Results 61-80 of 636 for speaker:Joan Freeman

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Findings of HIQA Statutory Foster Care Service Inspection Reports: Discussion (17 May 2017)

Joan Freeman: I thank Ms Dunnion for that presentation. She informed me of matters I did not know about. I am so grateful for HIQA and for the role that it plays in society. First, the fundamental piece that struck me is how serious this is. Ms Dunnion highlighted that the areas that need to be looked at are the assessment of foster carers and management of allegations - those were two issues. I am...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Findings of HIQA Statutory Foster Care Service Inspection Reports: Discussion (17 May 2017)

Joan Freeman: It is five years.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 May 2017)

Joan Freeman: I do not know if Members have noticed the headlines over three days relating to the children of our country. I would be interested to know what the visitors to the House think of how this nation treats its children. The first headline stated that a 16 year old child sat overnight in an accident and emergency department waiting to see a consultant psychiatrist. She was suicidal. No...

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2016: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I might be out of kilter.

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2016: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach, and also Senator Kelleher. She was trying to right a wrong. Senator Norris was quite rude and offensive a little while ago.

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2016: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I absolutely support amendments Nos. 1, 2 and 3. I am really disappointed that the Minister of State is not accepting the Bill. I am full of admiration for Senators Daly, Swanick and Ardagh for the hard work that they have put into this Bill and the patience of the people here who have been waiting for this for so long. They must be feeling totally and utterly frustrated. On behalf of the...

Seanad: Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (21 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I send my warmest congratulations to the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, on his promotion. I am absolutely delighted and I look forward to working with him in the future, as I have done in the past. I am grateful for the opportunity to debate the Bill, which has been co-sponsored by Senators Craughwell and Marie-Louise O'Donnell. I...

Seanad: Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (21 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: Yes.

Seanad: Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (21 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: The Children's Mental Health Coalition comprises 50 member organisations from a range of backgrounds and sectors. The coalition has previously submitted to the Department of Health - in its review of the Mental Health Act 2001 - that legislation should be enacted to end the practice and that children should only be admitted to such units in exceptional circumstances. Even then, such units...

Seanad: Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (21 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: If we take a closer look at the reasons for these admissions, we can see that it is closely linked to two shortcomings relating to child and adolescent mental health services. First, there is a critical lack of inpatient beds in Ireland. Even more worrying is the chronic shortage of consultant child psychiatrists. Such psychiatrists are responsible for authorising these admissions....

Seanad: Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (21 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I thank the Minister of State and all those Senators who took part in today's debate. I again thank those who co-sponsored the Bill, Senators Craughwell and Marie-Louise O'Donnell, as well as Senator Boyhan who seconded the Bill today. I have five minutes, but there is so much I want to say. There are a few really important things we need to understand. In 2012 we had an historic...

Seanad: Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (21 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: Next Tuesday.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Business of Joint Committee (28 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: As we have a quorum, I call the meeting to order. Apologies have been received from Deputy Lisa Chambers. I welcome all those present to this meeting of the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs. During session A, members will hear from me. I ask them to go easy on me. We will also hear from Mr. Peter Hughes, general secretary of the Psychiatric Nurses Association, and Mr. Gareth...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Mental Health Services: Seanad Public Consultation Committee (28 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I reiterate that this presentation aims to inform the committee of what will happen tomorrow on Ireland's very first public consultation day on mental health. I thank Mr. Gareth Noble and Mr. Peter Hughes for coming to help me with today's meeting. The public consultation day on children's mental health in Ireland is a unique opportunity for our nation to address the provision of mental...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Mental Health Services: Seanad Public Consultation Committee (28 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: Questions to me or to the three of us? To be honest, it should not really be necessary at this point, but if anybody has a burning question I am happy to answer it. My statement was really just to tell the committee about what will be happening tomorrow. Perhaps when we come back in the autumn we could have the opportunity for people to make comments if they so wish. The findings will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Mental Health Services: Seanad Public Consultation Committee (28 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: To follow on from that, it would solve many problems if the recruitment and retention of staff was addressed. It needs to be addressed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Mental Health Services: Seanad Public Consultation Committee (28 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: Tomorrow is the perfect day to listen to the stories from parents in the morning or the stories from service providers in the afternoon. Fortunately Senators will be able to ask questions during the day. If members of the committee have questions they want Senators to ask, they should feel free to ask them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Mental Health Services: Seanad Public Consultation Committee (28 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I welcome Dr. Geoffrey Shannon, special rapporteur on child protection, to discuss issues arising from the audit of the exercise by An Garda Síochána of section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991. I thank Dr. Shannon for appearing today. Before we commence, in accordance with procedure I am required to draw the witness's attention to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Mental Health Services: Seanad Public Consultation Committee (28 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: Sometimes I do not know what to say when I hear Dr. Shannon because his report is absolutely incredible. It gives a clear picture of what life is like. He said that he hopes after the outrage comes the action. Me too. He also described how life is lived for some of our vulnerable children. Those were poignant, strong and profound statements. We will now take questions from the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Children's Mental Health Services: Seanad Public Consultation Committee (28 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I call Deputy Ó Laoghaire.