Results 61-80 of 198 for garda speaker:Bríd Smith

Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016 [Seanad]: Report Stage (21 Jul 2016)

Bríd Smith: ...the amendment I want to reiterate the points that have been made and say, as I did when the Bill first came before the Dáil, that it is very difficult to understand how a Bill shaped by An Garda Síochána, which is responsible for the area of justice, comes to the Department of Health. If the Department of Health is proposing a measure the Garda believe will help it in the...

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Second Stage (26 May 2021)

Bríd Smith: ...of how we reopen the economy, particularly foreign travel. Obviously we do not disagree with public health emergency measures, but we cannot agree to an unbridled and far-reaching extension of Garda powers. The record speaks for itself, and Deputy Paul Murphy has outlined much of it. However, I will speak briefly about the indiscriminate way the Debenhams pickets were approached not...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Commissioner Appointment (4 Jul 2018)

Bríd Smith: ...43 years since the Miami Showband massacre. The families have been denied access to the files by the State and now they will see a situation where a person who was the head of the PSNI will be the Garda Commissioner with access to files on their loved ones, files which they cannot access. Is that fair or just? Is it the justice the Minister wants to present? On 31 July we will,...

Community Safety and Fireworks: Motion [Private Members] (22 Sep 2020)

Bríd Smith: ...every aspect of this Government's, and previous Governments’, attitude to services that are needed at local level. The Minister is shaking her head but she has to answer many questions as to why the Garda does not respond to calls by members of the community, gardaí are never seen on the streets and gardaí do not respond despite repeated calls to Garda stations, both...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: An Garda Síochána (9 Nov 2022)

Bríd Smith: ...other than a pro-life protest because I do not think it is fair to us. I want to talk about the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act. I do not know from her submission whether Ms McMahon thinks An Garda Síochána needs more powers to search and go into people's homes or whatever. I am not clear about that. Perhaps she could elaborate. Under the Criminal Justice (Public Order)...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (8 Jul 2021)

Bríd Smith: ...just does not cut the mustard. Even the chairperson of GSOC has said it is understaffed and needs reform. According to a report, 42% of all cases initiated by GSOC have been referred back to Garda inspectors. The work it is refusing to do increased hugely during 2020. There has also been a substantial increase in the very serious cases being investigated by GSOC. My point is there...

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Bríd Smith: ...to when we will hear from the Department about a second sexual abuse and violence in Ireland, SAVI, report. It is long overdue. Over 30% of women reported to Women's Aid that they had found the Garda unhelpful. Women's Aid clearly stated and showed statistically how the housing crisis was having a major impact on women and families in not being able to leave abusive and violent...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (8 Jul 2021)

Bríd Smith: ..., however, that the inquest into the death of this 27-year-old man with mental health problems recently opened and evidence was given by the coroner that he was shot five times in the back by armed gardaí. Key witnesses were not questioned by GSOC for up to eight days after that event. The Minister keeps repeating that GSOC is robust and independent and has full oversight, but there...

Topical Issue Debate: Bus Éireann (4 Apr 2017)

Bríd Smith: ..., he is up to his neck in it. It is a bit ironic for him to say that ministerial intervention is never required in industrial disputes given that not so long ago, the threat of a blue flu by An Garda Síochána led his Government to intervene by finding €40 million to settle the issue. The provision of that €40 million was announced by the Minister, Deputy Donohoe....

Other Questions: Employment Rights (9 Feb 2017)

Bríd Smith: ...have never seen before in any contract of employment. It sets out that a person who is subject to a serious investigation of ill discipline may be suspended without pay pending the investigation. Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan, should she be suspended, will be suspended with pay because that is in the contract of most employees in the country; the opposite is the case...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Discussion (19 Oct 2022)

Bríd Smith: ...are taking something brand new and we must be terribly careful about it because it is so complex. It is not that complex. Once we get the co-operation of all the players involved, especially An Garda Síochána, it should not be a complex matter. We already have, for example, laws like the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, where gardaí can go up to people and tell...

Other Questions: Commissions of Inquiry (16 Dec 2016)

Bríd Smith: The Minister may believe it is appropriate, but it is in fact wholly inappropriate not to open a public inquiry, not just because there is an investigation into the behaviour of gardaí but because there is no investigation into the behaviour of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions which allowed a case as serious as this to slip into the District Court as a minor offence....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Gender Equality (22 Mar 2023)

Bríd Smith: ...two doctors in UCC. It was widely publicised and was inspired by the bravery of Una Ring and Eve McDowell. There were ten recommendations in that report. They include training and education for gardaí and a new wording on stalking offences. Do we have a plan to train and educate gardaí on stalking and harassment? As recently as last week, I met a woman who works in Dublin 8...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Inquiry into the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell (12 Mar 2019)

Bríd Smith: ...was approved into the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation with no scoping exercise. In March 2014, there was approval for a commission of investigation into the recording of phone conversations in Garda stations with no scoping exercise beforehand either. Why is Mr. O'Farrell's death being treated so differently despite a two thirds majority in this House clearly indicating a wish for such...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Commissions of Investigation (11 Oct 2022)

Bríd Smith: ...the Central Bank, etc. Is it not high time that the State found a process by which to investigate alleged inappropriate carry-on with corporate dealings or the potential of white-collar crime? Is the Garda not interested this? Is corporate enforcement not the first place we should be going to? Can the DPP look at it? Rather than spending years and millions of euro on investigations of...

Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Oct 2020)

Bríd Smith: ...and trolleys filling up, and the Covid cases will continue to increase. I have just read the speech the Minister, Deputy McEntee, gave in support of this legislation. She mentions the four Es the Garda has been using: engage, educate, encourage and enforce as a final resort. That is fine, but I am afraid what we are doing today is panicking and trying to turn four Es into four Fs. I...

Other Questions: Commissions of Inquiry (16 Dec 2016)

Bríd Smith: .... Does that preference take into consideration the gravity of this case? It must do so. A man who had committed 42 offences was out on bail in both states on this island. He was stopped by the Garda and he was let go on his way. In fact, his partner was told to move over and he was told to drive the car. He was let go on his way and then he proceeded to murder a citizen of the State....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Apr 2023)

Bríd Smith: My question is on housing as well. A couple of weeks ago I raised with the Taoiseach the role of gardaí in illegal evictions. There was a very shocking piece on Twitter which Members may have seen. A Dr. Raheel was threatened with an illegal eviction by a very angry and violent landlord who used a chainsaw or some kind of a cutting mechanism, which looked pretty lethal, to get through...

Other Questions: JobPath Implementation (21 Feb 2017)

Bríd Smith: ...for a Tús initiative in November and interviewed for a Tús placement for January, at which point he went onto a panel. He was interviewed again in January for a placement with a host company and was Garda vetted. Prior to taking up the Tús placement he was then randomly selected for JobPath. I contacted Intreo and the official got in touch with the JobPath centre to...

Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2016)

Bríd Smith: ...in. The Bill is coming from the Department of Health, and one would have assumed that therefore the discussion would be framed as a health issue, yet the aim behind it, allegedly, is to help the Garda in dealing with gangland crime and the recent terrible scenes in our city. The Minister of State emphasised several times that these measures are being sought by the Garda, but I note the...