Results 81-100 of 636 for speaker:Joan Freeman

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

Joan Freeman: Does Dr. Shannon want to answer specifically Deputy Ó Laoghaire's questions?

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

Joan Freeman: It seems more appropriate for you to answer the questions as they arise, Dr. Shannon. If you wish, please go ahead and answer Senator Devine's questions.

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

Joan Freeman: Members wish to ask more questions, but before we go into round two I will ask a question. Dr. Shannon repeated a couple of phrases a few times, one of which is "a timeline". I am sure Dr. Shannon was not being cynical, but how confident is he that the Garda and Tusla will ensure his recommendations are implemented? Is he confident that the Garda and Tusla will follow through on the...

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

Joan Freeman: What Dr. Shannon is saying is he does not have any confidence.

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

Joan Freeman: I am conscious Dr. Shannon has been in the spotlight for nearly two hours. We have one more question from Deputy Neville. Is there any other question?

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

Joan Freeman: I would add to that as well that it was wonderful to see the compassion of gardaí outlined in Dr. Shannon's report. Knowing that makes the terrible issues a tiny bit softer. I thank Dr. Shannon. He really has been incredible this morning. I thank him for the way he answered all the questions. It was certainly a rapid-fire approach and we are very grateful. If there is anything we...

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

Joan Freeman: If we can get them back to Deputy Funchion before 7 July-----

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

Joan Freeman: -----is that all right?

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Children's Mental Health Services: Discussion (29 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: Earlier, I sat among these women who are speaking to us this morning and the description that came to me immediately was that these are warriors of Ireland. We are among five warriors. These are mothers who have travelled a journey with their children and have agreed to come here today to tell the public and the Government about the nature of their journey so far. I call them warriors...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Children's Mental Health Services: Discussion (29 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I have three very brief questions. I keep referring to the witnesses as "the warriors". Before I ask the questions, I acknowledge the presence of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Katherine Zappone. I thank her for attending today.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Children's Mental Health Services: Discussion (29 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I offer the Minister my deepest sympathies and condolences. She is here today to listen to these women, and I appreciate that and thank her. I welcome Deputy Pat Buckley as well. The three questions I want to address are for clarification. They are for Ms Lauren Keogh, Ms Paula Dalton and Ms Martina Kelly. Did Ms Keogh say Zara, her 13-year old child, developed anorexia while on a...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Children's Mental Health Services: Discussion (29 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: My colleague mentioned accident and emergency departments, but we are also looking at the problem of waiting lists. There are 2,500 children on waiting lists, and Ms Keogh said that Zara developed anorexia while on that waiting list. Ms Paula Dalton mentioned that Rhys waited for CAMHS for 12 months. Did she tell it during that time that he was suicidal? When she eventually brought him...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Children's Mental Health Services: Discussion (29 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: So they were aware of that. Ms Martina Kelly went through years trying to get help for her son. Does she believe that if there had been early intervention for him, he would not have ended up self-medicating with alcohol and drugs if he had been seen to as a child, or at the time when he needed it most?

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Children's Mental Health Services: Discussion (29 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: To follow up Senator Buttimer's statement, he asked the ladies how would they spend the money in question. He mentioned a figure of approximately €150 million or €160 million as a budget for mental health. I am not quite sure of the number but 6% is spent on children. In effect, we are talking about €50 million for 23% of the population that attends mental health...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Children's Mental Health Services: Discussion (29 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I invited the witnesses here today. I know it is the Acting Chairman's job to thank them but can I also do so. I am so proud of what they have done this morning. They were absolutely brilliant. Well done to them all.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Children's Mental Health Services: Discussion (29 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I thank the Cathaoirleach and my fellow Senators. I will just paint a very brief picture of what today is about. We are trying to give the public, but also the Government, a clear picture of what mental health services in Ireland are like on the ground. While it is essential that we do not point the finger at the Government, the HSE or anybody like that, we must still be truthful, honest...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Children's Mental Health Services: Discussion (29 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: Before I ask my questions, I wish to point out that a common theme in this session has been the passion expressed by the witnesses. All of them have a passion to help the child and the most vulnerable. That was obvious from each of them. The session this morning was very harrowing but having listened to our guests, I have hope. Dr. Shannon has come out with the most profound statements....

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Children's Mental Health Services: Discussion (29 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I will address a question to Mr. Peter Hughes, who mentioned that one solution to increasing staff levels or recruitment and retention of staff is to do with pay. He was involved in the pay talks recently. Where is the problem here? We are told constantly all the time by the HSE that we cannot recruit staff, so where is the problem? Ms Mary Nicholson from the ISPCC was right in that we...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Children's Mental Health Services: Discussion (29 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: Dr. Migone and Dr. Kavanagh were asked a question while the Chairman was out.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Children's Mental Health Services: Discussion (29 Jun 2017)

Joan Freeman: I thank all the witnesses. I have worked with many of them and their agencies over the years. It was a pleasure to hear them speaking today. In particular, I thank Peter Hughes, who is really telling the world what our nurses and doctors have to put up with. I hope that we can work closely again. I said to Dr. Shannon yesterday that he makes me breathless because his reports are so...