Results 27,721-27,740 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Committee Stage (2 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: It is good procedure to have a review and we had much debate about it. I remember the debate on the Standing Order. The issue was whether we should review all legislation after 12 months because as much legislation is complicated, it could not be assessed after 12 months. The debate was whether we should have a two-year horizon on legislation. On foot of this discussion, I will bring...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Committee Stage (2 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: The committee is meeting tomorrow and I will raise it then.

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Fáilte Ireland (4 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: 59. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the qualification criteria for the outdoor dining grant announced by Fáilte Ireland; if this grant will allow restaurants to carry out capital works to provide outdoor dining facilities; if it will apply in every area of the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12259/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Commission Rule of Law Report: Discussion (9 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: I welcome Mr. Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice, to our meeting. I look forward to our engagement on the topic of the rule of law. In advance of the meeting, the committee engaged with stakeholders on the topic and sought written submissions on the issue. I thank all the stakeholders who took the time to respond to that request. We found all the submissions very helpful....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Commission Rule of Law Report: Discussion (9 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Commissioner. I will now open the discussion to members to put their questions in the order they have indicated. I propose to take questions from each member individually, allowing the Commissioner to respond. Senator McDowell is first.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Commission Rule of Law Report: Discussion (9 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Commissioner. I will ask a couple of questions as I do not see any other member indicating. First, I will make a point to the Commissioner. In our overview of the law in the European Union, an enormous focus of the submissions we have received has been in relation to the perceived impunity of some countries in taking legal actions against their citizens in a way that to us...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Commission Rule of Law Report: Discussion (9 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: I thank Commissioner Reynders for answering so many varied questions in such a comprehensive fashion. Do any other members want to make an interjection? No. I thank the Commissioner for his time and for fielding all of the questions posed by the committee members. We look forward to welcoming Commissioner Reynders to Dublin as soon as health conditions allow.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Commission Rule of Law Report: Discussion (9 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: The committee will now move on to any other business. Do members wish to raise any other issues? No. Very good. That concludes our business for the committee today. We will adjourn until Tuesday, 23 March for an online private meeting when we will continue our discussions on our inquiry into CETA. I thank all of the members.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (10 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: 709. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons awaiting deportation on foot of a deportation order; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that such persons have been required to give up work and are residing here in limbo; if she will reconsider the status of such persons due to the Covid-19 crisis; and if she will make a statement on the...

Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (11 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: As the Minister of State outlined, this is a short technical Bill that has garnered support across the House. However, as it relates to a very narrow set of circumstances, as was recognised during the debate, I believe we need wider legislation to deal with matters outside the remit of the Bill.

Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (11 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: Most people in the House would be supportive of the intentions of the movers of this amendment. We were all deeply concerned at trials in the past, both here and in our neighbouring jurisdiction, where issues were raised at trial that most of us would regard as entirely extraneous and unacceptable to be raised in the conduct of a trial. This particular legislation deals with trying to...

Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (11 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: This is an important amendment. As an Oireachtas, over the past number of years we have looked very carefully at pre-legislative scrutiny. We put new procedures in place. We have a memorandum of understanding between the Oireachtas and Government on the processes to be carried out for Bills to be in order before they are published and go through Second and Committee Stages and so on. I...

Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (11 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: I always listen carefully to Deputy Carroll MacNeill because she has great legal experience to bring to our debates, but it is a fact that we as an Oireachtas do not have a real focus on legislation once it has been enacted. We are the legislators; it is not somebody else's job. The statute law revision programme, which she referred to, was an ad hocprocess I instituted at the request of...

Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020: From the Seanad (11 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: No amendments are tabled by this House. There are amendments accepted by the Minister in the Seanad. I do not believe anybody here would have difficulties with any of them.

Children (Amendment) Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Second Stage (11 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: May I raise a point of order? The Minister's speech was quite technical. Is there a copy of it available for us before we make contributions?

Children (Amendment) Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Second Stage (11 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: I am very pleased to have the opportunity to speak on this short but important piece of legislation. I was a member of the committee that worked on the Children Act in 2000. As I recall, that legislation took a year to go through the Houses. There was very detailed committee consideration and nobody around the table envisaged that section 252 would be interpreted in the way it has been. ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Victims' Testimony in Cases of Rape and Sexual Assault: Discussion. (23 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: I am sorry, but I think I have been left out.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Victims' Testimony in Cases of Rape and Sexual Assault: Discussion. (23 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: I forgive the Vice Chair. I join others in thanking the witnesses for their powerful testimony and their pre-meeting submission, which was very helpful to us. This is one of the most difficult aspects of crime to prosecute. We made progress in recent times on it, but our history has not been good. The issue is always to balance the presumption of innocence in a fair trial with avoiding...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Victims' Testimony in Cases of Rape and Sexual Assault: Discussion. (23 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: The question on the structure of the courts was addressed to Ms Counihan. The question on pre-recorded testimony is for the Bar Council.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Victims' Testimony in Cases of Rape and Sexual Assault: Discussion. (23 Mar 2021)

Brendan Howlin: I thank Ms Counihan.