Results 7,641-7,660 of 10,321 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019: Discussion (27 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: Why was there a 30% increase in applications last year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019: Discussion (27 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: Two areas are not addressed and the Minister may not have any concerns about them. One relates to family law. At present, obviously, there is recognition of United Kingdom divorces. After 29 March what will be the status of recognition of divorces in the UK and, indeed, child abduction cases involving Ireland and the UK? At present I believe it is dealt with by regulation No. 2201/2003....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019: Discussion (27 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: On civil jurisdiction, at present an Irish citizen or any person in Ireland is able to sue a British citizen or company in the Irish courts under the terms of a Brussels regulation. Is there any proposal for reciprocal arrangements to permit that type of process to continue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019: Discussion (27 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019: Discussion (27 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: I should have raised it earlier. It concerns a small but vulnerable group of people, the non-EEA family members of UK citizens, of whom there are currently approximately 5,000 in Ireland. They are here under their EU treaty rights. What will happen to them after the UK leaves? Will they still be entitled to be resident here? Will they have an entitlement to a new visa?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019: Discussion (27 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: Is it likely that they will have to apply for a new visa or will their status be recognised as entitling them to stay and work?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019: Discussion (27 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: They will not lose their status or right to be or work here.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Light Rail Projects (21 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: If it is the case that the proposal to dig up the Luas green line has been abandoned, I welcome that. It was a crazy proposal considering that hundreds of millions of euro were spent on constructing a very effective and popular Luas line. I ask the Minister to bring clarity to the matter because such clarity does not exist. We have read reports in newspapers. Does the Minister know...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Light Rail Projects (21 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: I agree with the Minister that we need to move away from designing transport projects by press release. Unfortunately, because of leaked information published in a newspaper today and yesterday, we seem to be designing transport projects by press leak. There is a legitimate public interest in the public being told if the information published in a newspaper today was correct or not....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Reform of the Family Law System: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank all of our guests for attending. I wish to make them aware of the process involved here. We are going to produce a report but, obviously, this is an area of some complexity, which is why we need outside expertise to assist us in preparing that report. There is a lot of agreement between the witnesses here on some fundamental areas. However, it is also worth pointing out that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Reform of the Family Law System: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: In Mr. Walsh's practical experience, if there is a dispute involving a couple who have five children, for example, and the children are capable of having their views ascertained, how is that done? Is it done through affidavits signed by the children, or by giving oral evidence, or by expert reports?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Reform of the Family Law System: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: There is no consistency across the board as to how the view of the child is ascertained.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Reform of the Family Law System: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: Am I correct that the constitutional provision, which we all support, and the basis of its legislative enactment have made family law proceedings longer, more expensive and more complicated?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Reform of the Family Law System: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: The failure is that we have not resourced the system sufficiently to take on board our extra responsibilities as a result of a constitutional change. On the costs, sometimes there is an option in respect of litigation but in family law one does not really have an option. Ms. Coughlan spoke about the delay that exists for people who simply cannot afford lawyers. How does she regard the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Reform of the Family Law System: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: What can be done to change that? Should the Legal Aid Board have greater resources?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Reform of the Family Law System: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: Are State-funded mediators available to people in family law proceedings?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Reform of the Family Law System: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: With family law proceedings, any time anybody goes to court in a non-criminal context, I suppose the best solution is for the parties to sort it out themselves. Could we insert into our report a recommendation that would try to make parties in family law recognise they would be in a much better position if they could try to resolve disputes through mediation and get agreement on access to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Reform of the Family Law System: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: I agree entirely. In fairness, the Mediation Act expressly excludes-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Reform of the Family Law System: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: Yes. The witnesses mentioned with respect to transparency how there could be non-disclosure agreements. Is it the case that in family law proceedings, if it was disclosed on affidavit or in evidence that there was sexual abuse or an allegation of sexual abuse against a child, it is possible this could be subject to some form of a non-disclosure agreement whereby it might not go to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Reform of the Family Law System: Discussion (20 Feb 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: We will pose for a picture with the Chair.