Results 19,001-19,020 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (6 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy says, the intention of the amendment is to delete the reference to "while respecting diversity and the freedom and dignity of each person" from the function of the commission at section 10(1)(e) which reads: "to work towards the elimination of human rights abuses, discrimination and prohibited conduct, while respecting diversity and the freedom and dignity of each person". I...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (6 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy says, the amendment seeks to extend the commission's amicus curiaefunction to include the Circuit Court, District Court, Labour Court and the Equality Tribunal. This is unnecessary.The commission has the power to assist parties appearing before the Circuit or District Court, or the Labour Court, or the Equality Tribunal. The concept of amicus curiaerelates to the superior...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (6 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: Section 42 introduces a new positive duty on public bodies to have due regard to human rights and equality and reflects a commitment in the Government's programme for national recovery 2011-2016 which states: "We will require all public bodies to take due note of equality and human rights in carrying out their functions." The commission will assist public bodies to comply with the positive...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (6 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: On amendment No. 11, I am unconvinced that the creation of yet another formalistic impact assessment process can add any value. Such a process cannot substitute for the ongoing responsibility of any public body to manage its functions effectively or for the ultimate responsibility of the Government and this House in our democratic system to make political choices - sometimes hard choices -...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (6 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: I thank the members of the committee for their contributions, both in the Dáil and at this committee. I wish to acknowledge all of the assistance we have been given and the work undertaken by members of the new human rights commission and the Equality Authority and by those who were on the working group which assisted in the creation of this legislation and addressed various issues...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reorganisation (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: The Department of Defence has civil and military elements, with Defence Forces headquarters being the military element. The Chief of Staff who is head of Defence Forces headquarters is my principal military adviser, while the Secretary General of the Department of Defence is my principal defence policy adviser. Military command is vested directly in the general officers commanding Army...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reorganisation (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: I am not aware of the problems the Deputy has said have emerged. If there are particular problems he wishes to bring to my attention, I will ensure they are addressed. As he knows, a three brigade Army structure was adopted in the 1990s when the strength of the Permanent Defence Force was set at approximately 11,500 personnel. This structure was retained when the White Paper on Defence in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reorganisation (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: What the Deputy is suggesting is that we have in place an architecture, but that we do not have the numbers that would allow it to make sense. The architecture the Deputy's colleagues had in place while in government was based on a strength of 11,500 for a three brigade structure. When I entered government and assumed the position of Minister for Defence, there was a strength of 9,500....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Protected Disclosures in the Public Interest (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy will be aware, the programme for Government made a clear commitment to the introduction of whistleblower protection legislation. In this regard, my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, published the Protected Disclosures Bill in July 2013. It is anticipated that the legislation will be enacted during this Dáil term. The Bill has as its main...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Protected Disclosures in the Public Interest (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: I am satisfied that is the case and find it regrettable that the Deputy should raise any issue concerning the current Ombudsman for the Defence Forces. The person concerned was a judge in the military court, adjudicated on issues and there was never any question that he did so other than independently and objectively and with fairness. As the Deputy is aware, the issue he has raised has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Protected Disclosures in the Public Interest (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: There the Deputy goes again. The individual to whom he refers was appointed following the holding of a competition which I had no hand or part in influencing. He was recommended following the outcome of that competition and so appointed. That is the end of it. As I said, the individual in question was formerly a military tribunal judge, yet the Deputy is suggesting that he is not an...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: An Garda Síochána has the primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of aid to the civil power, ATCP, which in practice means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. There is ongoing and close liaison between An Garda...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy might have been a fan of Osama bin Laden but I am not sure what relevance he has to this matter. I have given her the information that is available to me. There is no further information I can add in response to the question she raised. In the context of this particular flight, my information is simply that An Garda Síochána requested the assistance of the Defence...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: It is a matter of particular concern to members of the European Union that Russian troops have been exercising close to the Ukrainian border. I do not know whether that is the type of military aggression the Deputy has in mind. She also made reference to Syria. I do not understand what relevance this particular flight landing in Shannon Airport has to the dreadful tragedy being played out...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Funding (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy knows, my Department is engaged in an ongoing building programme designed to modernise and enhance the training, operational and accommodation facilities available to members of the Defence Forces. Under the building programme there has been considerable capital investment at the Curragh Camp in recent years. Between 2008 and 2013 my Department spent more than €11.7...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Funding (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: I agree that there is a need for continuing investment. This is a very important matter in the context of the Defence Forces. It will not have escaped the Deputy's notice that the State has been in great financial difficulties for the past three years and we have been obliged to substantially reduce our expenditure, both current and capital. There has been a decreasing envelope of capital...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Funding (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: I dealt only with a small number of issues when replying to the Deputy's original question. The largest investment my Department is making at present is in the two new naval vessels that are to be commissioned. As the Deputy may be aware, one of those vessels, LE Samuel Beckett, was delivered to Haulbowline on Wednesday last. I visited the facility there on Friday and was shown around the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: I thank the Deputy for her question. As she stated, my Department recently undertook an assessment of vacant former married quarter properties in the Curragh Camp with a view as to their potential for future military use as single living-in accommodation. The properties in question comprise a terrace of 16 houses and are typical of the type of former married quarters accommodation vacant in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: It is my understanding that what was undertaken was a review of these particular units to get some insight into the possible benefits of undertaking renovation works and the likely difficulties that would be encountered. I am told that in the context of the particular group of terraced houses examined, the estimated cost of works was in the region of €863,000, VAT inclusive. In...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Properties (7 May 2014)

Alan Shatter: On the last issue the Deputy raised, I have said previously - giving the Deputy some detail, which I will not repeat - that the individual circumstances of families in particular houses are taken into account. The Deputy is aware of that because there are individuals, whom I referenced previously when the Deputy raised the issue in the Chamber, who are described as overholders in the...