Results 1,901-1,920 of 1,966 for speaker:Mary Henry

Seanad: Health Bill 2006: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2007)

Mary Henry: I share the Senator's concerns. A person of lesser moral fibre and toughness than Professor Des O'Neill might have buckled under the pressure of that issue. I cannot understand why people cannot be afforded absolute privilege. It is very serious for individuals to be sued and it could be a terrible brake on making sure we had proper reports and that people felt confident enough to stand...

Seanad: Health Bill 2006: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2007)

Mary Henry: As everyone has said, it is difficult enough to get people involved in public and political life at the moment. It is very odd that local authorities have been included in the legislation. The Minister will appoint the people. We do not want it to be said that one simply needs to be a friend of the Minister to be appointed. Nobody wants to see this sort of thing happen. The chief...

Seanad: Health Bill 2006: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2007)

Mary Henry: I share the concerns expressed by Senators Browne and Ryan. I expect section 42(3) will result in more court cases and tribunals because the chief inspector may opt to state he expects a matter to be the subject of proceedings rather than having simple matters settled by giving an account before a committee.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Mar 2007)

Mary Henry: Senator Norris will have an opportunity to speak shortly. The Minister of State, without interruption.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Mar 2007)

Mary Henry: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Mar 2007)

Mary Henry: I thank Senator Norris for sharing his time with me. I, too, am grateful to Senator Cox for raising this issue. Last week, I raised the issue of the Environmental Protection Agency report on private water schemes. The pollution is worse now due to sewage than when I was first elected to the House 15 years ago. This is unbelievable. The outbreak of cryptosporidium in Galway is scandalous....

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Mar 2007)

Mary Henry: I share the concerns of all those who spoke about water pollution. Senator Mansergh said we should not have this problem because of the large supply of water in the country. To a significant degree, the cause of the problem in the west is due to flood waters which, unfortunately, have got into the drinking water supply. Earlier this month, Senators will have read in newspapers of a tragic...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Mary Henry: Amendments Nos. 8 to 10, inclusive, are related and will be discussed together, by agreement.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Henry: I am not one of those who believes that when a body is established, the Minister in charge of the relevant area automatically loses responsibility. If one reads legislation such as the Health Bill 2006, which will come before the House today, or the Pharmacy Bill 2007, which came before the House last week, one finds that when a Minister appoints people to a new body he or she retains a...

Seanad: Health Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Henry: Before we commence, I remind Senators that they may speak only once on Report Stage, except the proposer of an amendment who may reply to the discussion on the amendment. Amendments Nos. 1 and 5 are related and will be discussed together by agreement.

Seanad: Health Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Henry: I spoke on Committee Stage about the fact that a member of a local authority cannot be on the authority. People talk about the politicisation of these boards but there is political control over them already. When they are set up, the Minister does not let them go on as they wish. She can remove all the board members from office if she thinks they are not performing their functions in an...

Seanad: Health Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Henry: Senator Ormonde should be allowed to speak without interruption.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Apr 2007)

Mary Henry: Like Senator Maurice Hayes, I am relieved that the nurses' dispute has not become a party political issue. We have to remember that market forces are on the nurses' side. The shortage of midwives in this country is so desperate that women are being seen later and later in pregnancy. Those who are employed in many of our maternity hospitals are under such stress that they cannot be...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners Bill 2007: Second Stage (3 Apr 2007)

Mary Henry: I welcome the Minister. This is an important Bill not only for the public but also for members of my profession. As the Minister stated, the protection of the public is given prime importance in the Bill, but in regulating the medical profession it is also important to ensure it has confidence in the way it is being regulated. As the Minister is aware, there has been much criticism of the...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners Bill 2007: Second Stage (3 Apr 2007)

Mary Henry: That is fine.

Seanad: Medical Practitioners Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (4 Apr 2007)

Mary Henry: A considerable amount of fanmail has been sent to all of us about the influence the Minister might have through her appointees over any newly formed Medical Council. It is important to note that this section means the Minister, personally or through appointees, will not give advice on the ethics or professional conduct of registered medical practitioners. I do not know how or why some...

Seanad: Medical Practitioners Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (4 Apr 2007)

Mary Henry: Some of the letters I received suggested that the Medical Council was in favour of the sending of such correspondence. I have been informed specifically by the president of the Medical Council, Dr. John Hillery, that this is not the case.

Seanad: Medical Practitioners Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (4 Apr 2007)

Mary Henry: I hope the Medical Council will not have to spend too much time and effort on preparing business plans. If one examines such plans a few years after their publication, when circumstances have changed, one will learn that they were fairly ridiculous in light of what was going on. I hope the council will not have to devote too much of its time to business plans.

Seanad: Medical Practitioners Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (4 Apr 2007)

Mary Henry: It might not look good if I did not support this amendment. Local authorities have nothing to do with the election of university Senators. I support this amendment because it is important that local authority members are considered eligible.

Seanad: Medical Practitioners Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (4 Apr 2007)

Mary Henry: I want to mention two points on section 17. I am pleased the Minister has stipulated in the section that, "Only registered medical practitioners are eligible for election as the President or Vice-President of the Council in accordance with Schedule 2." This is important because, while the council has to serve the public interest, it is essential it also has the confidence of the profession....