Results 19,361-19,380 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (19 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I second the amendment. I expect the Minister of State will take the opportunity to put on the record of this House what he told The Irish Times. The report by Carol Coulter is very good and I have no problem with it. However, I have difficulty with the fact that the Minister of State was asked in the House on quite a number of occasions whether there were particular difficulties. The...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (19 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I second the amendment and support it. I know the Minister of State was angry earlier, but it was patronising to say the contribution of Senator Healy Eames was hysterical. I do not believe it was. There is a long history of women being called hysterical when people do not like what they are saying.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (19 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: This is an important amendment. Currently, adoption agencies provide intermediary information and tracing services to birth parents, adopted adults and adoptive families. The legislation does not provide any legislative basis for this work. We have had a number of discussions about the changing face of adoption, open adoptions, ongoing contact etc. and the legislation will become out of...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (19 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move amendment No. 73: In page 65, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: "(h) promoting the development of intermediary, information and tracing services for birth families and adopted persons.".

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (19 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: This is a technical amendment and we accept it.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (19 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: Amendment No. 80 has been ruled out of order for the same reason. I ask the Minister of State to consider these amendments when he brings this legislation to the Dáil. It is general practice now to include in such authorities people who are affected by legislation and to bring their experience on board when key decisions are being taken. It is important, given the number of people who are...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (19 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I second the amendment. The support groups would find it difficult to continue with the work they are doing currently and would find some of these demands too onerous. We want high standards and regulation, however, so I would like to hear what the Minister of State has to say about any possible difficulties for advocacy bodies or lobbying groups if this provision remains in the legislation.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (19 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: This has been a long and detailed debate. This Bill incorporates into Irish law the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. Since Ireland ratified that convention, 16 years have elapsed so we have waited a long time for the legislation. It is important that the Bill brings all aspects of legislation into line with the Hague...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (19 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move amendment No. 65: In page 57, line 14, after "child" to insert the following: "or have previously adopted a child from a non-contracting state".

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I second the amendment. This series of amendments puts tracing on a statutory basis. They are recommended by and have the support of people who are very experienced in this area. We want to promote the development of services that will assist people who were adopted and those who placed children for adoption to trace each other. A number of agencies have developed professional expertise...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move amendment No. 67: In page 61, after line 44, to insert the following: "(12) (a) An tArd-Chlaraitheoir shall keep an index to make traceable the connection between each entry in the Register of Foreign Adoptions and identifying information regarding the child's original identity, including country of birth. (b) The index kept under paragraph (a) shall not be open to public inspection,...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: Is it correct to say, therefore, that 5,770 people were unable to make contact?

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is astounding that out of more than 6,000 people who wanted further details on their adoptions, 5,770 were unable to get this information. The information may be less accurate in respect of the cohort of older people but most of these cases would have involved Irish adoptions. These figures underscore the importance of a tracing mechanism. My amendment proposes the creation of an index...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Minister of State seems to suggest it is correct that the register is open to public inspection.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: That would be disturbing and we would not want that situation. The Minister of State also said the board is considering a similar register for inter-country adoptions because their numbers are on the increase and that will be necessary. It is important that the amendment is considered and accepted by him because the section is vague and we do not want to repeat the same mistakes with...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Leader has changed his mind about Tuesday sittings. However, this Bill is extremely important and I welcome the opportunity to debate it further next Tuesday.

Seanad: Pre-school Services (14 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am grateful for the opportunity to raise the issue of the need for the Minister for Health and Children to outline to the House the details of the way the Government scheme to provide a child care place for three year old children will function, the payment methods, the number of available places and the level of uptake in the scheme he expects from child care providers. I welcome the...

Seanad: Pre-school Services (14 May 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I referred to the e-mail from a woman who runs a child care service. She says: I have worked really hard over the last nine years to build a successful service where parents can be proud to send their children. It is not just a three hour childminding service and it does not end when the children leave. She goes on to outline the types of services she provides. What is the Minister's...