Results 1,341-1,360 of 1,966 for speaker:Mary Henry

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I move amendment No. 40: In page 7, subsection (3)(a), line 38, after "if" to insert "having heard the evidence of the relevant consultant psychiatrist of the relevant designated centre". We are back again to getting the advice of my friends and I have told the Minister already why I think he should accept the amendment.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I move amendment No. 42: In page 7, subsection (3)(b), line 49, after "so" to insert "subject to the agreement of the relevant consultant psychiatrist of the relevant designated centre or, in the case of the Central Mental Hospital, a consultant psychiatrist from that hospital". I disagree with the Minister about these amendments since it is a good idea to have some idea whether those who...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I move amendment No. 43: In page 8, subsection (4), line 10, to delete "for murder" and substitute "for any offence which on conviction carries a sentence of imprisonment". I was not clear why the Minister decided on murder alone. Let us suppose that the person is accused of a serious crime such as rape or a serious assault which did not go as far as killing the victim, should the accused not...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I thought we were just about to bring in a mandatory sentence for drug dealing. We must anticipate matters.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I am not clear why that could not apply with other serious crimes for which a person might be given a very heavy sentence. Some sentences are longer than a life sentence; people normally serve about nine or ten years now.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I move amendment No. 44: In page 8, subsection (1), line 20, after "murder" to insert "having heard the evidence of two consultant psychiatrists". I cannot remember why I thought this idea better than that of the Minister. My two friends advised me to table this amendment. It is better if one has a little advice.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I move amendment No. 45: In page 8, subsection (1)(c), lines 24 and 25 to delete all words from and including "not" in line 24 down to and including "was" in line 25. This is the one where I could not work out why it was such a good idea.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I will resubmit it.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I move amendment No. 46: In page 9, subsection (3), line 39, to delete "consultant psychiatrist" and substitute "approved medical officer". I cannot understand the reason the Minister has included the words "consultant psychiatrist" in the Bill.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I will not argue with the Minister on the rights and wrongs of having a judge on the body, as he has greater expertise than me in this area. However, it would be wiser to treat mentally ill people the same way. We are hoping that these people are being detained in a medical facility. International obligations on the treatment of people with mental illness, such as UN principles and Council of...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: People are being dealt with differently because one person is detained in time before committing an awful crime. The responsibilities of the tribunal members are just as serious. Getting a person with a serious mental illness who has violent intent into hospital before he killed or injured someone does not mean there is less of a responsibility than if one is dealing with someone who actually...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: People are rarely involuntarily admitted unless they are a danger to themselves or to others. They are usually involuntarily admitted for such reasons.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: Approximately 30% of the people in the Central Mental Hospital have not committed crimes. I would not like the public to lose confidence in the tribunals, because certain people could represent as much of a danger if the tribunals were to release them. I would not like to think that we are driven by the media in respect of issues as serious as dealing with people with mental illness.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I agree with the Minister on this occasion. However, a section of this exact type was included in the Immigration Act 2004, the Schedule to which refers to "delirium" and "hallucinations" at the port of entry. One would need to shape up and to look pretty normal. If such a provision was included in the Immigration Act, why is it not being included in this legislation? Why is there such...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: Having been obliged to deal with matters in a practical manner all my life, while the Minister comes from a more esoteric realm, I know that if one tries to keep things consistent one comes out with a pretty good result in the end because everyone knows where they are supposed to be. We have international obligations — that is why I was so furious about the Immigration Bill. If someone...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I move amendment No. 10: In page 4, subsection (1), line 27, after "may" to insert ", on the advice of the Inspector of Mental Health Services". This is an easy one. I am delighted to see that the Minister for Health and Children will be consulted, but we should not expect him to know exactly how things stand in the various mental hospitals of the country. It would be a good idea to allow him...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I will rephrase it in a way the Minister would like. I asked that the Minister for Health and Children should consult with the inspector of mental services but that does not mean that the inspector has a veto. The Minister may think it is rubbish and proceed to do what he wants, anyway. The commission is very likely to ask the advice of its inspector, who is its employee and is obliged to...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I move amendment No. 11: In page 4, subsection (1), to delete all words after "designate" in lines 27 and 28 down to and including "centre')" in line 31, and substitute "an approved centre within the meaning of the Mental Health Act of 2001". I wish to insert this wording because it is considered inadvisable, and is not considered therapeutic, to establish psychiatric centres in prisons. I...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: This runs counter to the First UN Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Prisoners 1955, which was approved in 1957. That congress listed standard minimum rules for prisons, one of which stated that "Prisoners found insane shall not be detained in prisons and shall be removed to mental institutions as soon as possible." The same set of minimum rules went on to suggest that...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Committee Stage (Resumed). (8 Apr 2004)

Mary Henry: I move amendment No. 12: In page 4, subsection (1), line 32, to delete "care or treatment" and substitute "care and treatment in conditions of high, medium or low therapeutic security as designated by the Inspector of Mental Health Services". I am concerned about the use of the term "care or treatment" in the Bill because "care" can mean controlling and detaining a person. It is unfortunate...