Results 3,201-3,220 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Garda Equipment. (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: I thought the Minister micromanaged everything.

Garda Deployment. (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: The Minister caught up with the Taoiseach. He must have run after him.

Garda Deployment. (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: Late last year the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform described increasing gangland activity, particularly gangland murders, as analogous to attacks on the State by subversives in earlier decades. Does he agree that the increase in gangland activity is largely based on the drugs industry in the State? In that context, does he agree that to staff the national drugs...

Garda Deployment. (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: Does the Minister have the numbers?

Garda Deployment. (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: There are 48 now.

Garda Deployment. (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: A variety of notes were tested and some contamination levels were very high. Some had a concentration greater than two nanograms per note and some had levels 100 times higher, so the traces were not tiny.

Garda Deployment. (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: I have no idea how big a nanogram is. A similar survey on dollar bills in the US showed 65% to be contaminated so it is worrying. The Minister said there were 12 vacancies, for two sergeants and ten gardaí, to bring the complement of the national drugs unit up to 60. There is agreement that their recruitment is a minimum requirement so when can we expect them to be in place?

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: I would not like to appear before a few of them.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: One is inured to it.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: I am very conscious of time. We have three hours in which to reach very important parts, including this part because the Minister has moved a great distance from his original proposal in respect of sentencing. We need to deal with the Minister's amendments and tease them out. Having said that, I will make a few important observations about the debate we have had and try to do so without...

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: Maybe he is a child of the 1960s. I thought when the others were wearing their flares and flower power outfits, the Minister was wearing his FCA uniform, so he was out of step even then.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: Was it?

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: We need to recapture that issue in a way that, as I said, has been off the agenda since the former Chief Justice's report on this in 2000. I do not wish to spend any more time on it. The net issue we must deal with is the need for a common database. I am impressed by the argument put forward by Deputy Jim O'Keeffe that this is something that should not be ad hoc and that one should not...

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: I would like to make one final comment. The Minister said that he did not want the DPP to be catapulted into a parallel judging system, as his role is to appeal constantly. I provided another role for the DPP and I want to highlight it now simply to keep it in the mix. Where there is interference with the jury and that interference becomes apparent afterwards, there must be some mechanism...

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: Who sets its budget?

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: Do its officers say what they need, or does the Minister tell them what they are getting?

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: The Minister sets its task under the Act. Its duties are defined by this House.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: Do we not set those functions in law?

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: There is nothing technical about these amendments; they are substantial.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Report Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2007)

Brendan Howlin: Are we open to a coalition then?