Results 1,201-1,220 of 1,997 for speaker:Frances Black

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach (4 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: It is good to see the witnesses and I thank them for the work they are doing. It is great to see that they are opening it out. That is warmly welcomed. I have a couple of questions, including a final one around a community in north Antrim I am very close to. I have touched on it before. As the closing date for submissions for the North-South research programme is next week, can the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach (4 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: I appreciate that. What internal criteria are being applied to ensure we achieve a balance between science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, and social sciences, as well as between large and small projects?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach (4 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: That would be helpful.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach (4 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: I will speak on behalf of the small island community I touched on before when I spoke to Ms O'Donoghue about Rathlin Island. They would love to get a meeting and connect with the witnesses. I know they have had public and political representatives talking to the witnesses but their main aim is for the witnesses to go to Rathlin. It would be a lovely trip and they would love to meet them...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach (4 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: I thank Ms O'Donoghue. That is all I have to ask.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: I am here today to raise the same issue I raised two weeks ago, namely, adult safeguarding. I stated then that we are in desperate need of adult safeguarding legislation. That week I was responding to a horrendous report in The Irish Times, which revealed that more than 108 instances of abuse were experienced by adults in a HSE care facility in Donegal and that the HSE not only failed to...

Seanad: Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020: Motion (3 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: The Minister is very welcome. It is only a few short weeks since we gathered in this Chamber to debate the Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2021, which saw the sunset clause on emergency powers extended by resolution until the 9 January 2022. We were all hopeful in the intervening weeks that the epidemiological situation would improve to such an extent that these emergency powers, while...

Joint Committee On Health: Business of Joint Committee (2 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: Before we invite in the witnesses, can I take it the draft minutes of the sub-committee meetings of 8 September and 13 and 20 October are agreed? Agreed.

Joint Committee On Health: General Scheme of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Department of Health (2 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: I welcome the officials from the Department of Health, who will brief the committee on the Bill. I welcome Mr. Seamus Hempenstall, principal officer, Ms Lorraine Doyle, higher executive officer, and Mr. James Kelly, assistant principal. Members and all in attendance are asked to exercise personal responsibility in protecting themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19. They...

Joint Committee On Health: General Scheme of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Department of Health (2 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: We will start with Senator Conway.

Joint Committee On Health: General Scheme of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Department of Health (2 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: I invite Senator Hoey to come in at this point.

Joint Committee On Health: General Scheme of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Department of Health (2 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: I have concerns about a couple of issues, which the committee will have to consider. Mr. Hempenstall stated the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and the Department are keen to see the Bill introduced to the Oireachtas as soon as possible. How can the committee undertake pre-legislative scrutiny when we do not have the legislation in front of us?...

Joint Committee On Health: General Scheme of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Department of Health (2 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: When does Mr. Hempenstall think we will have the Bill? I have an idea in my head and maybe I am wrong. It seems to me that the subcommittee is bringing in witnesses to talk about heads of Bill but they do not even know what the Bill is. We are not sure what the Bill is. That detail is very important if we are going to do pre-legislative scrutiny. Is there any idea when we will see the...

Joint Committee On Health: General Scheme of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Department of Health (2 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: Did Deputy Kenny have any questions?

Joint Committee On Health: General Scheme of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Department of Health (2 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: Deputy Hourigan is next.

Joint Committee On Health: General Scheme of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Department of Health (2 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: Yes go ahead.

Joint Committee On Health: General Scheme of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Department of Health (2 Nov 2021)

Frances Black: I have a few questions. I hope that is okay. Before I ask any questions, I warmly welcome the publication of the heads of this Bill to amend the Mental Health Act 2001. The work the Department has done has been phenomenal and I thank the witnesses for that. The changes in language, for example, using "person" instead of "patient", are really well thought through. Ireland has an...