Results 221-240 of 393 for garda speaker:Ivana Bacik

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Domestic and Sexual Violence: Discussion (26 Feb 2014)

Ivana Bacik: .... In other words, I am referring to violence beyond the act of prostitution or the sale of sex itself. How can that issue be best approached? Is it by working alongside and co-operating with the Garda? I know, for instance, that Ruhama has a sensitive way of ensuring that incidents are reported to gardaí without necessarily disclosing details about clients. Ms Smith of Ugly Mugs...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Feb 2014)

Ivana Bacik: ...Seanad's strength that it was here that the motion was tabled and agreed to by Government. I wish to return to the topic that I raised yesterday, namely, the inquiry into the allegations of the Garda whistleblower. It has been confirmed that Mr. Seán Guerin, senior counsel, shall conduct a scoping into the dossier or files provided to the Minister. I welcome the move and wish to...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Feb 2014)

Ivana Bacik: Last week, as Deputy Leader, I dealt with a number of issues around the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, the response of the Government to the GSOC controversy and, on Thursday, the dossier that was provided by Sergeant Maurice McCabe. I said at that point that we should have a debate on policing generally and I would like to renew the call for such a debate. I know they have...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2014)

Ivana Bacik: ...will certainly ask her to do so. She has been here on many occasions to debate these and other issues. Senator Ó Clochartaigh spoke on the issue of domestic violence and raised the issue of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, which I think I have dealt with. There are very worrying new allegations about failures in policing, such as the Sylvia Roche Kelly case. The...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2014)

Ivana Bacik: The buck does stop. As I said, I do not believe the Garda Síochána should be accountable so directly to the Minister.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2014)

Ivana Bacik: ...is a very serious crisis and I am sure he will be happy to update us on it in future. Senator Crown spoke about the 2005 Act, and again I would like to stress that it is not the Legislature which oversees the Garda Síochána under that Act. Senator Crown is quite right on the culture of a lack of protection and support for whistleblowers. The Government is bringing forward the...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2014)

Ivana Bacik: ...we have seen the independent review report or now. That is a matter I will take up with the Leader's office. I wish to correct the record because some colleagues are a little unclear about the Garda Síochána Act 2005. This Minister inherited a rather flawed structure for accountability of An Garda Síochána under the 2005 Act. Many of us were highly critical of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2014)

Ivana Bacik: That is the type of reform we need to consider. I am pleased the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality has been asked to advise on changes to the Garda Síochána Act. We discussed the matter yesterday afternoon at our meeting. We will be looking with urgency at necessary reforms to the provisions relating to the GSOC. There was cross-party agreement on the need to...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2014)

Ivana Bacik: I congratulate the team. Some of the puns used by the Leas-Chathaoirelach and others put us on a sticky wicket but we will pass on from that. Senator Coghlan raised the Garda Síochána issue, which I have dealt with. My thanks to Senator Barrett for supplying me with some of the material he was speaking about concerning the revelations on Newstalk this morning relating to the...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Feb 2014)

Ivana Bacik: Senator Mooney welcomed the decision to establish the independent review into the matters arising from the alleged bugging of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC. Most people - not everyone - broadly welcomed the fact that an independent review is being established. Many individuals sought such a review. I recently criticised the Government's handling of this matter on...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2014)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Leader for responding yesterday to my call and that of many colleagues for a debate on the bugging allegations in the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC. A little more information has been forthcoming since we spoke yesterday on the Order of Business, but it is important that we wait to see what is stated today before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Feb 2014)

Ivana Bacik: ..., Transparency International and other groups have expressed grave concern about the reports. We only have reports at this stage; there is very little clarity as to what exactly went on. The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission's own statement is not clear on what exactly went on and suggests this was not the first occasion on which it believed it might have been subject to...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Feb 2014)

Ivana Bacik: I ask the Leader for a debate on the revelations that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, has been the victim of apparent surveillance. In the context of the story that first was broken in The Sunday Times last Sunday, it would be a good idea for Members to have a debate once they have a little more clarity as to what exactly has occurred. Certainly, it is a matter of...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2014)

Ivana Bacik: ...also like a follow-up debate at the conclusion of the convention’s business. I welcome the Minister for Justice and Equality’s referral of the issue of the nullification of penalty points to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, which is the appropriate forum to deal with the issue. It was always the place for the investigation that needs to be carried out into...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2013)

Ivana Bacik: Dealing specifically with the state of the investigations, I understand an investigation by An Garda Síochána into a complaint made by NAMA against a former employee some time ago is at an advanced stage. I know colleagues will be relieved and glad to hear the investigation by An Garda Síochána into that former employee is at an advanced stage so it would be inappropriate...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2013)

Ivana Bacik: As I said, I appreciate that and have acknowledged the role played by the Senator and the Seanad, but the Garda will investigate fully any allegations of criminal activity. I am sure we will be glad to receive any further documentation the Senator may have. Senator Clune raised the issue of the mid-term economic review and called for a debate on that in the new year. I would agree with...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2013)

Ivana Bacik: ...interested to know we had a meeting on Seanad reform with the Taoiseach. These are very useful and positive developments. Senator D'Arcy spoke about NAMA legislation. He made the point that the Garda Síochána investigates allegations rather than the Minister for Finance. Senator D'Arcy very helpfully suggested that John Major would be a very appropriate person to invite to...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2013)

Ivana Bacik: ...raising this issue. This is an illustration of the importance of the Seanad as an appropriate forum for highlighting issues. Clearly, these are serious matters that fall within the remit of the Garda. Like others, I am glad to hear that Senator O'Brien will be lodging the documents he spoke about with the Garda this afternoon. That is indeed the appropriate course. The Senator also...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2013)

Ivana Bacik: ...very seriously. As others have said, anyone who has evidence of impropriety is legally obliged under section 19 of the Criminal Justice Act 2011 to bring that to the immediate attention of the Garda Síochána. I was glad to hear Senator Darragh O'Brien saying that the Garda Commissioner has had the information in question since early December and that he will be supplying the...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2013)

Ivana Bacik: Such investigations are solely matters for the Garda Síochána. Any person who has information that might be useful should make it available to the Garda. People have been critical of the NAMA legislation. I think that is fair. There are specific offences under the NAMA Act in relation to the inappropriate disclosure of confidential information.