Results 1-20 of 24 for other and baby speaker:Fidelma Healy Eames

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Oct 2015)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Like others, I would like to be associated with the words of sympathy on the very tragic death of Garda Golden. By all accounts, he was a man with a big heart. He responded as a garda as he was expected to do, but sadly lost his life. I extend my sympathies to his family on their great loss. I commend Garda Golden on his service to our nation. I extend my sympathy to the families...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jul 2015)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I am delighted to have an opportunity to address the Leader this morning. He will recall that nine days ago I raised the issue of 17 homeless women in Dublin who are pregnant. It is a scandal. It has taken me a week to get one media outlet to cover this story. I compliment the journalist, Philip Ryan, of the Irish Independent, for covering it. I have met with some of these young women...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Feb 2015)

Fidelma Healy Eames: The Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, was in this House just over a week ago talking about the HSE's service plan. He said he would not comment on the state of accident and emergency units in individual hospitals. However, the Minister has to deal with hospitals individually because there is a difference between them and a crisis in some. The information I have is absolutely shocking....

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Employment Rights (4 Nov 2014)

Fidelma Healy Eames: ...Richard Bruton, to the House. I am grateful that he is here to take this Adjournment matter as the senior Minister in the Department. My case is the need for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to consider the poor prospects of agency workers who exist on week-to-week contracts and how he can improve their lot. It is in everyone's interest that workers are happy and that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Coping with Stillbirth Loss: Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Association (16 Oct 2014)

Fidelma Healy Eames: ...most emotional presentation that I have ever been present for. I am struck by the level of healing that Féileacáin is offering people at a time of grief when, as Deputy Neville said, there is no other outward sign of the acknowledgment of the parents' huge loss. We do funerals well in Ireland. We go through a process which helps people deal with their bereavement. I see that...

Seanad: Political Reform: Statements (8 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: ...the Leader for giving us time to discuss this very important issue. We must start by asking what is political reform. It is about changing the way we do politics, the way we manage to represent and integrate the people and solve the problems they are bringing to us which are real issues in society. We received a mandate at the weekend to do this. We can be sure of one thing: if the...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: ...Kingdom, says this is the case from 17 weeks onwards. My amendment requests that an anaesthetic be provided for the unborn at terminations at 16 weeks, provided there is no ill effect for the mother. I have looked widely at research in this area. In neonatal units in the United Kingdom, surgery on foetuses over 23 weeks is performed with the unborn child under anaesthetic. It is...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (22 Jul 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: ...assumption that only one opinion is right. It is not true. We must stick to the facts. Sometimes, they are difficult to hear. We can pride ourselves on the fact that the current practice in Ireland is a two-patient model of care whereby the expectant mother and the child are prioritised. I infer from Senator Walsh's amendment that this is what he meant. I understand that "current...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Okay, then I will leave it as it is, because the meaning is fully clear. In other words, the word "unborn" becomes the word "born". As for the effect of this amendment, there is no requirement in the Bill as it stands to place a duty on medical professionals to sustain the life of the baby where that is possible. I acknowledge Members have received assurances from the Minister but again,...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: The word "is" makes it dangerous. Up to now the practice has been that should the mother's life need to be saved, that is the goal, but it may mean the unintentional taking of the baby's life. I understand that everybody is fine with that. What worries me about the wording in the section is that it makes clear that an unborn human life is ended. This is actually worse than the current...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: This section states: "The expenses incurred by the Minister in the administration of this Act shall, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas." I do not know if the Minister of State was following the debate this morning but I raised the issue of foetal pain, which is considerable. I decided not...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: In his response to me and to others, the Minister said he did not wish to be prescriptive and does not want to tell doctors what to do. I can accept that. What will the doctors do? That is what I want to know. What will they do in the course of a termination-abortion? Will an anaesthetist be present to ensure the baby is given an anaesthetic so that when its life is ended it is ended...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Jul 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: ...the foetus before the medical procedure is commenced.” Truly, I regret that we even have to discuss this issue. However, we know what we are legislating for. We are legislating so terminations and abortions can take place, albeit in limited circumstances. If we must do so, the very least we should do is ensure the procedure will be pain-free for the little baby, the unborn, the...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I wish to speak to my amendment No. 38. The amendment states: "In page 10, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: "(c) that medical procedure shall not involve the intentional destruction of a viable unborn,' ". The key words are "intentional" and "viable unborn". I have great difficulty with the reason for not taking this amendment in the Dáil. Why was the Government not...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Committee Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: If I could continue my point, the reason they said they were happy is because they had a reference point around the birth of the baby. They had those few minutes, hours or years with the baby. They had their family around them. They had a support group. Every year afterwards, they were able to celebrate that life. I am not saying this is my view. That is what they stated, and I have to...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Jul 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I thank Senators Feargal Quinn and Mary-Ann O'Brien for moving my reasoned amendment to the Bill yesterday. This Bill has been a momentous journey for me. I came to this debate with an open mind. I was not and am not part of any campaign, pro-life or pro-choice. From the outset, my sole concern has been to ensure that any changes are in the best interests of expectant mothers and their...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: An Dara Céim (Atógáil): An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed): Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Jul 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for sticking with us. We are at a defining moment in Irish parliamentary democracy and we must proceed with great care lest we be sorry in the future. The fundamental question we need to answer concerns what type of parliament we need to best serve the Irish people and whether the abolition of the Seanad will provide for that through this Bill....

Seanad: Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012: Second Stage (2 Oct 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: This is a good day for all of us. Nelson Mandela's comment to the effect that "There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children" highlights the stage we have reached with the referendum on children's rights. I compliment the Minister, who has taken the lead in respect of this matter and spent a great deal of time researching it, on the work...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Second Stage (27 Apr 2012)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Child benefit should be claimed only if the child is here and going to school, in a notified crèche or in the ECCE scheme. This needs serious consideration. I understand the European rules but we have national authority here and it is possible to change this. With regard to the changes to the Pensions Act 1990 the idea of requiring 11 years to satisfy the risk reserve of the scheme is very...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I welcome the Minister to the House. She moved from one active Department to another. Perhaps it is the place to be, given that is where all the action is with such a large welfare budget. My overarching position is I do not favour a welfare state but social justice is important and that is why I am a member of Fine Gael and why I live and work under this mantle. I am a member of the...