Results 6,301-6,320 of 7,404 for speaker:Mick Wallace

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: We try to do that as well as we can.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: The lack of implementation in many areas must be frustrating for the inspectorate. A number of questions arise from the witnesses' contributions. The 2012 report recommended multi-agency specialist child centres to provide medical examinations, victim interviewing and therapeutic services. However, no such centres are in place. The witnesses pointed out that there are very good models...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: Does the inspectorate communicate directly with the Department of Justice and Equality in this area?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: It was stated that an electronic system was essential in this area. I am sure the inspectorate is well aware of the many failings of the PULSE system. We have been highlighting the huge sums the Garda spends on IT in return for a very poor service. The Garda does not even follow procurement guidelines. It has been a horror. Has the inspectorate an input into how this should be done in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: Mr. Toland made the point that Tusla had 17 areas while the Garda had 28, making it problematic. Has he any recommendation as to how that should be addressed or will it be resolved over time?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: On the 2,000 referrals of child abuse material sent to the Garda Síochána, the inspectorate requested an update on these cases but, despite repeated requests, 12 divisions did not submit this. Has the inspectorate the authority to name these 12 divisions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: Dr. Geoffrey Shannon told the committee he found the Garda was doing its best in this regard and performing well, despite a significant lack of training and education. The lack of training and education in all of these areas must be the largest factor, apart from funding. Is there a will there to address this deficit and change that dramatically?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: Mr. Toland said people are slow to report such cases but that is understandable as well. There is a need for general education around this area for the public. Many people do not know how to react if their child has been abused. It is an incredible challenge for them not to report for 12 months but not surprising. Is there any general effort to educate the public in this area?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: Mr. Toland made the point about the need for the Garda Síochána Inspectorate to be an independent body and not to be amalgamated into GSOC or the Policing Authority. Does Mr. Toland believe there is a threat of this happening? The witnesses are probably aware that some Members felt the setting up of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland was really just a duplication...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: I thought the witnesses were going to answer our questions today.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: We dealt with legislation related to GSOC and the Policing Authority and were very disappointed that the potential to make them more effective was not exploited. We are very much against the inspectorate being dragged down into those pits, given that it is more effective than either GSOC or the Policing Authority.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: I thank Mr. Toland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: For Mr. Toland's information, Deputy Clare Daly and I visit prisons a good bit. On one of the first occasions on which we sought to visit Portlaoise Prison, some serious opposition was expressed in terms of what the hell those people were coming down for and the question was asked as to why the hell we were being let in. It took an intervention by the then Minister, Alan Shatter, to get us in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Inspectorate (23 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: No. There is huge work to be done to change the attitudes prevailing in this area. As the report stated, we think the inspectorate should be allowed to visit as it sees fit. It will be a good day when we get to that point.

Topical Issue Debates: Diplomatic Representation (24 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: I have had a number of engagements in the House with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, in recent times. He has argued very strongly that communication makes sense. He made that argument when it was put to him, for example, that Ireland should be questioning its relationship with Saudi Arabia in light of the total destruction that state is causing...

Topical Issue Debates: Diplomatic Representation (24 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: I thank the Minister of State. We opened an embassy in Teheran in 1976 and we had one there until November or December 2011 when Eamon Gilmore was the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. We also closed the embassy to the Holy See and one other embassy at the time. In total, three embassies were closed. We argued that we closed them for money-saving reasons. It was not a great...

Topical Issue Debates: Diplomatic Representation (24 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: What about Saudi Arabia and Israel?

Report on Building Standards, Building Controls and Consumer Protection: Motion (24 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: I had not planned on speaking on this debate but I rambled in and decided to listen. The Minister said:The Government’s focus has primarily been on ensuring strong and effective regulation in the building control system and the construction industry and on improving compliance in the building regulations... I believe that the building-control reform agenda and other initiatives under...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Contracts (24 May 2018)

Mick Wallace: 94. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she is satisfied that all contracts a company (details supplied) holds with her Department and State agencies under her aegis have been tendered for; if her attention has been drawn to contracts awarded to the company that have not been tendered for; if her attention has been further drawn to contracts awarded to the company that...