Results 13,441-13,460 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I again assure Senators that there is nothing unique about the funding arrangements for this new body as set out in the legislation. Senator McDowell referred to section 30(2). I point to section 11(1)(b), which stipulates that funding, whether for the permanent members of the commission, lay members of the board or any other expenditure, will be in accordance with accepted practice and...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Senator McDowell quoted selectively from the half of a leaflet which he produced without notice. I do not agree with the comments of my Cabinet colleague, Deputy Ross, regarding our Judiciary. I acknowledge the impartiality of our Judiciary.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I acknowledge its total independence. On the current appointments process, I very much resent allegations or assertions of any form of cronyism, which is the word used by Senator McDowell. The Minister, Deputy Ross, is not a member of my political party. I acknowledge his role in Government and that this is a Government-sponsored Bill which will be piloted by me as the Minister for Justice...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Senator McDowell will know from his time as a member of Cabinet that all decisions made by the Government, whether on amendments made to legislation or on the heads of a Bill, are made following due process.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: What is intended in the section regarding the accounts is, in standard form and standard practice, a reference to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Comptroller and Auditor General. This is important in the context of ensuring prudent management of public moneys. I agree with Senator McDowell that it would be futile to oppose it and, in the circumstances, having regard...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: No.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Reference was made to a comedy show on television in a neighbouring jurisdiction. It may be 16 October but it seems the Christmas panto season has come to the Seanad early, and that is regrettable in the context of what we are debating. We seem to have spent the past 20 minutes discussing an amendment which was not moved by dint of the absence of a proposer.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: It was ruled out of order by the Chair yet the Chair encouraged people to make contributions on it.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Not only were the Senators not speaking on the section, Senator McDowell was speaking on a putative amendment which Senator Norris said he might introduce at some future stage. He did not even attempt to discuss the amendment which the Leas-Chathaoirleach ruled out of order, a ruling on which he then failed to follow up. I have told Senator Norris on other occasions not to misrepresent...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Sexual Offences Data (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The answer is "yes". Both I and the Government are committed to preventing and addressing sexual violence in Ireland. It is extremely important to me but, more important, to victims of this violence that policy must be effective, driven by accurate, up to date, reliable data. Knowledge and information are essential to making effective policies to prevent and combat sexual violence. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Sexual Offences Data (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I do not disagree with any of the Deputy's remarks. I wish to assure him of both my efforts and my action in this regard. Since the scoping group submitted its report to me in April a significant amount of work has been undertaken by officials in my Department on issues around the survey methodology, ethical considerations, the feasibility around periodic data collection over time, and data...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Sexual Offences Data (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Again, I must agree. It is important for the formulation of any policy issues or legislation that evidence is available in the form of the type of data furnished in the 2002 SAVI report. I am keen to ensure that we proceed to formally set the process for a SAVI 2 under way. In that, I acknowledge the work of many stakeholders to date and look forward to continuing a positive engagement...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Simon Coveney, is co-ordinating what is a whole-of-government response to Brexit. In this capacity, he is working closely with all Ministers, including me, to address in a joined-up manner the many challenges Brexit will present. I emphasise that it is the Government’s firm intention...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am both disappointed and concerned that despite intensive negotiations involving the EU and UK negotiating teams in recent days, it has not been possible to make the decisive progress that is urgently needed. I assure the House again that we are not contemplating a so-called hard border. Our resolve is to ensure that the invisible Border between North and South remains. As far as...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Issues (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: For the benefit of the House, I again refer to the increased budgetary allocation to enable the Garda recruitment drive to continue for next year, with up to 800 new recruits. Allowing for the retirement of approximately 300 gardaí, that will see a net intake of ambitious, energetic and highly qualified gardaí to the order of approximately 500. Deputy O'Callaghan was somewhat...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tribunals of Inquiry Reports (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The findings and conclusions of the disclosures tribunal third interim report are stark. The central conclusion that it reached is that a man who rightly saw loyalty to the people whom he served as superior to any loyalty to the organisation of which he was part, a man who at all times had the interests of the public uppermost in his mind, had to endure a campaign of calumny by those who...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tribunals of Inquiry Reports (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I do not disagree with anything Deputy Smith said and I look forward to an opportunity for a more comprehensive debate on the report over the coming days. Deputy Smith will be aware the Government appointed a new Garda Commissioner who took up his position at the start of September. I very much welcome the initial response of Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to the tribunal report. It gives...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tribunals of Inquiry Reports (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Deputy Smith makes a point in regard to oversight and general accountability. It is fair to say the proposals in the report on the oversight architecture are perhaps the most far-reaching contained in the entire report. The Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland approached that issue by separating governance, oversight and accountability. Its proposed solution is the setting up of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tribunals of Inquiry Reports (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I do not accept that at all. Let me make it clear that there can absolutely no ambiguity about the findings of the report. Mr. Justice Charleton does not mince his words. It is very clear about where serious failings took place, how they were allowed to happen and who allowed them to happen. These findings make very stark reading and we all owe a debt of gratitude to Sergeant Maurice...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tribunals of Inquiry Reports (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I agree oversight and scrutiny are very important so this culture change within An Garda Síochána needs to happen. I intend proceeding with the appointment of an independent chair to oversee the implementation of the 50 recommendations in the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. In order to be implemented, they will require a number of pieces of...