Results 181-200 of 548 for at speaker:Patrick Costello

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Patrick Costello: I will start with some general comments for the benefit of the report on the subject at the end. I will then invite anyone who wishes to respond to comment. I may then have some specific questions. Some of these have been raised by our guests already but I want to set out my view on this so we can ensure it is covered in the report on the legislation. One of the issues is the lack of a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Sector Pensions (1 Dec 2022)

Patrick Costello: 271. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the actions that are being taken by her Department in relation to pension and employment rights of self-employed contractors at RTÉ given the ongoing WRC action against the public broadcaster; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59973/22]

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Supports for Parents of Children in Foster Care: Discussion (29 Nov 2022)

Patrick Costello: I apologise to the witnesses. Every Tuesday, I need to perform an act of bilocation between this committee and the Joint Committee on Justice. I find myself either missing one meeting or running between the two. Social workers are suffering needless burnout. This is partly because there are not enough of them and the pressures on the system make the job harder. This contributes to quicker...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

Patrick Costello: I will start by returning to where Deputy Carroll MacNeill started on the youth justice service. Some of the agencies I have spoken to locally are feeling very optimistic and are very grateful not only for extra workers but new workers for outreach, family support and being able to broaden and deepen their connection with the communities they are trying to support. That positive development...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2022)

Patrick Costello: I am eager to speak on the next heading as I am due to speak at another committee meeting.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Refugee Accommodation Crisis: Engagement with Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (22 Nov 2022)

Patrick Costello: ...of the meeting; whether it is true or not, one can always claim one's questions have been answered. I echo the concerns other members raised about the genuine crisis we face and problems here that are being exploited, in a deliberate way, by an aggressive, dangerous far-right element. In recent months, there have been threats to Deputies, of which the Minister will be personally aware,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (8 Nov 2022)

Patrick Costello: 197. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will install a bus gate at Mount Brown as a trial measure under section 38 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 to improve the new G-spine service; and if he will detail any other measures being taken to improve the reliability of the service more generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54789/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Provision of Bus Services in Dublin: Discussion (8 Nov 2022)

Patrick Costello: I will cut out a lot of my questions given the shortness of the time. The G spine is something that I want to focus on. I have been working on this with Ms Lauren Tuite who is a Green Party representative in the area. It promised an improvement of about 20% for Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard. We have seen the same problems that everyone has highlighted: a decline in service, ghost buses...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Provision of Bus Services in Dublin: Discussion (8 Nov 2022)

Patrick Costello: Mr. Gaston mentioned earlier that there were problems with the running times on the C spine, but it was the opposite, in that they were too long. It seems to me that there is a problem with how these running times are calculated. Is the NTA looking at reforming or improving that process? I agree with some of the comments made by Deputy Bríd Smith, in particular when we see the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Oct 2022)

Patrick Costello: Promises were made in the budget of 1,000 extra gardaí. We need a clear timeline of when these will be delivered, partly so that communities know when they will get the resources they need but also to ensure that they are actually delivered. At one end of my constituency, in Dublin 8, four community Garda sergeants and 25 Garda officers has become one sergeant and four Garda officers....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill 2022: Discussion (18 Oct 2022)

Patrick Costello: Translation, as was said earlier, will be an issue throughout the justice system. Prisoners find themselves in this position struggling against issues of translation, but their experience of the justice system began in the Garda station and moved through the courts. What was their experience through that? We have had sessions here with people talking about the difficulty of translation in...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Alternative Aftercare Services for Young Adults: Discussion (11 Oct 2022)

Patrick Costello: I was interested to hear Tusla speak about providing the full allowance to somebody who might be in a slightly more chaotic position. I contrast that with Wales, which has begun a trial or pilot for a universal basic income for all care leavers, regardless of their situation. There can be high-quality aftercare supports if a young person is leaving care in education and training. It is...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Alternative Aftercare Services for Young Adults: Discussion (11 Oct 2022)

Patrick Costello: We are here until 6 p.m. One of the issues with recruitment is trying to get potential carers through the foster care committee. One of the things we spoke about at the foster care hearing was with regard to private arrangements and these sorts of things. They sometimes come up because a child can be in a good enough place but we know the person will not pass the committee. Are the...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Alternative Aftercare Services for Young Adults: Discussion (11 Oct 2022)

Patrick Costello: I have one last point. The point on domestic violence speaks to the need for something I have advocated for a long time, that is, the secondment of duty social workers to the Garda district protective services unit. We can go down the route of discussing Barnahus another time. A direct link to a duty social worker sitting in the Garda office at least once per week will help with these...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: European Council Rule of Law Report 2022 and Rule of Law Situation in Ireland: Engagement with Ms Vra Jourová (11 Oct 2022)

Patrick Costello: It requires trilocation. It is all part of the joy of this job, as I am sure the witnesses are deeply aware. I want to start with a few general observations I will pick up on the point that was made about the space for civil society. It is not just governments; there is a huge move among those who want to take the freedoms and liberties of others away and to push back against civil...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: European Council Rule of Law Report 2022 and Rule of Law Situation in Ireland: Engagement with Ms Vra Jourová (11 Oct 2022)

Patrick Costello: Some of the statistics Ms Jourová mentioned are hotly contested. I do not know whether she has had a chance to speak to civil society groups. I can recommend a few. Our committee made a report where it took in statements from civil society groups. I am sure the clerk can provide a copy of that to Ms Jourová. There are a few interesting people to follow up with. I wish to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: European Council Rule of Law Report 2022 and Rule of Law Situation in Ireland: Engagement with Ms Vra Jourová (11 Oct 2022)

Patrick Costello: I echo some of the points raised by the Acting Chairman. The statistic that we have approximately 3.3 judges per 100,000 of population, compared with the European average of 18 or 21, is one to which I often refer. The recently retired President of the High Court, Ms Justice Mary Irvine, has looked for more judges, as has the current President of the High Court, with both making the case...