Results 1,681-1,700 of 1,997 for speaker:Frances Black

Seanad: Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2018)

Frances Black: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Second Stage (20 Jun 2018)

Frances Black: I speak broadly in support of the Bill at this Stage. I will be brief as I know we will have many contributions. This legislation has been controversial, and a large number of amendments were tabled in the Dáil. Many of those have ironed out some of the more contentious issues, but others remain. There is a valuable discussion to be had in terms of the size of the commission and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Impact of Brexit on the Good Friday Agreement: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jun 2018)

Frances Black: I apologise for missing Dr. Byrne's presentation. I will keep it very short. Earlier this year, the Tánaiste spoke at a celebration of the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement at St. Mary's College in west Belfast. I would like to hear what Dr. Byrne thinks about something that was said during the subsequent panel discussion, which covered the implications of Brexit. Both sides...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Impact of Brexit on the Good Friday Agreement: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jun 2018)

Frances Black: What does Dr. Byrne mean by leadership? Is he talking about the DUP or about leaders who are quite strong within their own communities? Is it more about leadership within certain communities?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Impact of Brexit on the Good Friday Agreement: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jun 2018)

Frances Black: I have a final question. From the witness's perspective, what does he think we as a committee could do? Has he any suggestions? He talked about more debates between the two communities, and society getting more involved. Can he give a couple of suggestions that he thinks we should be working on or that we should be doing more of? We want to get active on this. We want to do something...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Frances Black: I will try to be brief. I commend the Minister on his work recently with the Magdalen women, which was phenomenal. I welcome the fact the Minister will meet the McAnespie family. I cannot imagine what it must be like for them. I have specific questions on the right to work for asylum seekers following the points raised by Deputy Daly. I share her concerns and the restrictive interim right...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Frances Black: I refer to penal policy and the urgency around the mental health issue in the prison service. I want to highlight the urgency of this issue and how important it is. From my own experience of working in the prison service with those in addiction and with family members who have loved ones in addiction, I believe there is a huge urgency around this issue. Addiction problems in the prison...

Seanad: Report on Children's Mental Health Services: Statements (Resumed) (30 May 2018)

Frances Black: I welcome the Minister of State. This is a vital issue and none of us can be happy to be standing here again debating it. The point has been made endlessly in these Houses, and this report is further evidence, that our child and adolescent mental health services are falling well short of what is expected. We are not delivering anywhere near the standard expected by Irish people, and we are...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2018)

Frances Black: I welcome the result of the referendum last Friday. It was an incredible result. The people of Ireland have spoken and it is important that we listen. For the women of Ireland it means a sense of freedom and that is really important. I commend my colleague, Senator Bacik, on the great work she has done, along with Deputies Clare Daly and Zappone and the many other women and men who have...

Seanad: National Minimum Wage (Removal of Sub-minimum Rates of Pay) Bill 2017: Second Stage (29 May 2018)

Frances Black: I welcome the Minister to the Chamber and commend Senators Gavan, Ruane and Warfield on tabling this Bill. I am delighted to speak strongly in its support. We are dealing with a very basic principle here, which is that of equal pay for equal work. It is the same principle underlying recent pushes to close the gender pay gap, and ensure that women are paid as much as their male colleagues....

Seanad: Situation in Palestine: Statements (23 May 2018)

Frances Black: I have to say I am disappointed with some of the comments made by the Minister of State in his speech. I was in Gaza last week. I have also been to the West Bank. I do not think the word "horrendous" is sufficient to describe the traumatic nature of my experience. The Minister of State said that "Violence on the part of some protestors is regrettable and the organisers and those in de...

Seanad: Situation in Palestine: Statements (23 May 2018)

Frances Black: The Minister of State suggested that many children "were there out of curiosity and boredom". I was at the border protest and I met the people who were there. I saw families there. I saw mothers, fathers and children. There was a playground there. They were there because this is the only hope they have left. They are living in absolutely desperate conditions. They have no hope. The...

Seanad: Marine Protection: Motion (23 May 2018)

Frances Black: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I commend my colleague, Senator Grace O'Sullivan, on the tremendous amount of work she has done on this motion, which I was delighted to co-sign. The motion is another example of how important it is to have voices like hers in the Oireachtas making the case for protecting our natural environment. We are the custodians of this world for future...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Impact of Brexit on the Good Friday Agreement: Discussion (Resumed) (17 May 2018)

Frances Black: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I too wish to pay tribute to the families affected by the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and pay my deepest respects to them. The Good Friday Agreement is probably one of the best agreements that has ever existed. It is an amazing document and it would be awful to think it would be compromised in any way. However, it is a realistic prospect...

Seanad: European Court Decision: Motion (16 May 2018)

Frances Black: I offer my full support to the motion before us today, and I commend Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile and his colleagues on bringing it forward. I also welcome Mr. Liam Shannon to the Visitors Gallery today. More than anything, I want to let the people involved know that I am fully behind them. The hooded men and their families have my full support in their search for justice, no matter how...

Seanad: European Court Decision: Motion (16 May 2018)

Frances Black: It came to be one of the most appalling, defining features of the war on terror, and reminds us of the global impact of decisions like this. Amnesty International won the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize for its work against torture, and I commend Grainne Teggart and its Northern Ireland office on its continued tireless work on this case. Huge credit must also go to the investigative team at RTÉ...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (15 May 2018)

Frances Black: To be honest, I am finding it difficult to put into words how disgusted and horrified I am at the shameful disregard for human life in Gaza yesterday. I spent the last week in Palestine meeting both Israeli and Palestinian human rights organisations and other amazing people across Gaza and the West Bank. I came back into Leinster House yesterday morning ready to share their stories, just as...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (15 May 2018)

Frances Black: We need to stand up for international law and stand against the blockade in Gaza and the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. We can recognise the Palestinian state and put peace negotiations on an equal footing, relying on the same parity of esteem enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement. I look forward to introducing my legislation to end Irish involvement in the...

Seanad: Domestic Violence Bill 2017: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (Resumed) (2 May 2018)

Frances Black: I thank the Minister for being here this afternoon. I wish to start by welcoming the Domestic Violence Bill 2017 back into the Seanad. It is progressive, strong and wide-ranging legislation that sends a signal to domestic violence victims in Ireland that the State will act and intervene on their behalf to safeguard their dignity and safety and that of their children. I compliment the...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Statements (1 May 2018)

Frances Black: I welcome the Tánaiste back to the Chamber today and join others in welcoming Senator Marshall who has joined us here today. I thank him so much for his input today. I also thank the Tánaiste for his continued engagement with Seanad Éireann regarding Brexit, and particularly its impact on the North of Ireland and the Good Friday Agreement. We had a very positive debate...