Results 301-320 of 1,966 for speaker:Mary Henry

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

Mary Henry: Like Senator Browne, I feel that five years is a long time in the life of a child. Five years go by in a flash for an adult, but five years can be one third of a child's life, by the time he or she is fostered. I had hoped to get on the side of the angels by proposing a reasonable reduction, whereby the relevant period would be four years. At the same time, I recognise the Minister of State's...

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

Mary Henry: I thank the Minister of State for stating he will reconsider amendment No. 3 for Report Stage. Did the Minister of State and his officials consider the Medical Council's ethical guidelines on medical practice? They advise extreme care in getting the consent of older children and I do not wish to see a situation where the consent of everyone else is considered because much of this relates to...

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

Mary Henry: I thank the Minister of State for his explanation because it is important that foster children be granted the same position as other children and if this is achieved then I am satisfied.

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

Mary Henry: I listened to Senator Tuffy and the more we talk about this issue the happier I am that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has appointed someone to report on the family courts. Senator Tuffy as a solicitor has more access to them than the rest of us. We have had to go on anecdotal evidence for so long on custody cases that we are in a situation of great ignorance. If the...

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: Housing Policy: Motion (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: It is nice to be in agreement with the Minister in respect of several parts of the Progressive Democrats' motion, which parts I have also rejected. I was particularly interested in his comments on the national authority for water and sewerage services. When I became a Member of this House almost 14 years ago, the number of private water schemes polluted by e.coli amounted to 25%. I believe...

Seanad: Official Languages Act 2003: Statements (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Henry: The Minister may have as much time as he wants. I am very interested in it.

Seanad: Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (26 Oct 2006)

Mary Henry: I welcome the Minister of State and the Bill. As Senator Glynn said, some of the issues in the Bill have been of concern to foster parents for quite some time and it is only right we should try to address them. The Minister of State's figures were very interesting. Some 4,250 of children in care — 84% — are in foster care. Are these children all in long-term foster care or are there...

Seanad: Energy Policy: Motion (25 Oct 2006)

Mary Henry: Senator MacSharry has been well trained on the party message. I commend Senator O'Toole on his tenacity in following this problem over the years. He has raised the issue on several occasions, as has Senator Brian Hayes. Having been involved in research within the universities, I hate to see the independent study by the energy research group in UCD, published in 2000, misused by the Minister...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Oct 2006)

Mary Henry: The Cathaoirleach and other Senators may have heard on radio this morning that Fr. Peter McVerry has published another report on the deplorable state in which people leave our prisons, particularly St. Patrick's Institution, and that they are more likely to become involved in crime after they have been in prison than they were before they went to prison. I have asked the Leader — I know...

Seanad: Mental Health Commission Report 2005: Statements (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Henry: I thank Senator Browne for allowing me to speak first on this issue. The commission approached its new position in a most energetic manner and brought forward a strategic plan for 2004-05 which has six priorities. These are to establish the management, professional and organisational systems and infrastructure which will enable the commission to fulfil its statutory responsibilities; to...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Henry: Having seen, as a member of the Joint Committee on Health Children, the legal advice as to the reason the report on the Leas Cross case was not published, I wonder if it will ever be published. I wish this type of advice was sought before the commissioning of reports rather than on their completion. In a most disturbing report from Ethiopia a judge stated that a massacre took place after...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral Register (18 Oct 2006)

Mary Henry: I hope the Minister of State is correct in what he stated. As a Senator who is not running again it is important, from the point of view of my pension, that this Seanad continue for as long as possible.

Seanad: Current Situation in the Middle East: Statements (Resumed) (18 Oct 2006)

Mary Henry: I thank the Minister of State for shortening his concluding remarks.

Seanad: Current Situation in the Middle East: Statements (18 Oct 2006)

Mary Henry: Please allow Senator Mooney to proceed without interruption.