Results 21-40 of 1,966 for speaker:Mary Henry

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits: Motion. (6 Nov 2002)

Mary Henry: I very much welcome the Minister to the House and I am particularly glad she is in the Ministry she is in. In other forums, I have found her very sympathetic to the fact that the family is not just the nuclear unit we have been used to for a long time, but she takes a much broader view on the whole issue, which is extremely important. The Government motion is a good one, because there have...

Seanad: Report of the Inspector of Mental Hospitals, 2001: Statements. (7 Nov 2002)

Mary Henry: I welcome the Minister of State and am delighted that his maiden speech to the House is on this topic. I noticed his interest when he spoke yesterday on the cross-Border report encouraging a positive attitude towards mental health. I am sure that the Minister of State will put a great deal of work into this area while in his current position. I thank the Leader of the House for organising...

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Nov 2002)

Mary Henry: The former Minister for Education and Science established the Lefoy Commission to examine the issue of abuse of children placed in residential care by the State. I understand that the progress of the commission is very slow, not because of Ms Justice Laffoy, but because it faces constant legal challenge. I have read reports that some of those waiting to be seen by the commission have taken...

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Nov 2002)

Mary Henry: I would be grateful if the Leader asked a Minister to come into the House to explain the reason we still do not have a population register.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Clinical Psychology Courses. (12 Nov 2002)

Mary Henry: I thank the Minister of State for attending the House. I also thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this matter. The Leader of the House has had to endure me bringing up this topic several times on the Order of Business.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Clinical Psychology Courses. (12 Nov 2002)

Mary Henry: This is a serious issue, not just for the 12 postgraduates involved, but also for the country at large, given the serious shortage of clinical psychologists. The Northern Area Health Board of the Eastern Regional Health Authority established a doctoral programme in clinical psychology in Trinity College. The organisation came into play in January when various graduates were interviewed and...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Clinical Psychology Courses. (12 Nov 2002)

Mary Henry: I thank the Minister of State for pointing out that the Northern Area Health Board would not have been in a position to apply for funds in 2000. I agree with him that they work very hard and are a very progressive board. I hope he will reach into his long pocket and get something to give them so that they can get this course under way. The Seanad adjourned at 6.20 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on...

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Nov 2002)

Mary Henry: As a patron of the Irish Penal Reform Trust I was concerned about the refusal to allow Amnesty International into the prisons, particularly when the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform indicated in an interview that it was because there were other people with clipboards going around the prisons. They could have been told to take their time. In view of that and the recent protests by...

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Nov 2002)

Mary Henry: Senator Cox is quite right – cloning could take place here.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (27 Nov 2002)

Mary Henry: I welcome the Bill. It is good to see such an emphasis being put on tourism. In view of international competition, tourism must be promoted and it essential that the country be shown in a positive light. However, a recent innovation, one to which I strongly object, shows us in a very bad light. Aer Rianta has introduced a refundable one euro charge for baggage trolleys at Dublin Airport. I...

Seanad: Overseas Development Aid: Motion. (27 Nov 2002)

Mary Henry: I move: That Seanad Éireann recognises the value of Ireland's aid to developing countries, monetary and otherwise, and calls on the Minister for Finance to maintain our commitment to it. I welcome the Minister of State. I hope he will not consider me to be repetitive because he was present when I last raised this issue in the House on 6 February 2000. The importance of overseas development...

Seanad: Overseas Development Aid: Motion. (27 Nov 2002)

Mary Henry: I cannot tell the Minister of State how pleased I am with his speech and the speeches of all the Senators who contributed on this motion. I was not being foolish in tabling a motion in Private Members' time and used the given wording with two things in mind. First, I am a great believer in the proverb "Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí." That was for the benefit of the Minister of State because...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Dec 2002)

Mary Henry: I support the calls by Senators Dardis and Ryan for a debate on Iraq, but from a different point of view. Today is world population day and I have in my possession the UNFPA's most recent figures on maternal and infant mortality. In Iraq, maternal mortality is now 370 women per 100,000 births, while in Iran, the figure is 130 per 100,000 births. In Iraq, infant mortality is 64 per 100,000...

Seanad: Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Dec 2002)

Mary Henry: We now proceed to amendment No. 12. Amendments Nos.13, 16, 27, 28, 33, 35, 40 and 45 are related. They may all be discussed together.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

Mary Henry: I am not happy with this section because it allows the authority to pay such sums as it considers appropriate to such persons as it considers appropriate out of moneys advanced to it. There is no definition of the words "such persons as it considers appropriate". In view of the present situation regarding the payment of €250,000 to the Irish Open golf championship this should be examined....

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

Mary Henry: I know the Minister would not support discrimination of any sort. He was thorough in the equality legislation he introduced while he was responsible. He is right to say this event will be beamed into homes all over the world – BBC commentators have already pointed out that the Irish Open is being played in a club which discriminates against women. This is not a good image and the Minister...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

Mary Henry: I would never delay the House but I want to make my point clear, given that I will table an amendment on Report Stage. From what the Minister has said tonight and on radio, I believe he is embarrassed by what has happened. Question put and agreed to. Section 26 agreed to.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

Mary Henry: I support Senator Quinn's amendment. In my experience, when we push forward the publication date of reports, the people involved in writing them are pleased. I refer in particular to the report of the inspector of mental hospitals. When Deputy Cowen was Minister for Health and Children, that report usually emerged some 15 to 18 months after the end of the year. Very soon, that interval had...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

Mary Henry: I support Senator Quinn in everything he said, apart from the fact that he could ever be boring. He has mentioned before that it is much more environmentally friendly to put these reports on the Internet because you may only need one section. Large numbers of reports are clogging up our offices and we should be able to print only the section we require. It would save a great deal of pollution.

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (3 Dec 2002)

Mary Henry: I support Senator Quinn's amendment. There is something ludicrous about this section, bearing in mind the existence of the Freedom of Information Act. Somebody will probably make a request under the Act to find out what advice was given by the chief executive to the Minister or the Government and any dispute, such as those which happen each day, will emerge as a consequence. I hope the...