Results 61-80 of 5,182 for speaker:Victor Boyhan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Residential Institutions (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Minister of State. The one line that jumps off the page in his official written response is that the Westbank was not generally regarded as a mother and baby home but, rather, as an orphanage. What is the difference? Abuse is abuse. Emotional abuse, physical abuse or sexual abuse in any setting, whether in a State school, this building or anywhere else, is not acceptable and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Residential Institutions (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: The first issue I want to raise is the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025. The Government has proposed that all Stages of the Bill will be guillotined in this Chamber today, but we do not have to agree with that. It is up to the Members to decide. We are the Upper House and a revising Chamber. We are meant to revise legislation. It was 5 p.m. yesterday when the time for...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister. I do not think I have had the opportunity since he became Minister to welcome him and wish him well. I have served two terms on the Oireachtas joint committee on housing. With regard to Rebuilding Ireland and Housing for All, we have just talked them out. I know there are challenges and difficulties. I am not going to be a hurler on the ditch, hurl abuse and say...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: I wish to speak on this. This is a group of amendments. The Leas-Chathaoirleach ruled one of the amendments, which was in my name, out of order.

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: I wished to indicate in respect of an earlier amendment, which I would like to speak on briefly. When I looked at the debate in the Dáil and the commentary in the stenographers’ report, the reasons for the ruling out of order of amendments were missing. As the Leas-Chathaoirleach will know, it is provided for that Deputies can make a request of the Ceann Comhairle in that...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: One thing about this Bill is in respect of those who are excluded. There are too many people excluded from this legislation. The Minister talks about Sage and I welcome all of that, and also the advocate. This morning I had a Commencement matter in respect of Westbank in Greystones, at the heart of the Tánaiste's constituency. I have a substantial file on communication and promises...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: Thank you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh.

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: Just for the record, it is important that if an amendment has been ruled out of order that it is read into the record because it puts it in context.

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: I also extend a welcome to Councillor O'Heney and everyone in the Gallery. I will refer to the section. It is very interesting. I opened earlier by talking about the consultation with survivors of institutional abuse and the themes and issues that were addressed in July 2019. It is now 2025 but back then, in 2019, the issue of access to the HAA medical card was raised. There is nothing...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: I hear what the Minister is saying but let us be honest. There are caps on the funding and the money is not realistic. There are caps on the health assistance. The Minister made the point about the HAA and the special needs. Mental health is a health issue and it is very hard to quantify that. There are people who want mental health supports and cannot afford them. It is expensive,...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: I am conscious of time. The Minister made the point about winding down to provide the supports. We do not have to wind down. We can wind down Caranua. We should have been providing supports anyway. The supports should never have been conditional on Caranua. We know they were processed. We know people went through a process of redress and were interviewed, etc. These are most basic...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: That is really interesting. There is a divergence now between the many millions of euro and €50,000. The Minister thinks that was-----

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: What I would say, because it is my intention to pursue it, is that there should be an audit and an investigation. I do not know if that is the Committee of Public Accounts or if it has that remit - I do not know that yet - but I certainly will be looking for it and I ask the Minister to promote the idea. Accountability is really important with regard to the administration of any funds, be...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: I acknowledge and agree with the points made by Senator Stephenson. She mentioned Philomena's law, which is being debated in Westminster and is very important. Michelle O'Neill had an article in the Irish Post the other day in which she talked about the new redress scheme being rolled out by the Executive. It may catch some people in the North who spent a considerable time in institutions...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: The Minister spoke about treating people fairly. A payment of €3,000 is not treating people fairly. I do not care about other schemes and keeping things equal between them. There have been many other unfair schemes. We are talking about this scheme and these particular issues. The Minister is saying, in effect, that €3,000 will have the same value in 20 years' time as it...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: I move amendment No. 16: In page 8, after line 37, to insert the following: “(6) The payments for health supports shall be subject to a review on an annual basis as the Bill currently provides for payment of €3,000 to a former resident.”. I pursued all of this debate when we discussed amendment No. 15, which I am sure the Minister noticed, and I will not repeat...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Civil Engagement Group and Senator Higgins for introducing this all-encompassing, clever amendment which covers everything we have talked about. It is about accountability and the Minister coming back within 12 months of the passing of the Bill. I hope the Minister does not say this is not possible. For some reason that I do not know, nothing is possible. That is really...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: I will recap on three things. I am encouraged by the Minister's favourable response, but I want to be clear about something. On amendment No. 16, she is not in a position to change that in terms of a review. On amendment No. 19, she stated she will work collaboratively with me, and I will do so with her. I give her that commitment. She will come up with some suggestion for Report Stage....

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Victor Boyhan: Perfect. Amendment No. 21 concerns compensation. The Minister talks about Sage and other advocacy groups. She will again collaborate with me, and will do so with her, to work on some sort of scheme she thinks is proportionate, right and appropriate. I presume that is based on what we have said. I am open to hear back what she is saying, but I want to confirm that she will come back with...