Results 281-300 of 1,966 for speaker:Mary Henry

Seanad: Interest Rates Reduction: Statements. (12 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: Before we continue, I wish to make clear that it was agreed that this business would conclude at 1 p.m. Senator Higgins has ten minutes.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: I support Senator Terry's comments on the Intoxicating Liquor Bill, which is complicated legislation. Perhaps there could be a bigger gap between Second and Committee Stages. We all know there is a grave shortage of acute hospital beds in this city, not least in the children's hospitals. A few months ago the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children with special...

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: To children who are being fostered.

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Second Stage. (18 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: I welcome the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and I welcome the legislation, although I feel it is inadequate in some ways. There has been a sense of disappointment that this legislation was not brought forward earlier. That is why I am glad it is before the House today. The Minister is very lucky because he has had two bites at this cherry – first, as Attorney General, and,...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (18 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: I thank Senator Maurice Hayes for sharing his time with me.

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: I support the call for a debate on the health service reports, but the crisis in hospitals is not being helped by some petty actions that have been taken. Many elderly people manage to maintain an independent living because of home helps. There has been a huge reduction throughout the country in the number of hours that home helps can spend with people. This is having a knock-on effect,...

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: I support this amendment. This legislation is similar to that passed in the United Kingdom. The Good Friday Agreement encouraged that approach. The UK legislation has managed to include the courts, down to the Magistrates' Courts, in this area in a satisfactory manner. The main reason for bringing this forward is to ensure judgments could be given without undue delay and also that people...

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: I understand judges are not obliged to give reasons for their decisions but it causes great difficulty for those who wish to appeal cases if they do not know the grounds on which decisions have been made. The Minister of State does not think so, unfortunately. Senator Jim Walsh raised the matter of section 3(1) and the Minister of State explained that the phrase "in so far as possible" is not...

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: I remind the Minister that we do not want judges to be sued either. Some of my best friends are judges. The convention specifically provides that it is only judicial review and appeals which can be sued under the convention.

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: I move amendment No. 5: In page 4, subsection (1), line 19, after "exercised" to insert "and shall include any person or body certain of whose functions are functions of a public nature, but in relation to a particular act, such a person or body shall not be an organ of state if the nature of the act is private". The intention of this amendment is to ensure that bodies which are publicly...

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: When the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform was here yesterday and some of us pointed out that we had received considerable briefings from the Bar Council and the Law Society, he said he was not going to do a head count of who was in favour of his Bill and who against among his legal colleagues. However, it is worrying that there appears to be such concern that these areas could be...

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: The Minister explained yesterday why he had not made the convention part of the law of the State. However, I am unclear on how it was possible to make the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction part of the law of the State yet it is not possible to do so with this convention.

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: It is extraordinary that, for what will almost certainly be a small number of cases, the Government or the Minister involved is not obliged to do anything if incompatibility is discovered. We face a situation where there could be a recurrence of previous difficulties. All that will happen is that a person will receive an ex gratia payment if the Attorney General and an adviser consider it a...

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: It seems crazy.

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: We have congratulated ourselves several times on the human rights elements of the Constitution. We are confident that these situations will arise rarely. Amendment No. 21 states that the Taoiseach or other Government Minister shall within two months of the declaration of incompatibility make a statement to the Houses of the Oireachtas detailing what measures, if any, it proposes to take. We...

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: Deputy Costello pointed out in the Lower House that someone who still had a conviction could have difficulties with travel and in many other areas no matter what financial recompense he or she received. I am keen to get complete our deliberations on the Bill and I will not labour the point. However, many Members thought the issue would be addressed in the Bill. It is not something the...

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: I am intrigued by the Minster of State's explanation. Amendment No. 28 differs from amendment No. 26 because it seeks to ensure that those who have been convicted of a criminal offence because of incompatibility will have a means of remedy. The major problem with the legislation is the provision that the sole remedy available will be monetary compensation. Money is not always a remedy for the...

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: Could there be a delay and will the Supreme Court give reasons for its findings? Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: I move amendment No. 27: In page 6, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following new subsection: "(6) In relation to any declaration of incompatibility, the Court may grant such other non-monetary relief or remedy, or make such order, within its powers as it considers just and appropriate.".

Seanad: European Convention on Human Rights Bill 2001: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

Mary Henry: The Minister of State is a lawyer and I am a doctor. For years I have endured lawyers giving me medical advice, so I will not start to give the Minister of State legal advice. However, Article 13 of the convention provides that people are entitled to an effective remedy and it does not specify that it must be financial in scope. The Minister knows my views on the role of the adviser. In...