Results 3,701-3,720 of 4,787 for speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality (1 Apr 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: There are no limits to anything anybody wants to discuss. The Deputy can list 47 different things he wants to know are being discussed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality (1 Apr 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: To my knowledge, all issues are being discussed. Nothing is off limits, but I have not been at a working group meeting. I am allowing the group to have the independence it sought. The group is an independent working group outside of political interference. I know the members are discussing all the issues the people in this room, those outside it and those who are in direct provision...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality (1 Apr 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The overarching question is that of "when" with respect to people in the system. As the Deputy has quite rightly said, we do not want a report, with recommended actions and Government support, but no timeline for those actions to be taken. It is not my decision as to whether the report will be published but I assume it will. On receipt of the report we can collectively ensure that whatever...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality (1 Apr 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The issues raised are at the forefront of the matters engaged by the working group. I may be giving a similar answer about not impeding the work or being seen to interfere too much. The Chairman mentioned parenting and modelling food preparation. That can sometimes be overlooked as a minor issue but it is not as we are talking about people's childhood. Some people in 50 or 60 years will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality (1 Apr 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: As the working group is so close to its final determination, it is realistic to wait until it has concluded. Both the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman for Children have been in touch with the Chairman and had robust discussions. The Chairman is clear about their opinions on the matters, as I am. We will await the report.

Topical Issue Debate: Domestic Violence (1 Apr 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I again thank the Deputy for raising this incredibly important matter. I assure her that domestic abuse and the plight of victims of crime are matters of great importance to the Minister. As the Minister said in her opening remarks in Seanad Éireann on 3 March 2015, the Government is committed to introducing consolidated and reformed domestic violence legislation to address all aspects...

Topical Issue Debate: Domestic Violence (1 Apr 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: On behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, I thank Deputy Mitchell O’Connor for raising this important matter, a subject which is a priority for the Minister. The Legal Aid Board provides legal services for persons of limited means in certain civil matters subject to a financial eligibility and a merits test. I am informed by the board that domestic violence cases are...

Seanad: National Integration Strategy: Motion (1 Apr 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I have a formal statement on the implementation of the national integration strategy which I propose to read before commenting on the PolskaÉire 2015 festival. Before I begin, I take the opportunity to thank Shane Long for scoring the equaliser in the last minute of Sunday evening's game. The Government parties are criticised for many things and I suppose the Labour Party could have...

Seanad: National Integration Strategy: Motion (1 Apr 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I arranged for funding for elements of the festival from the two Departments in which I am Minister of State. However, I thank the Polish Embassy, the FAI, Dublin City Council and other local authorities, the Irish-Polish Society, Polish associations such as Forum Polonia, sports clubs, SIPTU and cultural groups across the country - in short, anyone and everyone who organised events or...

Seanad: National Integration Strategy: Motion (1 Apr 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: With regard to the amendment tabled by Senators Cullinane, Ó Clochartaigh and Reilly, as Senators will be aware, I have a personal commitment to reforming the direct provision system. Alongside my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Fitzgerald, I established a working group on the protection process. The work of this group is ongoing and it will report back in the...

Seanad: National Integration Strategy: Motion (1 Apr 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Maybe sausages.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Parental Leave (31 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The current statutory provision with regard to parental leave provides for a parent to take such leave in respect to a child up to the age of 8 years old. If the child was adopted between the age of 6 and 8, leave in respect to that child may be taken up to 2 years after the adoption order. In the case of a child with a disability or a long term illness, leave may be taken up to 16 years of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (31 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Family Leave Bill will be published in 2015 and as previously announced, this Bill will provide for the consolidation into one piece of legislation of the current provisions regarding maternity, adoptive, parental and carer's leave. This will also provide an opportunity to consider other issues with regard to the operation of such leaves, including the question raised by the Deputy. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Paternal Leave Costs (25 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Paternity leave is generally a short period of leave specifically for the father taken around the time of the birth of the child. Currently there is no statutory provision for paternity leave however a number of employers, including the public service, provide a small numbers of days leave usually 3/5 days. There are two aspects to the question of costing paternity leave. The first is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (25 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: As part of the PolskaÉire Festival, a grant of up to €20,000 has been approved for the FAI for a project on integration through football and a grant of €2,350 has been awarded to Enigma Theatre for an intercultural theatre project.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Services for People with Disabilities (24 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to "examine different mechanisms to promote the recognition of Irish sign language" and this process is ongoing. It is not the case that there has been no follow up and in fact the National Disability Authority (NDA) facilitated consultations with the Deaf Community in Ireland at my Department's request in relation to actions that could make...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Bodies Establishment (11 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Culture Ireland Division of my Department promotes Irish arts worldwide, creating and supporting opportunities for Irish artists and companies to present and promote their work at strategic international festivals and venues. In line with the Critical Review of Culture Ireland undertaken as part of the Public Service Reform Plan in 2012, the functions of Culture Ireland were fully merged...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Equality Issues (10 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 300 and 302 together. Equality legislation prohibits discrimination in the provision of goods and services on nine grounds, including race. Persons who consider they have been discriminated against can bring a complaint to the Equality Tribunal for adjudication and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission can provide advice and assistance to persons...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Migrant Integration (10 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to promote policies which integrate minority ethnic groups in Ireland, and which promote social inclusion, equality, diversity and the participation of immigrants in the economic, social, political and cultural life of their communities. A significant level of activity is taking place in pursuit of this commitment. The Office for the...

Report on Penal Reform: Motion (6 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank everyone who contributed to the debate. I have listened carefully to the range of views expressed on this important subject. I am grateful for the constructive suggestions on what we could do to progress real and meaningful penal reform. The first concern of the Minister for Justice and Equality is public protection and safety, reducing reoffending and helping to make communities...