Results 1,661-1,680 of 1,966 for speaker:Mary Henry

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (2 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: While I understand the Minister of State's position that the amendment would alter the status of the care plan, there have been examples, at least in Great Britain although I am not aware of examples in this country, of care plans falling down badly. Social workers are increasingly overburdened with their caseload. I ask the Minister of State to consider the amendment because I can understand...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (2 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: I am always fascinated when people describe a breakdown in a marriage or relationship as "amicable" because I have not yet encountered it. Frequently, children are the big losers in these situations. Grandparents have no rights but they might be the only stability left for the child or children. The Minister and Senator Tuffy will have seen instances in the courts where visiting and access...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (2 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: Like Senator Browne, I was disappointed that following the Minister's speech on Second Stage, in which he said he would put down amendments on Committee Stage regarding the Ferns Report, the amendments were not dealt with here. They will be dealt with on Committee Stage in the Lower House and when the Bill returns to the Seanad we will be only able to pull our forelocks and agree to them. We...

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (2 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: With all due respect, we can stand up and speak only once. That is the rule of the House. It is not the Minister of State's fault it is the Standing Order of the House.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: I concur with Senator Mansergh that private nursing homes are not the panacea for problems within the health service, but the Minister for Health and Children and her officials seem to think otherwise as these homes are repeatedly being used, often unsuitably, to solve the situation in the acute hospitals. It would be far preferable if step-down facilities were built throughout the country....

Seanad: UN Committee Report on Children in Ireland: Statements (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: I must ask the Minister of State to conclude.

Seanad: UN Committee Report on Children in Ireland: Statements (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: The Minister of State's comments are extremely interesting but we must conclude.

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: I am very surprised the Government amendment does not mention the organisations which have put so much work into the area of homelessness. I would like to include others such as the Salvation Army, Los Angeles Society for homeless boys and Ruhama. One group not mentioned in connection with homelessness is that of prisoners leaving prison, some of whom have nowhere to go when they come out....

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: I support Senator Brian Hayes's call for a debate on the lack of provision of sexual assault units throughout the country. Having been involved in the establishment of the first such unit in the Rotunda Hospital more than 20 years ago, I know how important it is to make facilities available as near at hand as possible. If we really want to do something about the conviction rates on foot of...

Seanad: Drug Misuse: Statements (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: I welcome the Minister of State. He is correct that this is a difficult problem, internationally and domestically. We must keep a close eye on what effective initiatives are being taken in other countries to combat drug abuse as we try to put our own solutions together. I have always been fascinated by people who are keen to legalise drugs, which is a road I would not follow. A number of...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: I support the suggestion that we have a debate on the National Children's Hospital. It is a national hospital not a constituency hospital.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: I congratulate Senator Brian Hayes on having discovered there was no scoring of the various tenders that were put forward for the hospital. Since becoming a Member of the House I have asked five times about the situation regarding children born with spina bifida and anencephaly. For genetic reasons we have the highest incidence of these conditions in the world. The only possible way of...

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006: Committee Stage (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: I support the amendment because there are several women governors in our prisons.

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006: Committee Stage (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: Will the Bill cater for people in designated centres, as described under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act? If the answer is "Yes", we would need to include an amendment in respect of the definition of "prisoner". It is important to ensure people who may be brought to court from the Central Mental Hospital or from court to that institution or another designated centre be catered for under the...

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006: Committee Stage (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: I assure the Senator this is not being done to stigmatise those who are mentally ill but to ensure absolute clarity. While a criminal act may have been carried out by such people when they suffered from hallucinations, delusions and so on, by the time they are dealt with, they could be perfectly rational because of treatment. I am trying to establish whether the Minister proposes to...

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006: Committee Stage (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: I cannot make an amendment on the floor of the House but I would be grateful if the Minister examined this issue, which I will also consider again.

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006: Committee Stage (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: While the Minister can apply any rules he wants, I refer him again to the my concern about people who may be mentally ill at the time they are transferred by the prison escort service. Will the custody officers receive psychiatric nursing training?

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006: Committee Stage (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: I did not suggest that.

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006: Committee Stage (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: The Tánaiste could not make the measure obligatory because such a prison officer cannot be supplied in every case, but could we not make it a recommendation? I would not like to be asked to take from one place to another someone who is experiencing an acute schizophrenic episode.

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006: Committee Stage (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: We need officers who are trained to deal with such people. The amendment asks that the people transporting prisoners be trained.