Results 41-60 of 251 for speaker:Alison Comyn

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: Following everyone else’s line of questions, can Mr. Courell withdraw any of the statement that was made given the information that is public knowledge that he may have been included in emails in 2023 giving him the information of these complaints that were made?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: Ms Pakes mentioned she had no knowledge of these complaints prior to 2024. Does she have an exact date of when she was informed of this? Can she tell me who informed her? Was it from public documentation or was it somebody from within the organisation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: We have heard extensively how safeguarding policies are in place right across the board. Policies can be in place but it is the follow-up and the action that is vital and that is where we are asking the questions today. Ms Pakes has outlined the safeguarding policies. Is Ms Rafferty happy that these policies have been enacted right across the board? When did they begin? Did they begin...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: So Ms Rafferty is standing over it that absolutely every action was taken when it was necessary to be taken, right from the start.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: And clearly looking at the time, is Ms Rafferty satisfied that every single action was taken? It is a yes or no answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: When they were brought. Thank you.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: While I was very heartened that the witnesses were all going to attend today I am afraid that I have been left a little bit deflated, frustrated and disappointed. While we are talking about words from a thesaurus, I think we have had semantics today about the differences between "concerns", "complaints" and "allegations". The courage it takes to raise a concern of any type is immense. If...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: Would Ms Pakes talk to the individual who is mentioned in that concern?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: So, in 2023 the FAI would have spoken to the person who makes or raises the concern - it does not have to be an allegation - would have established as many facts as it could, and perhaps would speak to the person who was at the heart of that concern and who may have carried out something. Yes?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: If something was established, what is the next step?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: If we have established something and if there is some credence to the concern, what is the next step? What would have happened in 2023 when Ms Pakes was working there if somebody raised that concern and she had established there was a genuine concern? What is the next step?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: We are talking about anybody who raises a concern with Ms Pakes as a safeguarding officer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: Report it to whom?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: So there is a very definite paper trail.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: What is the difference now? Was it robust enough then and is Ms Pakes satisfied? What is the difference now that makes it even more robust?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: Was there any kind of failing in 2023 that Ms Pakes noticed and that she might have raised at the time?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: Okay.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: I wish everyone a welcome return to the House and an especially warm welcome to Martin Hughes. I would like to be associated with the welcoming wishes and also wish Martin Groves and Bridget Doody a long and healthy retirement. I will stay with congratulations. As a proud Louth woman, I congratulate Dundalk's own Kate O'Connor on her outstanding achievement in securing a silver medal at...

Seanad: Migration: Statements (23 Sep 2025)

Alison Comyn: Like my colleague, I begin by commending the Minister of State and my colleague, the Minister for justice, Deputy O'Callaghan, on the decisive and proactive stance both have taken on migration since assuming office. It has been a clear and firm message to everybody that while Ireland has a proud humanitarian tradition, we cannot allow our migration system to be overwhelmed or abused. The...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Jul 2025)

Alison Comyn: I join colleagues in thanking the Belgian ambassador for her many years of service and wishing her bonne chance in her new adventures. I stand here, on the last day of term, with a sense of gratitude that I have had an opportunity to raise so many local and national issues. It is a privilege to be able to do so and we do not do it alone. Without wanting to sound like an Oscar winner, I...