. I want to touch a little on the matter of advertising. We can draw on the alcohol experience here and think about how visible it is. I would like...