Results 441-460 of 1,966 for speaker:Mary Henry

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 May 2006)

Mary Henry: I share Senator Ulick Burke's concern about the extra hurdle students who wish to study medicine might have to jump if an aptitude test is introduced. Why is it not introduced for other professions such as pharmacy, veterinary medicine, physiotherapy, radiography, engineering, teaching and so forth? Will the Leader arrange a debate on the concept of having aptitude tests for students who are...

Seanad: Ageism Policy: Statements (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Mary Henry: I congratulate Senators White and O'Rourke on arranging this debate. I also welcome the Minister of State and his contribution. The ushers in Leinster House are noted for their intelligence and tact, an example of which I encountered the other day. I had been to get my bus pass and I was showing it to two ushers in the hall when one of them said "I did not realise they were giving them to...

Seanad: Ageism Policy: Statements (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Mary Henry: Although it is quite reasonable to walk from O'Connell Street to the House, I took the bus for two stops to see if the bus pass worked, which it did. Members will be surprised where they will see me going with it now.

Seanad: Ageism Policy: Statements (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Mary Henry: Thank God the trains are starting to run again. It is very unfortunate people talk about so many negative aspects of getting older because there are so many positive ones as well. One is supposed to have a bit more time, although I have not noticed that yet but I am sure I will shortly. Senator O'Rourke spoke about the reason she is running again for the Dáil and I was delighted to hear she...

Seanad: Ageism Policy: Statements (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Mary Henry: I have not had a chance to do so yet. It was interesting to hear reports of what the Minister for Finance stated this morning that our demography is good and that we still have many young people. In many parts of Europe, older people are obliged to continue to work because businesses could not keep going without them. I was in a hotel in a small village in Bavaria last year and it seemed it...

Seanad: Ageism Policy: Statements (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Mary Henry: I said I would certainly be back by 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. but I was told I would have to take a key because they had to go to bed so they could get up at 7 a.m. These people had full and active lives. I do not believe anyone worries about getting older but only about the ill health one may run into. It is important the rest of the population concentrates on that area of our health system. One...

Seanad: Ageism Policy: Statements (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Mary Henry: It is wonderful. I always thought that poem was much better.

Seanad: Ageism Policy: Statements (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Mary Henry: That poem included the line "Rage, rage against the dying of the light". Those poems are much better than the other sad one. I loved the poem about the old woman in Italy who was going to refuse to be moved from the square. She was not able to move around very much but she could take part in what was going on the square. They were trying to move her to a house on the hill but she was going to...

Seanad: Ageism Policy: Statements (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Mary Henry: I very much agree with Senator O'Rourke in that regard.

Seanad: Ageism Policy: Statements (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Mary Henry: No one wants to be sent on a cruise. We want to be allowed to do what we feel like doing and a great number of us have a huge contribution to make. Anyone running for election should be careful to be nice to older people because as Senator O'Rourke and others said, we are very good at voting. We usually continue to live in the same place which, with the electoral register in its current...

Seanad: Energy Strategy: Motion. (17 May 2006)

Mary Henry: I thank Senator Quinn for asking me to second the motion. This is an area which has sadly been neglected by the Government. Senator Quinn was tactful in the wording of his motion. I am only sorry that an amendment has been tabled. As Senator Quinn was reading the article on oil in the National Geographic, I was reading a book which was colourfully called The Party's Over. This is about the...

Seanad: Waste Management: Statements. (17 May 2006)

Mary Henry: I thank Senator O'Toole for sharing time with me. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, to the House for these important statements. His figures on the improvement in recycling and reuse in this country were very encouraging. The first issue I wish to address is packaging waste. We are not making enough...

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 May 2006)

Mary Henry: I support Senator O'Meara's comments on the availability of the memorandum on sex offenders in both jurisdictions. I was very worried to hear a senior official in the Home Office tell a committee in the Houses of Parliament, Westminster, that the authorities had no idea of the location of thousands of illegal immigrants. Is it possible some of them are here?

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 May 2006)

Mary Henry: Is there any co-operation on this issue? Foreign nationals in the United Kingdom who have been convicted of crimes and served their sentences have not been deported. Have we received any communication on this? I would be grateful if the Leader could ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to address this issue.

Seanad: Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (16 May 2006)

Mary Henry: Senator Ross, please desist. We have heard your contribution. Allow Senator Dardis to continue without interruption.

Seanad: Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (16 May 2006)

Mary Henry: Senator Burke has made his point. The person cannot defend himself in this House.

Seanad: Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (16 May 2006)

Mary Henry: Senator Burke has made his point very well. Perhaps he would move on.

Seanad: Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (16 May 2006)

Mary Henry: I ask for Senator Burke's co-operation.

Seanad: Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (16 May 2006)

Mary Henry: The Senator is saying nice things about someone who cannot reply in this House but I have had to stop people saying unpleasant things so I cannot allow the Senator to either praise or blame someone.

Seanad: Road Safety Authority Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (16 May 2006)

Mary Henry: On a point of information, I asked the Minister of State if the EU directive on bull-bars had been transposed. It is in the road safety statement. He gave me to understand it had been. Are bull-bars or roo-bars legal on SUVs, light trucks and so on, because they are a serious danger to pedestrians?