Results 1-20 of 28 for "direct provision" speaker:Frances Black

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Young Voices on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Oct 2022)

Frances Black: ...is so beautiful to hear them speak one of the most beautiful languages in the world and I agree with everything that they said. Kim is amazing and I totally agree with everything that she said. Direct provision is a deeply shameful aspect of Ireland's treatment of asylum seekers. In years to come we will view it in the same way we now view mother and baby homes. I was a member of...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Apr 2017)

Frances Black: Today, I wish to highlight an issue around direct provision. Our treatment of the thousands of people in direct provision throughout this country is nothing short of a scandal. A country coming to terms with the awful abuse inflicted on people in the mother and baby homes, the Magdalen laundries and other State and religious institutions is now sowing the seeds for future shame. The...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2017)

Frances Black: I join other Senators in welcoming the report published this morning by the Department of Justice and Equality and researchers at University College Cork, UCC, on the lives of children living in direct provision. It further confirms what we all know, that direct provision is a national disgrace and we cannot stand over it.

Seanad: Immigration (Reform) (Regularisation of Residency Status) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Frances Black: ...Higgins. Ireland is known around the world for its generosity, compassion and humanity. We do not have to look too far to see all the great work done by Irish overseas agencies. The conditions in direct provision where we keep people are shocking. It is a disgrace. It is not right that people are kept in such conditions. Some county councillors, who are also concerned about this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision and the International Protection Application Process: Discussion (Resumed) (29 May 2019)

Frances Black: ...them humanely should shame all of you. I feel absolutely devastated by what I have heard. I am ashamed that I live in this country. I am ashamed by the way our Government is treating people in direct provision. There is no representation here today from our Government. It is probably too hard from them to hear what the reality is. We do not know. I am grateful that the witnesses...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision and the International Protection Application Process: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2019)

Frances Black: ...and the long-term impact on their mental health? I again highlight the case of Sylva Tukula, which was absolutely horrifying. It was devastating to hear what happened. She died in direct provision and, as was mentioned, she was buried with no friends or loved ones present. That is heartbreaking and the fact she was buried alone sums up the cruelty of the system and the indignity to...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Nov 2020)

Frances Black: I wish to highlight today the Government’s White Paper on ending direct provision, which is scheduled to be published before the end of 2020. It is essential that we put pressure on the legislators to use the key recommendations of the groundbreaking report by Catherine Day. We must see an end to direct provision, an end to institutionalised living and an end to congregated...

Seanad: Order of Business (31 May 2017)

Frances Black: ...decision with major implications for how we treat asylum seekers in this country. I have raised it here before and human rights organisations have been saying it for years but the system of direct provision is a disgrace. We have an obligation to treat people with basic dignity and respect and that includes the right to work. Who benefits from stopping talented, ambitious people from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision: Discussion with Ombudsman (25 Sep 2019)

Frances Black: When we visited direct provision centres, I found that mental health was one of the biggest issues for clients. Can the witnesses talk us through how a standard interaction between their offices and a centre works? Perhaps they could pick one centre and tell us how often the Ombudsman is there, how many staff attend, how the meetings are carried out. I just want to get a clear...

Seanad: Direct Provision: Statements (4 Oct 2017)

Frances Black: I welcome the Minister. I am deeply sad that we still need to debate this issue. I disagree with the Minister in that I do not see direct provision as a way of protecting people. The system of direct provision is an absolute disgrace and something of which we should be deeply ashamed. The reality is that thousands of people are effectively warehoused and forced to live on €19 per...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision and the International Protection Application Process: Discussion (Resumed) (29 May 2019)

Frances Black: I want to thank the witnesses all so much. I hope they never give up the fight to abolish direct provision centres. We will do everything and by the way we have a great Chairman to whom I want to pay credit. We will do our best to highlight the issues that the witnesses have given us information on. I appreciate their honesty. It has been an unbelievable eye-opener for me and I thought I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Review of Scope and Structure of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act: Engagement with Minister for Health (8 Dec 2021)

Frances Black: ...I mean disabled persons in inpatient and residential settings, people living with limited or no GP provision, Travellers, migrants, those without PPS numbers, international students and those in direct provision? I would appreciate it if the Minister could respond to those questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Directives: Minister for Justice and Equality (17 Jan 2018)

Frances Black: ...states provide for a right to work after six months or less. I ask the Minister to consider in particular the huge mental health benefits of being able to work, in particular where a person is in direct provision.

Seanad: Mental Health Services: Motion (29 May 2019)

Frances Black: ...issue. I am a member of the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality. I would love the Minister of State to read the presentations that I listened to this morning. The committee is reviewing the direct provision system. We were joined this morning by a group of incredibly brave asylum seekers. I was very emotional listening to their stories. They explained to us what it was like to...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Feb 2021)

Frances Black: I am delighted to see Senator Norris in the Chamber and back to full health. I also welcome the White Paper on ending direct provision. I visited some direct provision centres in my role as member of the justice and equality committee in the last Oireachtas. What I saw was horrendous and shocking. I have no doubt the residents are celebrating today. Hopefully, it will happen for them...

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (18 May 2022)

Frances Black: ...This is what made outrageous the National Gallery of Ireland's decision to award the contract for its café to the multinational catering conglomerate, Aramark, which is involved in running several direct provision centres in the country.I do not need to list the many outrageous elements of the direct provision system to the Chamber. I know that the Government has expressed a desire...

Seanad: Migrant Integration Strategy: Statements (16 May 2017)

Frances Black: ...be asking why these figures are so low in the first place. We can and must do more to show compassion to people fleeing persecution and war. Just a few days after Muhammad played that game in Belfast, a mother living in the direct provision centre in Eglinton in Galway had to carry her sick child for two miles to hospital, because she could not afford the bus fare. The Galway...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision and the International Protection Application Process: Discussion (22 May 2019)

Frances Black: ...outsourcing that function to private companies? What is the witnesses' view on the likelihood of legal action against the State? The special rapporteur on child protection has described the system of direct provision as State-sanctioned child poverty. Asylum seekers have talked about the misery endured by them in the centres and how their humanity was slowly taken away and their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister for Justice and Equality (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Black: ...as they have lost that trust, particularly in the past few years. It is time to build a relationship with communities, as that is vital. I apologise because I must head off but I do have a particular interest in direct provision. I look forward to hearing what the Minister has to say about that.

Seanad: Reception Conditions Directive: Motion (23 Jan 2018)

Frances Black: ...challenge against the State can be expected. On the basis of the interim scheme, the brave Burmese man who actually persisted and brought the case to the Supreme Court would not be able to accept the position of chef at the direct provision centre in which he is living. We urgently require further concrete details on how the right to work will operate once the EU reception conditions...