Results 21-28 of 28 for drugs speaker:Barry Ward

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2021 (8 Dec 2021)

Barry Ward: ...agree with the comments that have been made to the effect that the power of search is executed by the Garda in particular circumstances and very often, for example, the power under section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act is used wholesale by the Garda to effect stop and search powers, and not always legitimately. It is not only me saying that because the courts have found that to be true....

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (27 Apr 2022)

Barry Ward: ...? It is not a local person, an employer or a GAA club president. It is an independent professional who comes in and speaks of a person's attempts at rehabilitation. Apart from these offences, in drugs cases it is about attempts to get off drugs and get clean. In cases involving assault it might be anger management. In cases involving alcohol abuse it might be Alcoholics Anonymous or...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Barry Ward: ...ever be used to debar someone from membership of the board is problematic. I have mentioned speeding as a previous conviction but a previous conviction could also include capital murder or very serious drug trafficking, fraud or whatever it might be. This might necessarily deem a person ineligible under many other criteria. The baldness of the amendment makes it problematic and I do not...

Seanad: European Arrest Warrant (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (25 Oct 2022)

Barry Ward: ...that. That is not what the European arrest warrant should be used for, yet some states are doing so. However, when we talk about the real criminals who have committed offences against the person, drugs offences, people trafficking, murder and rape - serious-level criminal activity - it is a fantastic tool that the State can use to bring those people to justice. I recognise what has been...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Nov 2021)

Barry Ward: ...Procedure and Related Matters Bill 2021, which was a reaction to the Ellis case and sought to undo some of the elements that were in place, particularly in relation to the modern legislation like the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, the Criminal Justice Act and the Misuse of Drugs Act. I will not pretend that I did as good a job as this Bill does. Certainly, this Bill has uncovered...

Seanad: Public Order and Safe Streets: Statements (23 Nov 2022)

Barry Ward: ...I meet a lot of people involved in criminal disorder but I do not see this problematic subculture. I see people who have never had a chance. I see people who have had every opportunity stripped away from them because of the peer group of which they are part, the drugs in their area or other disadvantages. I see that we can address these issues at source. Prevention is better than cure....

Seanad: Non-Fatal Offences against the Person (Amendment) (Spiking) Bill 2023: Second Stage (31 May 2023)

Barry Ward: ...us about what has happened often do not know exactly what has happened but they know they woke up somewhere and do not remember getting there. They talk about being in a trance. In the past we referred to date rape drugs, where people were unable to stop what was happening. That is a tremendously frightening thing for any person to go through. Not only is it such an awful offence but...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022: Second Stage (13 Jun 2023)

Barry Ward: ...This Bill does not do that, which is why I am supporting it. Let us consider what the Bill does achieve. It creates presumptions, or what we call in law "rebuttable presumptions", that exist in so much other legislation. The Minister gave one example, the Misuse of Drugs Act, but one could also have given the examples of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 or the...