Results 921-940 of 2,078 for speaker:Mary Seery Kearney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol: Discussion (10 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the Chair. Given that we have a representative of the Mental Health Commission here, its recent report shows that when it comes to the use of restraint and people being secluded in the past year, the findings are very stark with a rate of 6% and seclusion periods of anything between three minutes and - to wait for it - 8,759 hours in one whole year that an individual has been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol: Discussion (10 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank Mr. Clyne and I thank the Chair for indulging me. I am 100% behind the ratification of the optional protocol urgently but my concern is there is a danger that it is not quite the white knight that people may consider it to be unless it is influencing judicial determinations and every aspect and that everybody understands it and makes a huge paradigm shift as to the rights of persons...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol: Discussion (10 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: Apologies Chair, I am not in the committee room as I am taking precautions around health. Is there time for me to ask a clarifying question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment Bill) 2022: Discussion (10 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I will pass.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol: Discussion (10 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank Mr. Clyne for his clear response.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Provision of Bus Services in Dublin: Discussion (8 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I wrote to the committee during the first week when the G spine rolled out because the experience on the ground was such a shambles. I begin by praising Dublin Bus. It has been a fantastic employer over a long period of time. Family members of mine who are retired worked in Dublin Bus and had an exceptional employee experience. That stands as testament to Dublin Bus as a good employer, on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Provision of Bus Services in Dublin: Discussion (8 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I would like confirmation from everyone that there is now a plan B for another cyberattack. People are relying on AI to supervise all of this.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Provision of Bus Services in Dublin: Discussion (8 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: We must make the point that, when a spine is being rolled out, the travelling public need to be warned that these are trial timetables so that they do not rely on them and can know that there will have to be adjustments. That needs to get out to the public so that people understand this is trial and error and that technically, they are guinea pigs in a system that has to be rolled out to be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Provision of Bus Services in Dublin: Discussion (8 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: Communication has to be dealt with full stop.

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) (Certificate of Life) Bill 2022: Second Stage (20 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: It is my great honour to second this Bill and commend it to the House. I am very grateful to hear from the Leader that the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is supportive of the Bill. I thank the Minister of State for being here today. I thank the Leader for bringing this forward and for being so tenacious as a Minister and also as a Leader, and for inviting me to be part of it. To Stephen, I...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I want to begin by honouring the Smith family and thanking them for their tireless work. I hope that Baby Stephen is the first to be registered. I believe that should happen. He can lead the way for so many other babies who need to be recognised. I am thankful to the Leader for allowing me to be a co-sponsor of the Bill. A certificate of life is an extremely important thing for people...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Considering a Rights-Based Approach to Disability in Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I apologise for my change of plans. I felt that this was too important to miss and because I was scheduled to speak first, I decided that I could put aside my personal matter. My points are mainly for MHR because I want to focus on the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022, which is currently on Committee Stage in the Seanad. In the context of preparing for Committee...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Considering a Rights-Based Approach to Disability in Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: In summary, I support the point that reform of the Mental Health Act is beyond urgent.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Considering a Rights-Based Approach to Disability in Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: As a committee and as individual Members of the Oireachtas we need to keep raising this and pressing the point home. I thank Ms Grogan for all of her work. It is fantastic.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Ukraine War (12 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I welcome the announcement that the Government has reversed the decision in Killarney. It was a very welcome development that, once it was drawn to the attention of Government, it operated in a very humane and quick way. It is regrettable it got to that stage. However, I very much appreciate and welcome that this morning. When we began welcoming and supporting the families fleeing Ukraine...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Ukraine War (12 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I acknowledge the exceptional welcome and generous actions by Irish people. An issue arose in Killarney because the accommodation was continuing but with replacement people which created a curious and unnecessary situation. If there is a family who have completed their six-month pledge of accommodation and genuinely do not want to renew then that is fine but people will need to be relocated...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: Yesterday on the Joe Duffy show, a woman rang in to say she was seven months pregnant and went to a well-known department store to use a toilet. She was initially told that she could, and then a supervisor came along and said she had to have a medical letter to justify having access to the toilets in the department store. She had to leave the facilities, at seven months pregnant. She felt...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I would like to ask for a debate with the Minister for Education regarding the Access programmes rolled out in our schools, and the suitability and vetting of the programmes and the persons running, facilitating and funding them. Schools throughout the country are currently availing of a programme run by Drinkaware. While it has good and useful material on its website, it is a charity...

Seanad: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: We are talking about a very specific situation where the advance healthcare directive is silent. One would imagine that the law as it stands at the moment should be the presumption. I think that is what Senator Mullen is arguing. I have to say that I have sympathy with his position and it is s a really valid argument, rather than us putting the burden in the opposite direction. By...