Results 4,301-4,320 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (19 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for carrying on and managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána including personnel matters. I am informed by the Commissioner that the number of members of An Garda Síochána who were absent from duty due to illness for a period greater than six...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (19 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution under review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities to ensure optimum use is made of the resources. I am advised by the Commissioner that Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLOs) are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Reviews (19 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As outlined in my responses to Parliamentary Questions number 234 of the 24th May and number 167 of the 29th of May, my Department is currently finalising the statutory review of the Defamation Act 2009. I expect a draft report with options for reform to be submitted to me in the coming weeks, with a view to my bringing proposals for legislative change to Government in the autumn. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Process (19 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy is aware, the Government agreed in April 2017 to progress the objective of establishing an independent Parole Board on a statutory footing by focusing on the Deputy's Private Member's Bill, and to bring forward appropriate amendments to the Bill at Report Stage. As well as providing for the establishment of the new Parole Board, the Bill sets out the criteria to be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Inspector of Prisons Reports (19 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy is aware, the Inspector of Prisons has furnished me with a copy of the report of her investigation, carried out under section 31 of the Prisons Act 2007, into allegations of improper surveillance and other wrongdoing in prisons. I am considering the report in the light of advice from the Attorney General with a view to publishing it in accordance with section 31 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (19 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As previously outlined to the Deputy, the CSO's official crime figures remain “Under Reservation”, however, it is clear that progress is being made by An Garda Síochána and the CSO in improving the quality of the crime statistics. In December 2018, the CSO published a third review of the quality of recorded crime statistics, based on data recorded on the PULSE...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal Applications (19 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am informed that the assessment of the caseload of the Tribunal will be submitted to me shortly and I will provide the Deputy with a further update at that point. I can further inform the Deputy that the Law Reform Commission published its fifth Programme of Law Reform on 5 June 2019. A review of the Scheme of Compensation for Injuries Criminally Inflicted is one of the fifteen...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Offices (19 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The majority of properties occupied by my Department are owned or leased on its behalf by the Office of Public Works (OPW). I can confirm that the Department has not purchased or leased land during this period. Information in respect of buildings leased by my department is contained in the attached document. I have requested that all agencies under the aegis of my Department respond...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Courts (Establishment and Constitution) (Amendment) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: Thank you, a Chathaoirligh, and I thank committee members for scheduling this short but nevertheless important legislation for this afternoon. I am joined by my officials, Mr. Richard Fallon and Mr. Patrick McHale. The Bill, as committee members will be aware from Second Stage, deals with the amendment of section 1A of the Courts (Establishment and Constitution) Act 1961. The provisions...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Courts (Establishment and Constitution) (Amendment) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: Yes, it is my intention to commence Report Stage of the Judicial Council Bill tomorrow afternoon in the Seanad. With co-operation it may well be possible to complete Report Stage tomorrow, whereupon I will be keen to contact the Business Committee with a view to commencing Second Stage in the Dáil. I do not have proposed dates with me but I would be happy to have the Opposition...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Treatment of Former Garda (18 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: You are in this House a long time, Acting Chairman, and in this House over the years we have dealt with many sensitive and tragic personal cases. Deputies will appreciate that as Minister I have an obligation to respect the privacy of individuals as much as possible. As I outlined, I hope to meet with Ms Moynihan, along with the Garda Commissioner in the coming days. A number of important...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Treatment of Former Garda (18 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the Deputies for raising this important matter in the House. I very much welcome the swift action taken by the Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, to apologise for the treatment of Ms Majella Moynihan and the impact it has had on her life since when he became aware of her case on Saturday. I have echoed this apology in a brief statement which I released over the weekend and I intend to...

EU Regulation: Motion (18 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I move:That Dáil Éireann approve Regulation (EU) 2018/1727 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 November 2018 on the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust), and replacing and repealing Council Decision 2002/187/JHA [Considered by the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on 12th June, 2019].

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am pleased that Deputy Howlin indicated that contact is ongoing. Work is proceeding apace. I am sure the Deputy will acknowledge that there are certain complexities and it is important that we get matters right. There are approximately four weeks left of the session. It is unlikely that the Bill will be enacted by the summer recess but I will work with Deputy Howlin towards ensuring we...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Probation Judgments and Decisions) Bill 2018: Second Stage (18 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am very pleased to present this Bill to the Seanad. I am also pleased to report that it received general support on its recent passage through the Lower House. I do not wish to tempt fate or indeed the dispositions of Senators but I hope it might receive similar general support here. The Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Probation Judgments and Decisions) Bill will give effect to...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Probation Judgments and Decisions) Bill 2018: Second Stage (18 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: Is the Senator talking about the Roscommon football team?

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Probation Judgments and Decisions) Bill 2018: Second Stage (18 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: It is fair to say that the current Bill does not cover the point raised by Senator McDowell, but it is an important point on the basis that the individual in question in the case cited has not been convicted of a criminal offence. I cannot see how there can be a reciprocal arrangement under current Irish law. For example, I do not believe the transfer of sentenced persons legislation...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Probation Judgments and Decisions) Bill 2018: Second Stage (18 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I acknowledge the support of the Senators. In answer to Senator Ruane, we are dealing with the recognition of probation judgments and decisions, as distinct from persons who would be serving prison sentences for serious crimes and misdemeanours. However, the point the Senator makes would have application in the event of post-release supervision in a signature country. There would be mutual...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Probation Judgments and Decisions) Bill 2018: Second Stage (18 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I plead for co-operation on Thursday, when we come to the important Judicial Council Bill. A limited number of amendments have been proposed to a Bill with a pretty wide, reforming application. We will come back to that on Thursday afternoon. The Bill before us will increase the chances of social reintegration of offenders by ensuring that the probation measures imposed on a person can be...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad (18 Jun 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I do not wish any disrespect to the House, but I have been given notice that a Topical Issue matter has been raised in the Lower House on the Majella Moynihan case. It may well be misinterpreted were I not in a position to attend.