Results 1-20 of 2,007 for speaker:Frances Black

Seanad: Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2025)

Frances Black: I move amendment No. 39: In page 6, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following: “Legal continuity 9. (1) The amendments made by this Act shall not affect the validity of any proceedings, whether pending or completed, or any investigation, prosecution, conviction, sentence, order, requirement or obligation made, imposed, issued or otherwise undertaken before the commencement...

Seanad: Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2025)

Frances Black: Am I hearing the Minister of State right in that he is not accepting the amendment?

Seanad: Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2025)

Frances Black: The amendment seeks to preserve the validity of forensic reports and expert opinions. It avoids delays in trials caused by re-examining evidence, with no extra resources required for evidence management. It also protects the work of technical and digital forensic teams. It would serve to maintain confidence in the justice process, having been drafted with input from forensic and legal...

Seanad: Situation in Gaza: Statements (29 May 2025)

Frances Black: I will share time with my colleague Senator Higgins. The Minister of State is very welcome to the House today. I welcome the Cathaoirleach of the foreign affairs committee, Deputy John Lahart, here as well. For over a year and a half, we have been confronted with scenes in Gaza that are so horrific that they haunt us long after our screens go dark. Only this week, we saw the devastating...

Seanad: Situation in Gaza: Statements (29 May 2025)

Frances Black: They are legally binding, though. It is just a matter of accepting that.

Seanad: Local Democracy Task Force: Statements (27 May 2025)

Frances Black: I welcome these statements on the local democracy task force. I was proud to be a member of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee in the previous Seanad. We heard some very powerful testimonies from all over the country, from councillors and local government representative organisations North and South, who work at the coalface of their communities, to party leaders, former Ministers and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (27 May 2025)

Frances Black: I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his new role-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (27 May 2025)

Frances Black: -----and I look forward to working with him and his officials. For the whole committee, this is a very important piece of work going forward. I agree with all of the suggestions made here this morning. They are all really inspirational, to be honest. I really liked what Deputy Tóibín said about legacy and the interstate case. That is really important going forward. I also...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 May 2025)

Frances Black: I thank my colleague Senator Stephenson for giving me the list of names of children who have been murdered in Gaza at zero years of age. It is too hard to read out the names. I will have to leave some out because we will not have enough time to read them all. What is happening in Gaza is an absolute horror show. We are all watching live on video but it is not a show or a film; this is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2025)

Frances Black: Last week, I was very heartened to see Senator Manus Boyle raise the defective concrete block crisis, an issue that continues to devastate lives across Donegal and beyond. There are many urgent matters relating to this crisis that remain unaddressed. Just last week, for example, the four 100% Redress party councillors took the drastic step of walking out of a meeting of Donegal County...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Apr 2025)

Frances Black: The Irish Neutrality League held a significant press conference this morning, when a coalition of Opposition TDs and Senators united to urge our Government to heed the voices of the people. Time and time again, polls have shown that the majority of our population remains steadfastly committed to maintaining our neutrality.We must call on the Government to halt any efforts that could...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport (Arms Embargo) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (2 Apr 2025)

Frances Black: I wish to hand my time over to Senator Higgins to respond to the Minister, if that is okay.

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport (Arms Embargo) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (2 Apr 2025)

Frances Black: That is grand, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. Go raibh maith agat. I thank the Minister for being here today, and I will speak to section 2. The intention of this Private Members' Bill is to prevent Ireland from being actively complicit in Israel's ongoing genocide in Palestine. It is not a claim we make lightly.The International Court of Justice warned us 14 months ago that Israel was plausibly...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Mar 2025)

Frances Black: Yesterday morning I woke up to the devastating news of what is happening again in Gaza. Innocent people are being murdered. Men, women and children are being blown to bits again by Netanyahu and his army. These are people who are already starving and have no healthcare. Some of the videos are absolutely harrowing, devastating and outrageous. The world is watching. We are all standing...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2025)

Frances Black: It is vital to raise the issue of Ireland's policy of military neutrality, which is now under clear threat from this Government. I am deeply concerned by reports that the Tánaiste, Deputy Harris, has begun preparations for the purchase of a fleet of fighter jets at a cost to the Exchequer of between €60 million and €100 million per year. In light of yesterday's formal...

Seanad: The Diaspora: Statements (5 Mar 2025)

Frances Black: I thank the Minister of State for being here and offer him huge congratulations on his recent appointment. I think back to 2016 when we used to sit over there and have the craic on that side of the House, so it is great to see where he is today. I look forward to working with him on issues across his brief in the coming term. I start by paying tribute to the millions of Irish people who...

Seanad: Care, Supports and Enhanced Provision of Services for Older People: Motion (5 Mar 2025)

Frances Black: I welcome the Minister of State to the Seanad and congratulate him on his recent appointment. I look forward to working with him across his important brief in the coming term. I am grateful to the Fine Gael Senators for bringing forward this important and timely motion on care, supports and the enhanced provision of services for older people. It is certainly an area in urgent need of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Feb 2025)

Frances Black: I wish to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Donegal caused by the defective concrete blocks crisis. I was there myself recently and met with the families. It is absolutely devastating. We must consider the families, including the elderly and vulnerable within those families. They are trapped in homes that are structurally unsound and plagued by damp and mould. Children are...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Feb 2025)

Frances Black: I apologise for not being here last week to hear everybody's maiden speeches. I congratulate both colleagues who were re-elected and those new people who have just been elected. I am truly honoured to have been re-elected to Seanad Éireann. I thank all those who voted for me. I must highlight the position regarding the occupied territories Bill. We all know that the situation to...

Seanad: Election of Leas-Chathaoirleach (19 Feb 2025)

Frances Black: I move: "That Senator Eileen Flynn be elected Leas-Chathaoirleach." It is a great honour to propose my friend and colleague Senator Eileen Flynn for the position of Leas-Chathaoirleach of the Seanad. Eileen is not just a Senator; she is a beacon of hope and change for many. Prior to her election in 2020 she had dedicated more than a decade of her life as a human rights activist and a...