Results 6,281-6,300 of 11,695 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Policing Authority and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Motion for Earlier Signature (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I move:That pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Garda Síochána (Policing Authority and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to him.

Seanad: Prison Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome this Bill, on which we spoke in the Seanad last week. It is a notable achievement of this Government finally to see the closure of St. Patrick's Institution and it is a notable achievement on children's rights as well as on penal reform. Last week the Minister highlighted the fact that she would bring forward this amendment in the Dáil, so it is not a surprise to see the new...

Seanad: Prison Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: On the subject of committal, I welcome the Minister's announcement last week that the legislation will be commenced in the new year, so we will no longer see people committed to prison for non-payment of fines. Senator Mooney raises a pertinent issue. There will probably be a reduction in the number of committals, one hopes, but perhaps not a reduction in the numbers incarcerated, given how...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Burglary of Dwellings) Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister to the House and the very speedy passage of the legislation. We did all point out on Second Stage last week how important the Bill is and how real a concern there is about levels of burglary throughout the country, in particular high levels of recidivism. Last week, the Minister quoted the very high level of recidivism, particularly arising in statistics on burglary...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Changing Policing in Ireland Report: Garda Inspectorate (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the witnesses for attending the committee. I join with others in commending them on a comprehensive, solution-focused and practical report. It is good to hear the positives, which are emphasised in the report, about the can-do culture. That is a positive aspect of the culture that was mentioned. Looking at the implementation issue, earlier this afternoon, the Seanad passed the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Changing Policing in Ireland Report: Garda Inspectorate (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: My second question is picking up on that recommendation about the culture. Gardaí need to see the creation of an environment where senior managers and other staff are encouraged to speak up and make suggestions to improve performance. It strikes me that this was something that came up in a number of other reports - not just the Garda Inspectorate's one but also the Guerin report -...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Changing Policing in Ireland Report: Garda Inspectorate (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Changing Policing in Ireland Report: Garda Inspectorate (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: My final question is about something others have touched on. Is this beyond the Garda Síochána itself? Is there a problem of culture within the Department of Justice and Equality? This committee has previously recommended the creation of a criminal justice inspectorate at that level. I attended a round-table meeting that the Minister hosted on 23 November to explore this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Changing Policing in Ireland Report: Garda Inspectorate (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: At that round-table meeting, the Garda Inspectorate was mentioned as a really good model for development and expansion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Parole Board Annual Report 2014: Discussion (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: That is a very interesting note on which to end. I thank Mr. Costello for coming in to us. He has raised a significant number of issues in his report and submission. I apologise but I have to be up in the Chamber shortly and cannot stay long. I disagree with Mr Costello on private prisons. If one looks at the literature and experience of private prisons in the UK and US in particular,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Parole Board Annual Report 2014: Discussion (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: The 2003 Act.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Parole Board Annual Report 2014: Discussion (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: In other words, even a subsequent admission in custody cannot be considered.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Parole Board Annual Report 2014: Discussion (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Mr. Costello said that only 16 of the 255 offenders the board reviewed had not accepted responsibility.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Parole Board Annual Report 2014: Discussion (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I presume that included people who had not pleaded guilty but later admitted responsibility.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Parole Board Annual Report 2014: Discussion (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: The board cannot take either into account.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Parole Board Annual Report 2014: Discussion (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: There is a corollary that if one were to remove the mandatory life sentence for murder, it would deal with the problem in another way in respect of that specific group, which I have argued before, because currently there is no incentive for them to plead guilty. I accept Mr Costello's point that it should be built in. In terms of the 29 prisoners who refuse to participate in the parole...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Parole Board Annual Report 2014: Discussion (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Is Mr. Costello saying that we do not know exactly what is wrong?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Parole Board Annual Report 2014: Discussion (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: It is prison policy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Parole Board Annual Report 2014: Discussion (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: That is very interesting and worth highlighting. It is counter-intuitive that it would be the case.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Parole Board Annual Report 2014: Discussion (16 Dec 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I thank Mr. Costello and apologise for having to leave.