Results 10,081-10,100 of 15,638 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: Likewise, I cannot agree to the section’s deletion given the Senator does not propose to replace it with anything else. Moreover, the objective is that the new authority will be more of an oversight structure, whereas governance will be dealt with directly by the board. That is why the board will be the body leading out in consultation with the Minister but still engaging with the...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: All those involved in our national security, particularly in An Garda Síochána, have always taken their role seriously and will continue to do so. We have a number of deputy commissioner roles in positions dealing with a number of different matters. To be clear, no person would be or will be appointed to any security position where he or she might pose a particular threat or might...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I understand, in respect of the Senator's comments, that there are two issues in regard to the deputy Garda Commissioner. An issue arose in the past number of months which was raised by those seeking to apply to a particular position. As I have said, a memo responding to that came before Cabinet today in respect of undertaking a review of a particular threshold. I have no doubt the review...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: It is not that I disagree with the overall objective of the amendments, but similar to previous conversations, I am not sure they are necessary because many of them are covered in what is already in the Bill. Regarding amendment No. 27, while I do not disagree that such conduct could be reason for removal of an officeholder, the functions of the Garda are set out in section 33 of the Bill...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I move amendment No. 29: In page 42, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following: “(3) A person who does or omits to do anything that, if the inquiry were a court of law having the power to punish for contempt, would be contempt of such court, is guilty of an offence and is liable, on summary conviction, to a class C fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months,...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I move amendment No. 30: In page 42, line 36, after “offence” to insert “(other than an offence under subsection (3)#)”.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: As I have said in many instances, while we are trying not to be overly prescriptive in the legislation in adding in specific criteria for certain things, I think what is being proposed in this amendment more or less reflects what actually happens more generally and what happens now. For that reason, I am happy to accept this amendment.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: This section is an enabling one rather than being overly prescriptive. What the Commissioner always has to do is look at whether this is in the public interest. It has to be consistent with the functions of An Garda Síochána and he or she must make sure it does not impact on the role of the Garda or potentially take away from resources. Again, I think we are being overly...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: In response to the Senator's last point, we are always looking at ways in which we can free up front-line gardaí who are perhaps in roles that can be done by other people, be it in the courts, areas relating to immigration or other types of roles they have been in previously. We have seen how gardaí have been freed up. A report is ongoing at the moment on the prosecution role,...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: Again, I believe this amendment is overly prescriptive. We are trying to ensure there is a particular ability for the Garda Commissioner to dismiss somebody below the rank of chief superintendent for reasons of public confidence. The section is sufficient to cover the broad headings for any consideration. There would obviously still have to be a disciplinary process but by reason of a...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: May I respond? I had better after all of that.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I meant after all of the contributions.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I support Senators in their contributions and agree with them that the reserve plays a really important role in supporting An Garda Síochána and in assisting gardaí in their work. The workforce of An Garda Síochána includes front-line gardaí, civilian staff and our reserve and we need to look at the overall numbers for all three areas. Senators are right to say...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: During the most recent recruitment campaign, over 5,000 people applied so the Public Appointments Service has a significant number of people to go through. It is obviously not just dealing with An Garda Síochána but the entire public sector. I know there have even been difficulties in recruiting people to the Public Appointments Service so its capacity to deal not just with its...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: It is not possible to give a definitive timeline. If a significant number apply at the same time, they must go through the initial process but there may be an issue with someone failing the fitness test or medical, or an issue with vetting abroad. We cannot say whether someone will come back from another police jurisdiction in a matter of weeks or months. It is very difficult to put a...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: To respond to Senator Keogan's point, I do not think we have any stations sitting idle or that are not being used or are not necessary. We are renovating and reopening stations not only in Dublin but throughout the country.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: How do we look at who takes up this accommodation? It is not something being actively looked at with regard to how it would be applied, who would get the accommodation, for what length of time and whether it would apply only to gardaí. A series of questions would have to be answered. A question was asked on pensions. This comes under the remit of the Department of Finance or the...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: There may be a further technical amendment to this section and I would like to flag it now. Amendments Nos. 37 and 38 relate to section 54 of the Bill on the appointment of members of Garda staff. By way of background, the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland recommended that Garda staff be recruited directly into An Garda Síochána and that An Garda Síochána...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am as keen for negotiations and engagement to start as both Senators present, and most importantly, as the staff. As recently as last week when I engaged with them, the challenge was finding dates that suited everyone. A number of bodies need to be around the table and the dates that had been set or proposed were not matching others' availability.It is a matter of trying to identify the...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: While I cannot give an exact date, the next Stage of the Bill will be weeks away and I have every intention of making sure negotiations start, or that dates are set, well before that.