Results 1,241-1,260 of 2,011 for speaker:Frances Black

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Disability Services with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (21 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: I thank Mr. O'Reilly and Ms Kenny for their powerful presentations. I am standing in for Senator Higgins today. I am heartbroken and shocked to hear what the witnesses had to go through to get basic and simple human rights. I want to talk a little about the current system and ask a couple of questions on it. I am hearing this morning that both Mr. O'Reilly and Ms Kenny have to constantly...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: I draw attention to the horrific abuse of adults with intellectual disabilities that occurred at the Ard Gréine Court facility, Donegal. On Friday last, The Irish Timesran another piece on the issue after it finally received a copy of the unpublished report into the matter, the Brandon report. We now know that approximately 108 incidents of devastating abuse were experienced by at...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: I am delighted to be here to speak in support of this Bill. I commend Senator Moynihan and her colleagues for their work on this important and pressing issue. The words "housing" and "crisis" are intimately intertwined in Ireland and often they appear inseparable, but they are not. We can do better on housing across the board and the Bill, as introduced by the Labour Party, will go some...

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: Apologies have been received from Senators Dolan and Hoey. This morning we will meet representatives from the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, ISPCC, and Barnardos to get an update on the impact of Covid-19 on the mental health of children. I welcome our witnesses this morning, who will be providing us with an update on the challenges faced by organisations working...

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: I thank Ms Connolly. I call Mr. Church from the ISPCC.

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: I thank Mr Church, who has presented some shocking statistics there to our committee.

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: I have tonnes of questions. There is so much going on as I am listening to the witnesses speak. First, I thank them for the phenomenal work they are doing. I can safely say I speak on behalf of the members in that regard. Unfortunately we are low on members today due to the fact that Wednesday is a hectic day here in Leinster House. It is a small committee anyway. I want to ask about...

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: Does that service see children under 18?

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: No, that is fine. I am aware that Ms Keane has to leave soon but I have a couple more questions before she does. There has been concern during the Covid-19 pandemic that there was an increase in parental misuse of alcohol, prescription drugs and illegal drugs. Gambling has also come to the fore as an issue. Can Ms Keane say a little about the impact of that behaviour, particularly around...

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: Mr. Church referred to telephone calls in the middle of the night. Does he believe there is a connection there with the pressure on families during the Covid period?

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: Is most of the contact done by way of text?

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: I thank Mr. Church. Two more members have joined the meeting. I invite Deputy Lahart to make his contribution.

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: Would Mr. Church like to respond to that question?

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: Would Ms Keane or Ms Connolly like to comment?

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: A UNICEF report was released today that says Ireland has the third highest estimated percentage of adolescents aged between ten and 19 who have mental disorders. I can forward that on to Deputy Lahart. I only just saw it. I have not read it myself but the Deputy might have an interest in it.

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: Perhaps Mr. Church could send the committee that information, so we can move on from this specific point.

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: Thank you. I have a couple of questions that follow on from Deputy Ward’s questions. The first is a question around what supports Barnardos and the ISPCC could use if they had a magic wand. Today, what would they say the ideal is? What would be their ask?

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: Thank you. I have one final question and I will let the witnesses go because I know they have had a long day. Both organisations work with crisis and it is a kind of crisis management to deal with trauma, and people are in a bad way when they contact their services. What recommendations would they have in this regard? Is it within their capacity to run a service that could provide...

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: I have one further question. In my role as Chair of the Joint Sub-Committee on Mental Health, I am getting a lot of inquiries from family members of young girls in particular, for some reason, aged maybe 13, 14 or 15, who are self-harming and have suicidal ideation. We can recommend therapists or CAMHS but the waiting lists are off the Richter scale, even for private therapists. Will the...

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Frances Black: I thank Ms Connolly for her answer. The sub-committee really appreciates the witnesses coming in at such short notice. My personal view is that we are facing into a tsunami of mental health issues for every age group at this time. I thank the witnesses for the phenomenal work they do and their helpful contributions today.