Results 6,301-6,320 of 15,268 for speaker:Kathleen Lynch

Written Answers — Department of Health: Home Care Services (19 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: The Programme for Goverment (Government for National Recovery, 2011-2016) commits to developing and implementing national standards for home support services, which will be subject to inspection by the Health and Information Quality Authority (HIQA). Primary legislation will be required to introduce a statutory regulation system for home care services. Some complex legal issue arises in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Funding (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: My Department has not received a funding application from Older and Bolder. As any request to the HSE would be a service matter the question has also been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Services for People with Disabilities (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 and 244 together. As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Services for People with Disabilities (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: The overall coordination of the implementation of the Disability Act 2005 is the responsibility of the Department of Justice and Equality. In respect of Part 2 of the Act, which is under the aegis of my Department, a Cross-Sectoral Team was established in 2006 to provide for a joint approach by the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Skills to the implementation of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: I thank the committee for the opportunity to lay out what is an exercise in diplomacy in terms of ensuring that we are not only active, good members of the EU but that we are perceived to be so as well. On behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality and Defence, Deputy Shatter, I thank the committee for making time today to discuss the motions concerning the proposed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: I take on board what the Deputy has said, but the bottom line is that because we have left our options open, we can either opt in or out on a case-by-case basis. That is the reason the proposal is framed in the way it is. Ireland will apply all of the protections relating to human rights, whether individuals are here legally or illegally, or whether they are applying for residency or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: Even if we agree to this proposal today, we will still not be tied to sending anyone back to any of the countries mentioned, unless we are convinced all of the procedures and avenues available to that person have been exhausted. It will very much be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. It is not as if someone who appears suddenly from Sri Lanka illegally will automatically be sent back....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: The agreements are in place at European level; therefore, we are becoming participants in European-wide agreements already in place. I am in the hands of the committee and have no option but to take the direction of the Chair. I do not see the proposal holding the dangers the Deputy envisages. We have an extensive and wide-ranging mechanism with regard to the way in which people can apply...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: The officials have informed me of a point I should have made. As matters stand, we can return such persons to their own countries, even without this formal mechanism in place. This type of European-wide approach is important because in some areas we have high standards in protecting people, but in other countries in the European Union there are even higher standards. Such European-wide...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: Yes. We demanded in the treaties that our sovereignty be protected and that we have the right to make our own decisions and laws. That was important. While some of our standards are lower, others are higher. The European-wide construct in terms of migration and immigration issues is very important to us. We cannot do this on our own, as everybody agrees. Our relationship with the United...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: The immigration service will be responsible, just as it is now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: I am not sure whether I made that absolutely clear when I was speaking. These agreements will not have any impact on our policies as they are being administered at present. I think they will provide a degree of solidarity. No country can do this on its own. One of the good things about being a member of the EU is that one participates in a common policy in certain areas. I would not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: They have a monitoring role. I think we would all be concerned about how people are treated, which was the subject of some earlier questions. The committees are responsible for ensuring that a person's civil, legal and human rights are protected during the process. I reiterate that this sort of co-operation will lead to greater protection. Of course there are countries that we all have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: Like the Chairman and every other member of this committee who has been involved in this area over the years, I know that non-governmental agencies probably have information that the State can never obtain. That is why they are important. While they are not yet involved, the Commission is looking at ways of ensuring they will be involved. Given that they are able to communicate with people...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: No, not yet. The difficulty is that the agreement with Georgia is the only one to have been concluded to date. That type of project cannot be put in place until the agreements are finally concluded and we opt into them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: No.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: The groups mentioned by the Deputy can make a significant contribution in this area. We do not have to wait for these agreements to be concluded for that to happen. They have been making a substantial contribution for as long as I can remember. They have always been to the fore in examining how people are treated, advising people and guiding them through this complicated and detailed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: Can I ask the Chairman to repeat the question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Readmission Agreements: Motions (20 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: It is the only one so far.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (21 Feb 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: As the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.