Results 761-780 of 4,168 for speaker:Susan O'Keeffe
- Seanad: Homelessness Strategy: Motion (5 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: I welcome the Minister of State. I was entertained by Senator Ó Domhnaill's use of the figure of 98,000. He clearly remembers a time when Fianna Fáil was in power.
- Seanad: Homelessness Strategy: Motion (5 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Perhaps the Senator will allow me to proceed. This is not laughing matter.
- Seanad: Homelessness Strategy: Motion (5 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: I am certainly not laughing. In 2011, when Fianna Fáil left office after a number of years in power, the figure for those who were homeless stood at 98,000. The current figure of 89,000 remains unacceptably high but at least it is going down. The word self-congratulatory was in respect of Senator Hayden. I do not know any other Senator who has spent so much of her time and...
- Seanad: Order of Business (11 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: I share the concerns others have raised at the apparent bugging of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission’s, GSOC, office. It has a serious role to play. If anyone has deliberately set out to cause damage to its activity then they will have questions to answer and must be held accountable. How we do that is a matter of debate in this House and elsewhere. I am a member of...
- Seanad: Public Sector Reform: Statements (11 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: I welcome the Minister back to the House; he is a regular visitor. Like him, I value public service enormously. There is nothing more important in a country than people working in the common good and setting aside the fact that they may achieve a certain level of earnings and no more. It is not like the private sector; it is a very particular job and important that the Minister has devoted...
- Seanad: Public Sector Reform: Statements (11 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Will the further strengthening of the ethical framework for officeholders and public servants be part of the new Civil Service accountability programme? I cannot see it in the timeline but I know the Minister is committed to it. In what guise will it come? The Minister spoke about the preparation for universal health insurance. Again, the White Paper is promised for early 2014. Are we on...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: I thank Mr. O'Brien for his very coherent presentation. Before we get into the detail, I wish to ask whether there are other similar reports or sweeping episodes which have not been notified by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: To Mr. O'Brien's knowledge, have other police ombudsman offices ever been bugged? Does this go with the territory?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: In his presentation Mr. O'Brien made reference to his categorical recollection of the reasons for the choice of Verrimus. Are we to understand from this that there is no written evidence of his choice at the time? Did he write down his reason at the time or is it a memory? He has stated his recollection is at odds with the documentation of Verrimus. Does he also have documentation or is...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Mr. O'Brien referred to the meeting with the Garda Commissioner and spoke about trying to allay his sense of grievance. If I understand Mr. O'Brien's report, he met him on Tuesday. Mr. O'Brien speaks about him also being blind-sided. Was his sense of grievance related to Mr. O'Brien's statement the previous day or to the release of the information, in which case why would he have a sense...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: However, he had a sense of grievance.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: The heart of the matter is why Mr. O'Brien decided to proceed at this point. He said in his submission that when he had been appointed in 2011 there was an agreement to have a general sweep, as there had been none since 2007. For some reason, he did not proceed with it at that point. He waited until 2013 when he says the prevailing atmosphere after the various reports and testimony was...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: How many of the staff knew about the sweep occurring? Did it occur at night, as has been suggested, and, if so, why?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Is it possible to seek a point of clarification?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Thank you. I wanted to ask about the comment about the file being submitted to the DPP. It sort of skated past and I was not quite clear about it.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Yes, that is the confusing bit.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: It does. I thank Mr. FitzGerald.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: There are a number of clarifications. I appreciate the Chairman's dilemma but-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Nor do I.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Protocol Issues: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (12 Feb 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: The Chairman would rule on that.