Results 101-120 of 957 for at speaker:Kathleen Funchion

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Further Revised) (26 Apr 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: I welcome everyone to the meeting. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the place that Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, Leinster House, to participate in public meetings, so I cannot permit a member to participate where they are not adhering to that constitutional requirement. Any member who attempts to...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Further Revised) (26 Apr 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: That is a good note to finish on because I think we all agree that we do not want to see any money unspent. I should have said at the start that we had apologies from Deputies Sherlock and Cairns, and that Deputy Tully is substituting for Deputy Ward. I call Deputy Costello.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: I remind Ms Duggan of time, because we have gone way over and a number of members still wish to put questions. I am aware she wanted Mr. Brophy and Mr. Corcoran to come in but maybe they can do so at the end.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: Before I open up to questions from members, I wish to repeat that at present there are allegations of historic abuse in the organisation and these allegations are still the subject of ongoing criminal investigations. No one has been convicted and we must avoid any prejudicial comments. The purpose of the committee meeting is to consider policy, legislation and issues relating to Tusla and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (20 Apr 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: As I said, I am asking this question on behalf of my party colleague. The results of the reviews that have so far taken place, whether by the HSE or the Mental Health Commission, are clear that serious lapses in standards of care took place, with devastating consequences for children and teenagers in Kerry and their families. At the time of the publication of the south Kerry look-back...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (20 Apr 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank the Minister of State. I will relay that information to Deputy Daly. Some of it might be new information, not least the reference to meetings she held last week. The Deputy made the point that the latest figures show 4,314 children are awaiting CAMHS appointments, 88% of them since the start of 2020. More than 600 of these children have been waiting for more than one year, with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (20 Apr 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: I am taking this question on behalf of my colleague, Deputy Pa Daly. I ask the Minister of State at the Department of Health what reviews are currently taking place with respect to the north Kerry CAMHS and how they differ from the announced national audit of cases.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Assisted Human Reproduction (20 Apr 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank my colleague, Deputy Cullinane, for allowing me to ask a priority question. I am anxious to get an update on the surrogacy legislation. I mentioned in the previous round of questions to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth that a great announcement has been made but as he is not the lead Minister, he had limited information. I am anxious to know,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Assisted Human Reproduction (20 Apr 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: I am delighted to hear the Minister hopes the Bill will be signed off before the summer recess. That is what we all hope for. The AHR Bill was at pre-legislative stage in 2017, so it preceded the Joint Committee on International Surrogacy by five years. I do not think the Minister’s was intending to suggest otherwise but surrogacy certainly did not cause the delay to the AHR...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Assisted Human Reproduction (20 Apr 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: I will make two other points. I mention in particular my constituents, Brian and Kathy Egan, from my home town of Callan in County Kilkenny. They are currently in the High Court in relation to this. They are an example of a family who are courageously putting their story out there in a very difficult time in their lives. It shows that not everyone has the time. That is why I will...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Youth Work: Discussion (18 Apr 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: I have received apologies from Deputies Ward, Sherlock and Cairns and from Senators McGreehan and O'Sullivan. The item on our agenda today is engagement with stakeholders regarding youth work. At this session we are joined by representatives from the National Youth Council of Ireland, NYCI: Ms Mary Cunningham, chief executive officer, and Mr. Paul Gordon, director of policy and advocacy;...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Youth Work: Discussion (18 Apr 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank everyone for their contributions. There is a huge amount of crossover, which is helpful for us when we are looking at this area. I want to very briefly mention the school completion programme. I am a massive advocate of that. We have a great programme in Kilkenny. Like the youth sector, it is one that is lesser known. I have sometimes come across people who actually think the...

Report of the Independent Review Group on Dignity and Equality Issues in the Defence Forces: Statements (30 Mar 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: I welcome the women who are visiting the Dáil and commend their courage and bravery. I commend all of the women who spoke up. We owe them a debt of gratitude. Speaking up is not easy to do in any way, shape or form, but especially when dealing with such a male-dominated organisation. I also commend my colleague, Deputy Clarke, on her work on this matter. Too often, the Dáil...

Irish Sheep Sector: Statements (30 Mar 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: I am happy to have the opportunity to speak on this matter. Just this week, on Monday, I had members from the Carlow and Kilkenny Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association, ICSA, in my clinic. When this item was on the agenda, I said I would take the opportunity to raise some of the concerns they raised with me. As people will know, both countries of Carlow and Kilkenny have a good mix of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child and Family Agency (30 Mar 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: This question arises from records released under the Freedom of Information Act, which show that HIQA was quite concerned over the way in which the Child and Family Agency processed and investigated allegations and complaints. Several of these complaints received by HIQA related to Tusla's management of child protection allegations and safeguarding concerns. Concerns have also been raised...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child and Family Agency (30 Mar 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: We have an excellent Ombudsman for Children in Dr. Niall Muldoon, and the office deals very adequately with many complaints. We do not want to see a situation where it is getting to that stage, however. Barnardos also expressed concerns that if people are unhappy with the response they receive from State agencies, they would have the opportunity to register those concerns. I agree that it...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Child Protection (30 Mar 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: The committee hopes to look at this and I know that some members of the committee, Deputies Sherlock and Cairns, are present. I assume there has been consultation with the survivors who have come forward and told their stories of anything that has gone on in St. John Ambulance, but I just want to make sure that has been done. It also raises the really serious question of who is in charge of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (30 Mar 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: My first question is on the surrogacy legislation we are all expecting. It was great last December to see that there was really good progress on this. We are led to believe that many of the recommendations from the Joint Committee on International Surrogacy were taken on board. We are coming into April and two weeks' recess. What stage is this at, particularly for parents who are looking...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Measures (30 Mar 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: I understand this technically falls to the Department of Health. I always have to reword the questions. I appreciate the Minister taking the question. The committee was very ably chaired by Deputy Whitmore and I was delighted to see that many of its recommendations will be taken on board, particularly the point about the two-step parentage recommended by Professor O'Mahony. My specific...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (30 Mar 2023)

Kathleen Funchion: 222. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a director of authorised interventions has been appointed; when he expects an appointment; and if he will confirm whether Bessborough will be looked at alongside Tuam. [15396/23]