Results 1,521-1,540 of 1,997 for speaker:Frances Black

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Online Harassment and Harmful Communications: Discussion (2 Oct 2019)

Frances Black: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Online Harassment and Harmful Communications: Discussion (2 Oct 2019)

Frances Black: That would be great.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Online Harassment and Harmful Communications: Discussion (2 Oct 2019)

Frances Black: That is great. I thank our guests for their presentations. Deputy Connolly spoke about what An Garda Síochána is working on at this time and it sounds as if there is a lack of resources. This should be one of the top priorities going forward. It is a minefield and it is difficult but people being bullied online is one of the most worrying trends we must face. I sometimes see it...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Statements (1 Oct 2019)

Frances Black: I welcome the Tánaiste back to the Seanad. I appreciate his continued engagement with the House on Brexit. I have listened closely to each address and participated in each debate we have had on this issue. As a member of the Seanad Special Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union and as someone who is extremely committed to avoiding the return of a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee
Integrated Education: Discussion (26 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: I apologise that I will have to leave the meeting a little early to attend to another commitment. I very much wanted to attend the meeting and wish I could stay for the whole afternoon because I am very interested in the subject matter. When I attended a social event in the North approximately a month ago, I met a teacher from an integrated school. I am ashamed to say I had not even been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee
Integrated Education: Discussion (26 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: I apologise. I always like to think ahead. Our guests will win the prize and there is no doubt they deserve it. I am intrigued by how integrated education works. It is powerful to think there are so many cross-community students in the school, although I have no doubt some issues must arise there. Are there times when there could be problems between groups from two different...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee
Integrated Education: Discussion (26 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: What problems arise with integration? If so, how were they overcome? Have any major lessons been learned since the school opened?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: I welcome my colleagues back to the House. I am delighted that we are back in session. I look forward to the busy months ahead. I arrived back in Dublin yesterday from Oslo, Norway. I had been invited to meet parliamentarians and the Norwegian foreign affairs committee about my Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 which, having passed fully through the House with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision: Discussion with Ombudsman (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: I thank Mr. Tyndall for his presentation and for the reports. The oversight of his office is important. I also support extending it to cover those other administrative matters. I wish to follow up on an answer to Deputy Connolly's question regarding the vulnerability assessment. I have read replies to parliamentary questions on this, which describe a basic medical screening carried out in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision: Discussion with Ombudsman (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: When we visited direct provision centres, I found that mental health was one of the biggest issues for clients. Can the witnesses talk us through how a standard interaction between their offices and a centre works? Perhaps they could pick one centre and tell us how often the Ombudsman is there, how many staff attend, how the meetings are carried out. I just want to get a clear...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision: Discussion with Ombudsman (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: Does the office always contact management to let it know?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision: Discussion with Ombudsman (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: I have a problem with that. We have heard that residents in visiting centres are afraid to engage with the system. As a lot of the centres have cameras, management can see them. They are afraid that, after the Ombudsman's staff leave, they may be treated disrespectfully and get into trouble if they talk to them. They are afraid to go into the rooms where interviews happen, lest they be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision: Discussion with Ombudsman (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: Some of the centres are quite well run and management is great.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision: Discussion with Ombudsman (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: However, there are others, probably more than we can imagine. When management of such centres knows that the Ombudsman's representatives are coming, it is not in the best interests of the people who are in the centre. Those people are scared and frightened. There is also that piece about language. We met some of the residents and they were very depressed, low and frightened,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision: Discussion with Ombudsman (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: Okay. And do representatives of the Ombudsman for Children also contact management to let them know they are coming?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision: Discussion with Ombudsman (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: That is fine. I hope that the Ombudsman will consider something along those lines, where spot checks can be done and the Ombudsman's representatives can call unannounced. The residents would really appreciate that. Those could even be done off-site, which is something that would be really powerful.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision: Discussion with Ombudsman (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: One of the Deputies mentioned the role of non-governmental organisations, NGOs. Would that be something the Ombudsman might consider? If somebody complains to an NGO, would the Ombudsman consider talking to them or how would that work?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision: Discussion with Ombudsman (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision: Discussion with Ombudsman (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: Maybe it is a case that it has not yet happened.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision: Discussion with Ombudsman (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: It is fair comment.