Results 2,361-2,380 of 3,337 for speaker:Patrick Costello

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (28 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: 271. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans for primary schools in the Ballyfermot area identified as having potential demand for a transfer or divestment of school patronage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52211/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (28 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: 272. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that there are enough primary and secondary school places in the Ballyfermot area to service the population in the area; or if there is a requirement to increasing the capacity of existing schools or the establishment of new ones; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52212/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (30 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: 74. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when her Department expects to complete the assessment of the additional accommodation scheme application from a school (details supplied); what steps she can take to ensure the additional accommodation is promptly delivered; and what steps she can take to ensure the return to use of the hall as a community space. [52938/23]

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Business of Select Committee. (28 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: I nominate Deputy Niamh Smyth.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: In respect of the Garda Vote, the Minister of State has made reference to the supplementary funding being principally driven, among other things, by the €10 million funding for Garda overtime to increase high-visibility policing in the Dublin metropolitan region. While we will all support high-visibility policing, which is exactly what people are looking for, I have two questions. Is...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: The Minister of State talked, in his opening statement, about additional prison numbers. There has been some criticism of the growing number of short sentences, and how these do not really impact in terms of recidivism and can cause more problems in their own right. Surely, instead of trying to drive more budget into the prisons, what we should be doing is trying to find ways of reducing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: You spoke about the right to assembly and the right to protest. Does that include the right to set up a checkpoint as a typical citizen? Can I set up a checkpoint in the middle of the road?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: And demand ID from them?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: Okay. Does that include arson?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: Does it include blocking a premises that is in lawful use and preventing people using that premises?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: In the last few days, we have seen all of these things and more around the country. In Buncrana there are reports of community organisations coming together essentially to have vigilante patrols. In Dromahair there were checkpoints set up. Cars were being stopped. People were being interrogated, and there was demanding of ID. We saw that down in Inch as well, where protesters boarded a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: Excuse me, 2022. I was not even here in 2002.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: No, last September, on the first day the Dáil was back, a TD was assaulted outside. Last year a TD was assaulted as well. Because nothing was done it grew into more significant protests outside. Nothing appears to be done and these protests are growing. We had a whole summer of librarians being harassed, intimidated and threatened and seemingly no response. Are these things...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: If you are looking for evidence, much of it is posted on the social media groups and Telegram groups. These people are proud of what they have done and they are happy to show others. The evidence is out there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: Surely if you are taking an intelligence-led approach to prevention, and surely prevention is the first port of call in a graduated response, you should be on these networks. As was said earlier, the SDU should be on these networks.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: I want to follow on from the Chair's question about the numbers in the SDU. Will the Commissioner provide more context in terms of how many are in the unit, how many should be there and how many he would like to be there, how many have applied for the unit and are waiting for sign-off, who should be doing that sign-off and whether there are any roadblocks in that regard? I am asking for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: May I quickly ask one more question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: As units are being amalgamated, what policies and plans are in place to ensure the amalgamated counties will still have a full policing service? The Commissioner might respond to that later in writing.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: In relation the Courts Service, I note there is a carryover for capital expenditure. We have spent a lot of time in this committee talking about courthouses and the need to invest in them. I have been asking that since I got in here in 2020. It is a giant hole in the ground that should be a family court. I have spent a lot of time talking about family courts and their importance. To put...