Results 341-360 of 578 for garda speaker:Jerry Buttimer

Seanad: Health Services (14 Jul 2009)

Jerry Buttimer: ...suffered a considerable lack of funding. Drug prevention and rehabilitation projects must comprise the cornerstone of any strategy. The Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill placed the role of the Garda as a cornerstone. I am confident that gardaí in Cork have a plan, but do the Government and the HSE have one? Under articles 48 and 72 of the national drugs strategy, treatment and...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Jerry Buttimer: ...who watched Miriam O'Callaghan's programme on Saturday night would have been struck by Mr. Collins and the issue of gangland crime. I am concerned that the Minister is pinning down rank and file gardaí and that he will not allow the ranking of gardaí to be denoted in the Bill. The rank of chief superintendent has status as a commanding officer and stating this rank in the Bill would...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Jerry Buttimer: I am concerned that the Minister is putting too much emphasis on the local garda who is at the front line of fighting crime and who is very good at gathering intelligence. These gardaí are a bit like local councillors; they have all the information. The supply of information would dry up if this amendment was not included in the Bill. Why did the Minister not accept Senator Regan's amendment?

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Bill 2009: Second Stage (30 Jun 2009)

Jerry Buttimer: ...for one in five cigarettes consumed. This comes from illegal activity and represents €387 million of revenue lost to gangland and criminal activity. Any effort that can be made to allow the Garda, or whatever organ of security or defence we want to use, to prevent drug use and sale, gangland crime and illegal activities must be supported. It comes down to addressing resources and...

Seanad: National Drugs Strategy (23 Jun 2009)

Jerry Buttimer: ...Are the people who deal in drugs common criminals or do they have links with paramilitaries? We need to ask through what means drugs enter our country and what are the powers of the State — the Garda and Customs and Excise — to prevent the importation and distribution of drugs. What role does society play in the development of a culture and an environment that is tolerant of a...

Seanad: National Drugs Strategy (23 Jun 2009)

Jerry Buttimer: ...been approved by the Government, but when will it be published? When will we see the action points being delivered upon? A crisis is beginning to brew in Cork again; therefore, the work of the Garda Síochána and the relevant agencies needs to be augmented by the Government. However, that is not being done. I am concerned that if we procrastinate on taking action, the problem will...

Seanad: Monageer Report: Motion (27 May 2009)

Jerry Buttimer: ...growing view that mandatory reporting should be introduced, an issue also requiring debate. When speaking of stakeholders and the realm of people involved, including juvenile liaison officers, the Garda, psychologists, social workers, educationalists, HSE case workers and families, we must remind ourselves that it is people we are talking about. The Monageer report leaves out much more...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Jerry Buttimer: ...by dissidents who do no service to all of us who are constitutional republicans and want to see peace and harmony in our country. We are losing the mindset where we must reinforce and support the Garda. Second, we can never condone or allow people to have bomb-making facilities in any city or part of the country. It is wrong and we must send these people a strong message that they are...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2009)

Jerry Buttimer: Any signal from the House to the effect that we condone assaults on gardaí should stop. We should protect gardaí and the full rigour of the law should be applied to anyone who intimidates or assaults them. In the context of Senator John Paul Phelan's remarks on Oireachtas reform and in light of the forthcoming budget on 7 April, I ask the Leader to arrange for the House to sit on Wednesday...

Seanad: Economic Situation: Statements (27 Jan 2009)

Jerry Buttimer: .... The majority of public servants do an extraordinarily good job and are committed to the delivery of service. I praise our education establishments and pay tribute to our teachers, nurses and gardaí. They do a job and are entitled to be treated with respect. Mr. Turlough O'Sullivan and some other commentators should get off their backs. There is a political malaise where we blame...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) (No. 2) Bill 2008: Second Stage (17 Dec 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: ...door at 8 o'clock, get ahead of the traffic and go one mile to reach school for 9 o'clock. We have invested millions in bus lanes which are going nowhere in Cork city. They are white elephants. Gardaí patrol them at 9 o'clock in the morning, pulling people in, and awarding penalty points, and yet there is more congestion. Despite this, the Government increased the fee for public...

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Dec 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: ...private partnership in health. We should have universality and equal access for all our citizens. We have heard a great mantra from Government about millionaires, but public servants such as gardaí and teachers are not millionaires and we should not penalise them. Some people are fearful of making decisions on their health as a consequences of the budget. Senator Frances Fitzgerald was...

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (5 Dec 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: ...anti-public service. We support the public service workers because they do an excellent job. They defend this Government and protect and shield the Irish people from worse. I thank the teachers, gardaí, nurses and all who work in the public service, including those in the HSE who are being maligned. They are not the reason we are in this trouble. They do an excellent job but lack...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: ...traffic lights in parts of Dublin and Cork with Squeegee mops and buckets to wash windscreens or selling The Big Issues. I hope, as a consequence of the legislation and greater liaison between the Garda and the new regulatory authority, certain on-street practices, which are detrimental to genuine charities, will be eliminated. As Senator Norris said, they are losing out.

Seanad: FÁS: Statements (2 Dec 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: ...better public services for our citizens. We need a smaller Government which takes on board the new Ireland of this economic downturn. Our public servants do a good job, be they teachers, nurses, gardaí, firemen or people working in the Oireachtas, county councils or the health services. However, they need leadership and they are not getting it. Similarly with FÁS, we do not have it....

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (9 Jul 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: ..., and it is much more available than it was before. We should not confuse nightclubs and pubs with the corner shop, bars in clubhouses or sporting facilities or the local bar. I welcome the fact gardaí can seize alcohol. We have by-laws in my city of Cork preventing people from drinking in public places. I wonder about the success of such a by-law as I am unsure we have the necessary...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: ...Deputy Leader to facilitate a debate on social work cover in Cork city and generally, in light of the report in today's edition of the Irish Examiner that a 15 year old boy spent two nights in a Garda cell in Mallow and has been waiting for five days for social workers to visit him and his family. While that may be good enough for the Green Party's Ireland, it is not good enough for the...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: ...on the role of social workers and the provision of out-of-hours coverage at weekends. Life does not end at 4 p.m. on Friday only to restart at 9 a.m. on Monday. I commend the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors on raising the issue today. Answers are required from the Deputy Leader and the Government on the reason no out-of-hours coverage is available at weekends. This is...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: It is appalling that a young boy was obliged to spend two nights in a Garda cell. Shame on the Government.

Seanad: National Drugs Strategy: Motion (18 Jun 2008)

Jerry Buttimer: I am quite simple in my approach and we must eradicate drugs from our society. To do this requires political leadership, more resources for the Garda for enforcement, better use of the courts and help for young people through education. The advertising campaign on the issue this spring was ineffective. We must learn from the mistakes that have been made and go forward. I hope the Minister...