Results 1,561-1,580 of 4,915 for speaker:Jim O'Keeffe

Written Answers — End-of-Life Vehicles: End-of-Life Vehicles (8 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: Question 33: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the proposed operation of the draft regulations on end-of-life vehicles for cars and vans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9476/06]

Written Answers — Fire Services: Fire Services (8 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: Question 57: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when responsibility for fire safety, previously the function of the National Safety Council, will be transferred to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9477/06]

Garda Reserve Force. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: Question 1: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if members of the Garda reserve force will be entitled to effect arrest under the Public Order Acts and other legislation that requires a Garda to form an opinion as to wrongdoing; the training that will be put in place for this purpose; the consultations he has had with the Garda representative bodies on this and other...

Garda Reserve Force. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: I wish to make it clear that it has been Fine Gael policy for a long time to establish a Garda reserve as support and back-up for the Garda Síochána, but my concern is that the ham-fisted approach of the Minister in the introduction of a Garda reserve may have damaged the successful implementation of the scheme. He has totally failed to engage the principal stakeholders — that is, those...

Garda Reserve Force. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: Why did the Minister not hold back then?

Garda Reserve Force. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: Four thousand. I gave no commitment.

Garda Reserve Force. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: I want the reserve.

Garda Reserve Force. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: Why did the Minister not go back to the two bodies?

Garda Reserve Force. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: I am stunned by the cavalier admission from the Minister that, in fact, he was guilty of a breach of trust here and that he did say to the members as they have claimed that he did not envisage the introduction of the force.

Garda Reserve Force. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: Why did the Minister not go back and talk to them and explain at an early stage that the situation had changed as far as he was concerned and give them an outline of his then thinking rather than present them with what they see now as a fait accompli?

Garda Reserve Force. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: It was meant to happen during the lifetime of this Government.

Garda Reserve Force. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: I object to that, I am not resiling. The Minister blames everyone else. He blames me for his own breach of trust.

Garda Reserve Force. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: If the Minister had the good grace to apologise to the two associations for the breach of trust, the environment would be much more conducive for the introduction of the scheme.

Garda Reserve Force. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: The Minister gave an undertaking to consult on this.

Garda Deployment. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: Deputy Gormley should not take the Minister seriously. His behaviour is par for the course.

Garda Training. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: Question 4: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the firearms training facilities which are available to members of the Garda Síochána; the number of times these facilities can be used; the amount spent on firearms training by the Garda Síochána; his views on whether the current provisions are adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9820/06]

Garda Training. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: One of the most far-sighted and enlightened decisions of the founding fathers of the State was to have an unarmed police force, although I accept that armed back-up is necessary. Currently, 3,600 members of the Garda Síochána hold firearms certificates and it is imperative that they have the highest professional training. Information supplied to me indicates that this is not the case as...

Garda Training. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: I will abide by the Ceann Comhairle's ruling. A serious issue arises in this regard because 3,600 members of the Garda Síochána are being given inadequate training and do not have proper facilities to bring them up to the highest professional standards in the use of firearms. Guns are lethal instruments which can cause injury and damage to members of the force and the public.

Garda Training. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: Does the Minister not accept that this is an extremely serious issue, for which he has responsibility? Does he accept that the information I cited, which was passed on to me anonymously by what I believe to be credible sources, indicates a serious state of affairs? The Minister should take responsibility in this matter and ensure deficiencies in firearms training are remedied immediately...

Garda Training. (9 Mar 2006)

Jim O'Keeffe: The Minister should stop playing politics with a serious issue.