Results 81-100 of 265 for long speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2019: Second Stage [Private Members] (21 May 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: I did not realise I had been speaking for so long. Deputy O'Loughlin will address other aspects of the legislation. I welcome the announcement on 14 May by the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, that he would set up an independent specialist in-depth research study on homicides within families and domestic homicide reviews which will be chaired by Ms Norah Gibbons who is very well qualified in...

Covid-19 (Justice and Equality): Statements (13 May 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...negative social, personal, educational and economic consequences the lockdown is having on children and young people. We need to recognise the responsibility we have to ensure the impact on them is not long-term and irreversible. All our decisions must take account of the fact that children and young people have very special requirements that need to be given attention by this House. I...

Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Second Stage (10 May 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...injuries is simple, yet it communicates accurately what they are. It refers to them as being injuries sustained by a person that result in a permanent disability that require the person to receive lifelong care for all activities. One of the most tragic events that can happen to any person occurs at the start of life, at birth, when, as a result of fault or an accident, he or she suffers...

Apology for Persons Convicted of Consensual Same-Sex Sexual Acts: Motion (19 Jun 2018)

Jim O'Callaghan: The criminalisation of homosexual activity has had a long and cruel history. The Taoiseach referred to Victorian statutes but it went back further than that. In 1533, Henry VIII first made homosexual activity an offence, punishable by death. It was first made a criminal offence in Ireland during the reign of Charles I and was punishable by death on conviction. It was not until 1828 that...

Provision of Accommodation and Ancillary Services to Applicants for International Protection: Statements (13 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...here we have an obligation both to give them shelter and accommodation and to process their applications. One reason for the problem in this country is that when people arrive, they stay too long in direct provision centres because their applications are not being processed quickly enough by the Government. We need to speed that up. People go to the international protection office, then...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Scrutiny of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons (Amendment) Bill 2021 (28 May 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...this is an offence that the Oireachtas regards as reaching into the more serious realm. That can be effective in itself. When legislation is going through, sometimes there are views about how long the penalty imposed in the legislation should be. Probably in the Oireachtas, we do not give sufficient consideration to the type of penalties that should be imposed and perhaps a greater...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank everyone for coming in here and for their submissions. I have been a barrister for a long time. Usually, I do not like to give speeches about my own assessment but I will give these entities my assessment of how legal costs could be reduced. I want to hear what they have to say in respect of it. It is helpful that we have here before us today two of the largest purchasers of legal...

Housing for All: Statements (Resumed) (29 Sep 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...who were not able to buy their own houses. That is why it was so important for the State to step in and build local authority houses. Houses were available for people to rent and to live in long-term with security from the local authority. It is now the case, however, in respect of the social contract that young people today face a terrifying prospect. They now can find themselves...

Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 May 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...for life. The process can be seriously undermined by the assumptions that are taken into account by the court such as the life expectancy of the person taking the case. The child may live much longer, or not as long, as has been assumed by the court. The court also estimates future investment returns and inflation rates as best it can when awarding a lump sum. The court cases become...

Parole Bill 2016: Report Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...the Parole Board. Amendment No. 17 seeks to provide a more precise definition of the functions of the board than was outlined in section 7 of the Bill as originally drafted. I am happy to go along with that. The amendment is effective and beneficial. As the Minister stated, amendment No. 18 sets out specifically what the membership of the board should be. This is similar to what...

Support for the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Ukraine: Motion (1 Mar 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...thing we all need to acknowledge is that we are not a military power. We do not have the type of military power that would have any impact on this invasion. Even if we did, we could not use it, because of our long-standing policy of neutrality. However, we need to look at where we are powerful and where we are significant. This comes under two headings. First, as a member of the...

Garda Siochana (Functions and Operational Areas) Bill 2021: Second Stage (22 Sep 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...model for An Garda Síochána, and the Garda Inspectorate recommended a new structure for it, and I am pleased to say that back in 2019, the Garda Commissioner recognised that and announced a new operating model. For too long there have been situations in Garda districts and stations where superintendents' time is taken up filling out forms or signing documents, or being forced to...

Paradise Papers: Statements (8 Dec 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...world, Mr. Milton did not go on to refer to the other disobediences, but if he had referred to the second, third or fourth, I would say he would have got to tax evasion, because it has been with us for as long as there have been any records of societies or states for the purpose of trying to regulate affairs. If we go back to ancient writings we see that tax collectors were never really...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Consumer Credit (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (9 Mar 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...on bringing forward this legislation. It is important that the select committee appraises and considers legislation that comes from the Opposition. I remember when I was in the Opposition not long ago I managed to get many legislative measures to the justice committee but, unfortunately, I could not always get them through that committee because we did not get a money message. In...

Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Decisions on Supervision Measures) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Second Stage (5 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...bail conditions that are applied in this country so that they can be availed of by a citizen of another EU country in that other EU country. We should acknowledge at the outset that it has taken a long time for us to get here. As I mentioned, the decision was made in October 2009 and ten years later we are dealing with Second Stage of the Bill seeking to get it transposed. We need to...

Data Protection Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Apr 2018)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...not to generate it into an industry where people can take class actions for breaches of data protection and the awarded damages will be minimal but the costs will be significant. I have gone on for long enough. I and Fianna Fáil will be co-operating with the Minister and the rest of the House in trying to ensure this is enacted. We will probably be tabling our own amendments on...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Northern Ireland (9 Dec 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: The violence in Northern Ireland that overshadowed this country for nearly 30 years has left a long and harrowing legacy. That legacy is most acutely felt by the families of the 3,700 people killed in that violence in Northern Ireland. It is apparent that their killing continues to have a significant impact on the politics of Northern Ireland and this country. It is important that we...

Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Second Stage (21 Oct 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...O'Gorman, he recognises that. He is going to bring forward legislation that will provide some certainty to people so that they can access information about their provenance. This has gone on for too long. There has been too much legislative inactivity and uncertainty and legal ambiguity about whether these people can be given the very simple information that they seek to obtain. I urge...

Domestic Violence Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Second Stage (15 Dec 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: .... Some of the biggest victims of domestic violence are children. It is a very traumatic experience for any child to be brought up in a house where there is violence between parents. It has a significant long-term impact on the child. It can also lead the child to believe in years to come that it is an acceptable way of resolving domestic disputes. It is not. I welcome that the...

Courts Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: ...was not going to be changed by the legislation. There was no reason to introduce legislation because there was a matter before the courts. It may not be necessary to introduce legislation in the long run. I wanted to give that as an explanation as to why Fianna Fáil will not be supporting Deputy Smith's amendment, though I have a lot of sympathy for it. The reason we will not be...