Results 8,181-8,200 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

David Norris: ECT is very much the nub of the matter and there are differing views on it. The College of Psychiatry in Ireland has made its views plain. As a matter of principle, forced medical treatment must be approached very carefully. I know there are particular cases, for example children whose parents are members of certain religious groups that do not permit blood transfusions. In those...

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

David Norris: They do not.

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

David Norris: There are no degrees of perfection.

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

David Norris: It is a theological point.

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

David Norris: One must listen with the deepest respect to anybody of the eminence of Senator Harris, who can talk so movingly from direct experience of depression. I have never had depression, except in my old drinking days. It rarely lasted more than about 12 hours and I knew it would come to an end. Therefore, I cannot actually speak from experience. However, Senator Harris's experience does not...

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

David Norris: That does not make him anything very special in my eyes.

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

David Norris: But he might have recovered much quicker had he——

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

David Norris: When Senator Harris says it does not really matter how ECT works, I, as somebody interested in the disciplines of science, feel it does. That is not an absolute, however, because I am well aware there are effective treatments whose manner of working is not fully understood. If one is suffering and something works then one will do it and one would be mad not to, to be quite frank. However,...

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

David Norris: With regard to amendment No. 1, this situation affects not only Ireland. The position with regard to human rights and ECT has been confronted at the United Nations and the World Health Organization and both bodies have stated with regard to this specific treatment that it should be administrated only with the free and informed consent of the people concerned. I take these bodies seriously;...

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

David Norris: I would like to ask him whether it can be put through all Stages.

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Mar 2011)

David Norris: If so, perhaps we will get an indication that this can be done and then it will be left to the Dáil to decide whether it will progress it further. I hope it does so.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Mar 2011)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Mar 2011)

David Norris: I congratulate my colleagues on the Government side and wish them and the Government well. With regard to the euro, I have stated previously in the House that the banking problem is a serious one. The whole of Europe is involved; it is not merely an isolated problem for Ireland. In Portugal the Government has collapsed. This creates a significant additional element. The people of...

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (25 May 2011)

David Norris: Beannaím do na Seanadóirí uilig agus ar an gcéad dul síos déanaim comhghairdeas le gach éinne tar éis an toghcháin. Is mór an onóir dom bheith sa Chathaoir stairiúil seo mar athair an tSeanaid ar an ócáid an-tábhachtach seo. Tá sé an-tábhachtach go pearsanta dom féin freisin. I congratulate each and everyone on becoming a Member of the 34th Seanad - sorry, the 24th...

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (25 May 2011)

David Norris: There have been glaring faults and, if we are to survive, these must be faced with honesty and courage. Our credibility as an institution has been challenged and we all, as individuals and parties alike, must take our share of the blame. The entire Oireachtas needs reform, not just Seanad Éireann alone. No one can deny that the venal actions of some politicians have brought the whole...

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (25 May 2011)

David Norris: Senator Paddy Burke has been formally proposed and seconded.

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (25 May 2011)

David Norris: I beg your pardon. May I have a seconder please.

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (25 May 2011)

David Norris: I thank Senator Bacik. It is an indication of the cross-party and non-confrontational nature of the Seanad that her support comes from a different party. I have great pleasure in calling on Senator Darragh O'Brien.