Results 19,401-19,420 of 21,514 for speaker:Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Our recommendation No. 1 refers to the improved oversight of complaints for investigation under the Act referred to An Garda Síochána and reads:At present, only when the complaint indicates a member of An Garda Síochána may have committed a criminal offence does GSOC investigate directly, investigation of other complaints is undertaken by a Garda Síochána...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Our recommendation No. 1 continued:Enhancing powers for GSOC in relation to reviewing investigations. In unsupervised investigations, a complainant has a right to have GSOC review the investigation. However, the outcome stands. Has anything changed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: That remains also the case. It still is the case that there is a requirement for "a second senior Garda officer to review the investigation file in supervised investigations". That also stands.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: In that case I shall move on from those latter number of bullet points in recommendation No. 1. It is more than past time that we sought an update from the Minister for Justice and Equality on his intentions and that of his Department regarding the recommendations. I would like to share with the delegation the fact that we have had significant success with a number of other reports, that we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Yes. Our recommendation was, nevertheless, based on fact. It is just in terms of the passage of time element that GSOC felt that the catch-all situation was that someone under investigation should not find a bolthole to exit.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: That is literally what the recommendation made by GSOC is all about. In terms of recommendation No. 3, there is a call for GSOC to be empowered to accept and undertake to investigate matters dated beyond the current timeline limitation. If I remember correctly that may be six months.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Did that empowerment arise over the period since we last met here?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: On that point, was it always 12 months over the------

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Yes. I recall that it was a six month period. It is welcome that it at least has been extended, but our recommendation still stands. My questions in that regard are to help the committee in pressing these matters with the Minister, which we hope to do at the end of this series of engagements. In her opening statement Ms Justice Ring indicated that, contrary to the view gardaí would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I accept that and join Ms Justice Ring in welcoming it. I do not wish to put her in an uncomfortable position, but is there any indication, even anecdotally, that there are people who have not taken the first step?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: On behalf of the committee, I thank Ms Justice Ring for her attendance against a very difficult weather backdrop. I thank her for her opening statement and very insightful responses. Such an insight was expected as it has been well established in her previous attendances at the committee. I thank her colleague, Ms Claire Grady, for joining us and wish both of them well in their continued...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Business of Joint Committee (7 Mar 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: As we have a quorum, we shall commence in public session. I remind members to please switch off their mobile phones as they interfere with the recording equipment. I have not been advised of any apologies. We will now briefly go into private session to deal with housekeeping matters.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: The purpose of this meeting is to discuss again issues surrounding the recording and classification of Garda homicide figures including, in particular, the review being conducted by An Garda Síochána into the classification of homicides and the reasons for the delay in publishing the findings of that review and furnishing a report to the Policing Authority. I very warmly welcome...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I thank Ms West for a very comprehensive presentation. I welcome her colleague, Ms Galligan, who I call on to make her opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I thank Ms Galligan. As I indicated to Ms West, I offer a special thanks to her for a comprehensive statement. I will open the floor to members who have specific questions. Deputy Jack Chambers got in first. However, he will have to leave shortly for personal reasons.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I thank Deputy Chambers. Before I ask Deputy O'Callaghan to come in, in deference to our visitors and members, at the end of Deputy O'Callaghan's engagement with the witnesses, we are going to take a five minute sos, for toilet purposes or whatever in order that everybody is comfortable throughout the session. I call on Deputy O'Callaghan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: We will resume in public session. I invite the next member to engage with our witnesses. I call Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire. I call Deputy Brophy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I am sorry to interrupt Deputy Daly but for her information and that of other members we had indicated to the guests that we had hoped to finish by 12.30 p.m. I suggest that the session will run on until 12.45 p.m. There are four speakers remaining, including the Chairman, and I ask everyone to be mindful of that, to not be repetitious and to be as concise as possible.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: This is the Deputy's last question.