Results 3,761-3,780 of 4,787 for speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Seanad: Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: This House has a proud record of pursuing issues that are of importance to it. We have engaged in an informative and robust debate on the Bill today. I would be both proud and honoured to return to the House at any time - at the invitation of Senators - to discuss any aspect of the legislation or the ex-gratia payments being made to the women. I am sure also the Minister, Deputy...

Seanad: Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: There are enough avenues within the Houses of the Oireachtas for Members to hold the Government to account and to find out facts and figures in terms of the payments and how the provisions of the Bill are being implemented. I refer, for example, to parliamentary questions, the Topical Issue debate, or in this House by means of a Private Members' motion, commencement debate or other means. I...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (3 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Táim an sásta a bheith anseo i dteannta an choiste chun labhairt faoi mo phost nua. Mar is eol don coiste, táim lonnaithe sa Roinn Dlí agus Cirt agus Comhionnanais chomh maith, ag plé le cúrsaí comhionnanais agus le comhphobail nua. Tá ráiteas agam anois gur mhaith liom a léamh amach don choiste. I appreciate the opportunity today to...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 33 - Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (3 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I wish to add to what the Minister said about local authorities. In Deputy McEntee's county of Meath, there was a major event during the 1916 Rising in Ashbourne. It is important that the commemorations are not seen to be Dublin focused and that every local authority is able to commemorate the activities that took place in Easter Week 1916. There were quite a number of insurrections, small...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: UN Conventions Ratification (3 Mar 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Government has given a firm commitment to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and intends to proceed to ratification as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to ensure all necessary legislative and administrative requirements under the Convention are met. As the Deputy is aware, Ireland has a dualist legal system and therefore does not become party...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank Senator Cullinane for tabling the amendment which engages the House in a discussion of the matter. The Minister appreciates that this is one of a set of changes to the 2005 Garda Act that has been recommended by the Oireachtas joint committee. It was the view of the joint committee that having a single person commission could provide for greater accountability and strengthen its...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank the Senator for his contribution. The effect of the Senators' proposed amendments would be, in particular, to remove from the Minister for Justice and Equality the function, under section 96 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, of determining whether certain information or material could be made available to GSOC where matters of national security are involved. The Minister has...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Section 7 inserts a new section 102B into the 2005 Act, which brings the Garda Commissioner within the scope of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, investigations for the first time. This is a significant development and one to which the Government attaches a high degree of importance. That being said, it also must be borne in mind fully that in addition to carrying out her...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: On amendment No. 8, the Minister agrees fully that GSOC should have access to PULSE for the purposes of its investigations. However, I can assure Senators that at this stage, it is an aspect of co-operation that is being fully catered for operationally. While the Minister is aware that this is an area that has given rise to difficulties for GSOC in the past, the commission has confirmed to...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The new section 103A being inserted into the 2005 Act by section 9 of the Bill places a statutory obligation on the Garda Commissioner to provide to GSOC any information that the commission needs for the purposes of the investigation of a complaint or any matters comprehended by sections 102 and 102B.The requirement is that the information will be provided to GSOC as soon as is practicable,...

Seanad: Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Second Stage (24 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I am pleased to come before the House today to represent the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, and present the Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014. The purpose of the Bill is to provide for health services to be made available without charge to women who were resident in Magdalen laundries and similar institutions. The Bill also provides...

Seanad: Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Second Stage (24 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: On behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, I thank Senators for their comments on the Bill, the purpose of which is to implement the recommendations made in the report of the Magdalen Commission which was chaired by Mr. Justice Quirke. The Bill relates to medical card and health service provision for the women concerned. The recommendations in this regard are contained on page 35...

Topical Issue Debate: Domestic Violence (19 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank Deputy Stanley for raising this issue and I welcome the opportunity to clarify the Government's approach to the funding of domestic violence services around the country and in the Deputy's constituency of County Laois. For the first time, with the establishment of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, domestic, sexual and gender-based violence service provision is under one body...

Topical Issue Debate: Domestic Violence (19 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Deputy made some very constructive comments and I appreciate his positivity towards what we are trying to do. His comments on the population question are appreciated. I take on board the Deputy's comments on the individual service and the need for clarity, certainty and to plan for the future. I do not think any service, in particular one that deals with such a sensitive issue as...

Topical Issue Debate: Single Payment Scheme Administration (19 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank Deputy Connaughton for raising this very important issue. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is unfortunately not available to take the Topical Issue but I am responding in his place. Prior to November 2010 member states were obliged under EU legislation to publish information - names, addresses and amounts received - on recipients of amounts paid out of the...

Topical Issue Debate: Single Payment Scheme Administration (19 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Deputy raises a fair comment about what are effectively security concerns. It is reasonable that he would make his concerns known in the House. I will convey them to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and we will see if we can make some progress.

Leaders' Questions (19 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Loads.

Leaders' Questions (19 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Fianna Fáil cut their pay by 15%.

Leaders' Questions (19 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: No it is not-----

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Equality Issues (19 Feb 2015)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Equal Status Acts 2000-2012 outlaws discrimination in the provision of goods and services on nine specified grounds. These grounds do not include income source. While I do from time to time receive correspondence relating to this matter and while the general issues so raised may come to inform policy and legislative change, I am sure the Deputy will appreciate it would not appropriate...