Results 1,681-1,700 of 1,966 for speaker:Mary Henry

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

Mary Henry: The proposals in these amendments to prevent delays are important but I am much taken by amendment No. 18. If we are to transfer people to designated centres using a prison escort group we should include a definition of designated centres, because the definition of prison in the Bill does not cover the Central Mental Hospital, nor should it.

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

Mary Henry: I support the amendment. Sometimes it might be six months before a report is laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. There is no good reason that this should happen. Two months appears to be long enough.

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

Mary Henry: Senator Cummins has made a good point. There are plenty of ways whereby those parts of the report which are considered sensitive can be excluded.

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

Mary Henry: I support amendment No. 25. I cannot understand why a member of a visiting committee was excluded in the provision. I am also concerned that with regard to health care, and the person can be kept in this situation for two months, the Minister has only mentioned a doctor. What if the person is in agony with an impacted wisdom tooth? Is a dentist permitted? It is cruel and inhumane...

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

Mary Henry: I ask the Minister to consider my suggestions on health care workers.

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

Mary Henry: Senator Cummins makes a valid point, since a practising barrister or solicitor may have very little experience of conditions in prison or what happens there. Someone with experience of life in prison might be far better suited to deal with an appeal. One can scrutinise the legal process carefully, but the humanity of prisons is of great importance in such cases, and that should not be...

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

Mary Henry: Tonight, I will telephone my relations who live in Kilworth to find out their views on this for Report Stage. It is important to remember that Castlerea prison replaced a psychiatric institution. At the time, an individual informed me that his father and grandfather had supplied victuals to the asylum and were looking forward to continuing to supply victuals to the prison. There was a...

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

Mary Henry: I was concerned it was the same territory. I would like the term "environmental impact study" to be used in the provision as it includes established criteria. While it is the same territory, it is better to have the territory we know from the EPA legislation. I will table an amendment on this on Report Stage.

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

Mary Henry: I hope the inhabitants of Thornton Hall do not read Senator Jim Walsh's comments. They would not be enthusiastic for no environmental impact statement to be carried out. It is important it is included. I understand his comments on how they can vary, but I am sure we will find some honourable people will produce a sound impact assessment.

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

Mary Henry: Would this cover a designated centre, such as the Central Mental Hospital being moved into the complex?

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

Mary Henry: In support of what the Minister stated, the Dóchas Centre — the women's prison — is very good. It looks well from the outside as one goes up the North Circular Road and it also looks well inside, proving that it is possible to achieve a balance in building prisons to make them look as attractive as possible, as Senator Tuffy stated. I also agree with the Minister about not having...

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

Mary Henry: I disagree with the Minister on that point. It is big enough.

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

Mary Henry: Perhaps some of them do not need to be there.

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

Mary Henry: I support the amendment. Were the Minister to accept it, it would show him in a very good light. To recognise a person's independence, even though it may have been troublesome at certain times, is well worthwhile. I am glad Senator Tuffy tabled this amendment.

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

Mary Henry: I wish to speak to amendment No. 59. Sometimes we believe we have done something once a report has been produced. However, unless we discuss it and ascertain how we should act on it, it is useless. We get report after report on a variety of topics, 98% of which are never discussed in either House of the Oireachtas. When I was first elected to this House and discovered that the reports of...

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

Mary Henry: I move amendment No. 64: In page 25, subsection (1)(b), line 24, after "prison" to insert the following: "or in the designated centre (within the terms of the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2003)". I am of the view that the Minister has recognised my concerns about this matter. It would be very useful if videotaping were also allowed in respect of people who might be in designated centres....

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

Mary Henry: The text of section 33 makes it clear that it is not aimed at people who are seriously psychiatrically ill, so that would not arise. As stated earlier, mental illness can be episodic. It would be so much easier for the people to whom I refer, particularly before the advent of a trial, to be in a position to give evidence by video link. Video link evidence is a good development and that is...

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

Mary Henry: I support the amendment. I am sure the Minister does not want to deny inmates medical treatment and the amendment would make sure this could not happen.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: With regard to debating reports, on Committee Stage of the Prisons Bill yesterday we discussed establishing the Inspector of Prisons as a statutory position. I expressed my disappointment to the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform that we had been unable to debate the report of the Inspector of Prisons even though the Leader had asked several times for such a debate...

Seanad: Domestic Violence: Statements (29 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: I thank Senator Norris for sharing time with me. I was astonished to note the recent lack of understanding of domestic violence by a District Court judge. On a Wednesday he told a woman, who withdrew her case for assault within the home, that he had come across a similar case on the Monday, that he was fed up of women crying wolf and that he was going to take action against them in the...