Results 3,701-3,720 of 6,944 for speaker:Michael McNamara

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I apologise for not bringing the Deputy in earlier. I should have done so and it was an oversight.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: Yes, please do.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: In Ireland there has been a phenomenon where the Minister has made regulations, announced them typically on a Friday evening, saying they will take effect from Monday morning, but the regulations were not published anywhere until Wednesday. I have a private view on their status and whether they are legally binding in the interim between when the Minister announces the regulations and when...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I thank both the witnesses for that clarification.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: Dr. Buquicchio spoke first so perhaps he might respond first.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: It is important to clarify that the clerk to this committee wrote to the Secretary General of the Department of Health at the outset, in accordance with our terms of reference, offering the services of the committee to scrutinise draft regulations before they are signed by the Minister. I wrote to the previous Minister for Health in a similar way offering the services of the committee, which...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: Perhaps it is something for future legislation.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I appreciate your time, Dr. Buquicchio. Does Deputy Devlin have another question? If Dr. Buquicchio needs to leave us, please do. I realise we are over time. It is likewise if Lord Sumption needs to leave us. Otherwise I and Deputy Devlin have one question each. We have already taken a great deal of your time.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: We will be well finished by then.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I have one question. Obviously there was an increased police presence on the streets of the United Kingdom. I am directing this question at Lord Sumption because Dr. Buquicchio had to leave. Inevitably there was an increased police presence on the streets in the UK, as there was in Ireland. We have a very unusual feature in our law which enables the Garda Commissioner to bring matters of...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I am not much of an expert on Irish law and I am certainly not an expert on UK law or its policing and security apparatuses but I know that the UK has MI5, which operates throughout the UK, including Northern Ireland. Would it not report to the Government on all sorts of things that could be beneficial to that Government, even something as minor as a road traffic violation?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I thank the witnesses. I greatly appreciate that they stayed with us even though we went considerably over time. I thank them for answering all of our questions and wish them a pleasant afternoon. I will now suspend the session until 12.45 p.m., when we will hear from the Bar of Ireland, the Law Society and the Covid-19 law and human rights observatory of Trinity College, Dublin.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: We are now back in public session. I would like to apologise for the fact that we overran slightly with Lord Sumption and Dr. Buquicchio of the Venice commission. I thank the witnesses very much for joining us. From the Bar of Ireland, I would like to welcome Ms Maura McNally SC, and chair of the council. On a personal basis I would like to congratulate you on your election as chair. I...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I thank Ms McNally and ask her to conclude if possible.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I thank Ms McNally. I now ask Ms O'Boyle for her opening statement. We would appreciate if she could limit it to five minutes.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I thank Ms O'Boyle and ask her to conclude. Her opening remarks have been circulated to members in advance. If there are any concluding remarks she would like to make, I ask her to make them now.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I now invite Dr. Kenny to make his opening statement. I ask the witness to limit his statement to five minutes, bearing in mind that the paper he submitted has been circulated.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: The first member to speak in this session is Deputy Devlin of Fianna Fáil, who has six and a half minutes.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: The next speaker is Deputy Martin Kenny from Sinn Féin. Deputy Pa Daly will come in on the second round.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Legislative Framework Underpinning the State's Response (9 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: Thank you, Mr. Murphy. Does anybody else wish to contribute on Deputy Martin Kenny's contribution?