Results 12,721-12,740 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: This is a technical amendment to section numbers.

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: If I was to suggest 21 days instead of 28 days would that be acceptable to Senator Barrett if there is a mechanism for the House to agree that? I intended to bring an amendment. I missed that one. I would be agreeable to 21 days, if that is acceptable.

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Amendment No. 242, if accepted, would mean a patent of precedence would not be conferrable with the title of senior counsel on a solicitor. The purpose of the patents of precedence provision in the Bill is to codify the process of becoming a senior counsel while also making it amenable to legal practitioners, whether barrister or solicitor, who have the requisite excellence in advocacy,...

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: This is another of the numbering amendments.

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As a result of the introduction of the new regulatory framework being put in place by the enactment of the Bill, a series of amendments need to be made to the existing provisions of the Solicitors Acts. We have a new framework here. We already have a series of Solicitors Acts in place. The new legal services regulatory authority will change the various issues regarding solicitors and...

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Amendment No. 278 proposes to insert a new section 150 in the Bill to provide a standard immunity clause which relates in general to acts and omissions of the new authority in the performance of its functions with regard to inspections and complaints against legal practitioners unless the act or omission was done in bad faith. It provides immunity in damages to the authority and its staff...

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is the normal consequential implication of new amendments. That is why that has been done. It is the same as page 41 last night. It was not about amendments, as Senator Norris said, to one page. That was literally the virtual location of where the amendments started. They went from page 41 and were being inserted because they were new amendments. I just wanted to explain that.

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: This is a technical amendment to delete Part 6 and substituting Part 5. It is because we have amalgamated Part 5 and Part 6.

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Protected Disclosures Act of 2014, which was steered by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, is intended to provide a statutory framework within which public and private sector workers can raise concerns regarding potential wrongdoing that has come to their attention in the workplace, with the comfort of employment and other protections if they are penalised or otherwise...

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I indicated on Committee Stage, I cannot accept amendment No. 283 as it would negate an intended regulatory power of the new authority on movement between the professions of solicitor and barrister. Barristers and solicitors can already move between professions and it is intended that the authority can look at ways to enhance this. The fusion of the two professions will be looked at...

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I introduced this amendment to Schedule 1 on the third additional list. This makes changes to section 2 of Schedule 1. In determining whether legal costs are reasonable, a legal costs adjudicator shall consider the listed matters where applicable. This safeguards the adjudicator's discretion on the matters listed, which will not all be applicable to every case.The amendments have all been...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Chairman and members for agreeing to change the time of the meeting to accommodate my attendance at a debate in the Seanad. I am grateful to the committee for making time available today to consider my request for a Supplementary Estimate for the Garda Síochána and prisons Votes. The Supplementary Estimate requirement in respect of the Garda Vote is €35.2...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The cost is approximately €7.2 million for 600 in a full year, but depending when they are recruited, it is pro rata.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Capacity at Templemore and the question of supervision of new recruits going out have to be taken into account. There were times in the past when the kind of supervision that is essential was not what it should have been. Now we are hearing about people further up the line who did not have that kind of experience. That is extremely important. The cost increases up the line in terms of...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: It can be kept under review, but the decision taken with An Garda Síochána was to aim for 600 per year. There is some physical work being done at Templemore and facilities are used outside Templemore, which works well and is not a problem. It is probably good for the local economy and works to the satisfaction of Templemore. We have decided on 600 and restarted the investment....

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: It it is helpful, I can point out that Gardaí can retire at 50 but many stay until they reach 60.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The retirement age is 60. The Deputy’s point raises issues across the public sector. There was a challenge in court, as the Deputy may remember. The Government’s policy approach has been that there is a need for this ongoing recruitment and refreshment of the gardaí, the lifeblood of the organisation. The Garda is very pleased to have new recruits now. Every division...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The payment relates to overtime and allowances worked by Garda members in the four-week period ending 6 December. In other years, the roster end date would have been later in the month, and hence, from a practical perspective in terms of payroll processing deadlines, it would not have been possible to make the payment in the financial year in which the duty was performed.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: No, there is no such allowance. This issue has come up and parliamentary questions have been tabled on it. Obviously, I have discussed it with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, because it has arisen in the case of An Garda Síochána and other professions. Many years ago there was an allowance, but it was removed. The cost of reinstating it...