Results 2,301-2,320 of 2,629 for speaker:Tim O'Malley

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: There are two Senators by the name of Hayes.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: I am not prepared to accept this amendment. The question of payment of costs in respect of legal representation in these circumstances has been raised with me on a number of occasions by the Garda associations and I have resisted at every stage. There is no provision for the payment of costs in respect of legal representation under the existing Garda Complaints Board scheme. I do not propose...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: I understand that a complainant can bring with him or her a friend or someone of that nature. There is nothing to stop them, in the legislation, as drafted, from doing so.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: The Minister is not opposed to the principle behind this amendment. It is, however, unnecessary to amend the Bill to achieve its objective. As of now, 96% of interviews are electronically recorded. I am currently studying the third report of the steering committee on audio-video recording of Garda questioning of detained persons, presented to me last September. The committee is satisfied with...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: The Minister is opposed to this amendment. The powers at present available to members of the Garda Síochána under the legislative provisions in question are highly unlikely to be required by designated officers of the ombudsman commission for the purpose of conducting investigations into complaints from members of the public about members of the Garda Síochána. It is for that reason that...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: I oppose the amendment because it seeks to give the commission the power to authorise searches of Garda stations in circumstances in which a complaint might not involve an offence. With two exceptions which we have discussed, designated officers of the ombudsman commission will have all the powers of gardaí when conducting investigations into complaints which appear to involve offences. The...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: That is fine.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: This is a simple drafting amendment that proposes to insert the word "of" in section 91(5)(a).

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: There is a distinction. The crucial difference is that the PSNI is not concerned with state security.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: I have been informed by my officials that what I have just said is true. The PSNI is not concerned with state security.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (14 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: The blocking procedure applies only to designated Garda stations — those stations which, in the opinion of the Commissioner, may contain sensitive security information. In such cases, the Minister has the power to allow the search to go ahead, while restricting it to certain areas of the Garda station.

Seanad: UN Reform. (8 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: I thank Senator Mooney for raising this matter on the Adjournment. The Senator's question relates to one of the criteria for reform of membership of the United Nations Security Council proposed in the recent report of the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's high level panel on threats, challenges and change. By way of background, I should mention that the high level panel was established in...

Seanad: Schools Refurbishment. (8 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: I thank Senator Ulick Burke for giving me the opportunity of outlining my Department's plans on the proposed extension project at Moyglass national school, Loughrea, County Galway. At present the school has a principal, one mainstream class teacher and one shared support teacher. The enrolment on 30 September 2004 was 37. The school authorities were authorised to proceed to tender for the...

Seanad: Hospital Accommodation. (8 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: I am pleased to take this opportunity to clarify the matter relating to the provision of beds at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, NRH, Dún Laoghaire. The provision of health-related services for people with disabilities, physical, sensory or intellectual, and for those with autism is a matter for the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards. The Sisters of Mercy founded...

Seanad: Hospital Accommodation. (8 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: I am not responsible for the impressions which Senator Browne gets from my reply. The services provided by the staff at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire have been acknowledged nationally and internationally. As I stated in my reply, the Government plans to provide a much bigger hospital at that location. There have been many advances in technology in terms of new...

Seanad: Hospital Accommodation. (8 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: Yes, they are.

Seanad: Hospital Accommodation. (8 Dec 2004)

Tim O'Malley: Yes.

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (25 Nov 2004)

Tim O'Malley: Owing to the potentially personal and sensitive issues that might arise in the course of conducting an investigation before a health committee, it is proposed in the Bill that its hearings be held in private, unless the registrant specifically requests otherwise regarding all or part of the hearing. It is accepted that, as is proposed in the case of an inquiry carried out before a...

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (25 Nov 2004)

Tim O'Malley: I take that point, which I will have to discuss with the Parliamentary Counsel.

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (25 Nov 2004)

Tim O'Malley: I understand that it is the person's constitutional right to go to the High Court if he or she wishes. That right must therefore be included in the Bill. If one omitted it or inserted something else, one could be deemed to be acting unconstitutionally.