Results 1-20 of 950 for at speaker:Kathleen Funchion

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Parental Bereavement Leave (Amendment) Bill 2021: Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny (14 May 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: I am glad we are having this discussion. There was some debate about whether there was a need for pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill because it is so straightforward but it is good for the public to hear and see the matter being discussed and taken seriously at national level. I did not know what had happened to Senator Clonan and his family, and I offer my condolences. It is amazing how...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Parental Bereavement Leave (Amendment) Bill 2021: Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny (14 May 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: Thanks so much for sharing that. I wish to offer you our condolences on the loss of Liam and Grace. As I said in the earlier session, I had nieces who passed away at 23 weeks. My sister was living in America. The last thing on any of our minds was work. Even for us, who were not the direct parents, there was no issue. This goes back to what Caroline said in her statement, in that it...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Parental Bereavement Leave (Amendment) Bill 2021: Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny (14 May 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: It reaffirms for all of us the importance, and I have a personal view on this, of consulting people and groups when we are looking at any policy. We did question whether scrutiny was needed because it seemed to be straightforward. How could you not agree with this? However, when scrutiny is actually undertaken and when this committee gets to hear directly from people, it opens your mind...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Parental Bereavement Leave (Amendment) Bill 2021: Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny (14 May 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: Not at all. Thank you for being so real, honest and open. It really is very much appreciated. I know my own sister always says that too. Sometimes people will say they were not sure what to say so they did not say anything. That is the worst thing you can do. She went on to have three children but all after Alannah had passed away. They speak about them all the time but she always said...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Parental Bereavement Leave (Amendment) Bill 2021: Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny (14 May 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank Ms Smith. On behalf of the committee I pass on our condolences to you both on the death of baby Stephen. I cannot imagine how difficult it is to be asked to come in and share your story in a public forum. We acknowledge that. It is very helpful for us in our work when we are looking at Bills to hear directly from people who have actually gone through the really difficult...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Disability Services (30 Apr 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: When the Minister of State says that it is a 58% staff vacancy rate, is she saying that the recruitment drive she is talking about is that to fill that 58%? Is she saying that there is a 58% shortage of staff, and is the recruitment drive she is talking about - which was at the end of January and is now in the final stages - to fill that? Okay. Perfect. As we know, there is a major...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Protection (30 Apr 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank the Minister. As he knows, we have a number of locations throughout Carlow and Kilkenny and I have no issue or difficulty. I am raising this issue because I share the concerns of the community. It is a fantastic community and there are already a number of Ukrainian families living in the area. It could be argued that the holiday homes there will not be proper, long-term...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Protection (30 Apr 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: I understand there would be a mix or rural and urban accommodation but surely there must be consideration of whether transport and facilities are available. To put it in people's minds, the facility in question is an old equestrian centre, so you can imagine the level of accommodation we will be able to provide. It will certainly not be up to standard. There are also serious issues in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: International Protection (30 Apr 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: 82. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the person or body responsible for the property at a location (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if it is his Department or the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; if he is aware that there are enforcement issues regarding this property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19198/24]

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Ireland's International Obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: The agenda item for the day is a discussion on the views of children on Ireland's international obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and emerging issues for children in Ireland, including artificial intelligence, AI. We are delighted to be joined today by a number of young people representing the youth advisory panel which supports the Ombudsman for...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Ireland's International Obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: I have a similar question, so I may as well ask it now. There is definitely a generational issue with social media and smartphones. I am aware that times have changed. Sometimes kids of a certain age, when they are going into their teenage years, need phones. For example, they may arrive at the house before a parent gets home from work and need a phone to check in. Times are different....

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Protection of Children in the Use of Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: We have received apologies from Deputies Sean Sherlock and John Brady. The agenda item for consideration this afternoon is engagement with stakeholders on the protection of children in the use of artificial intelligence. We have had a few sessions on this already that people may have tuned into. Joining us at the meeting this afternoon are representatives of X, Ms Niamh McDade, head of...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Protection of Children in the Use of Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: Thank you. I have a few questions I want to ask. This is more for TikTok and it relates to the algorithms. It is true of all platforms that if you post something and you are getting a large number of negative comments, the algorithm picks this up. What it nearly wants is negative feedback. How are children being protected from that? Part of what is going to be covered on the programme...

General Practice and Local Health Services: Motion (20 Mar 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: I am delighted to get the chance to speak on this motion because I find increasingly that people who cannot access a GP are calling in to us. In many cases, they have been living abroad or in another part of the country and when they come home they find it impossible to access a GP. In one recent case, a person with a very serious condition who had been living in England for a long period...

Child and Youth Mental Health: Statements (29 Feb 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: At this stage, many of us feel like we could write a book, and, unfortunately, not a positive one, on CAMHS. I refer to the battle that parents face trying to find the appropriate service, the paperwork involved in filling in the forms when people are already experiencing a difficult and stressful time in their lives, and then being told this is not the appropriate service but not...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Child and Family Agency (29 Feb 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: None of us wants to see this situation. Yesterday, we saw another piece in The Irish Times. This is not the first time that there have been stories like this in the news. Last year, the retired Dublin District Court, Dermot Simms, spoke out on this. At that time, there were 130 children. If the plan is to deliver 110 places by the end of 2025, we are already way behind the curve. We...

Paediatric Orthopaedic and Urology Services: Motion [Private Members] (20 Feb 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: ..., for all their work in this regard and for this evening. I join others in welcoming and thanking the families for making the effort to travel this evening to be here. It is really important that we continue to shine a light on the absolute failure of children's healthcare in the State. Undoubtedly, we are failing children. Endless promises are made. We often hear pronouncements...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Protection of Children in the Use of Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Feb 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: The Senator has been here for the whole meeting in fairness. Could I ask for the contact details and for the helpline again? I am not sure if there is an advertising campaign in relation to the helpline. There is. That is great. It would be good for people because at least it is a first step when someone is in the middle of a situation. We will also advertise them on our website along...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Homes (20 Feb 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: 579. To ask the Minister for Health if there is any circumstance where the fair deal payment owed at the end of a nursing home resident's stay is deferred or can be paid in instalments over a period of time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7743/24]

Commissions of Investigation (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (15 Feb 2024)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank the Minister. I appreciate her comments regarding how the mother and baby home issue was handled. There is some possibility. I take on board what the Minister said regarding setting out a statement. I have to say, and the Minister will not be surprised, that just because of the level of work, particularly with the involvement of the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers, OPLA, I...