Results 441-460 of 20,012 for speaker:Brian Stanley

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Oct 2024)

Brian Stanley: I propose that we proceed with the meeting with the OPW on 22 October. Is that agreed?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Oct 2024)

Brian Stanley: It is.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Oct 2024)

Brian Stanley: The Deputy might recall the previous correspondence where the OPW said it had engagements and multi-stakeholder meetings and could not extrapolate itself from these too easily. Hopefully, we will still be here. It is on 22 October and it is agreed. That concludes consideration of correspondence for today. We will move on to the work programme. A draft work programme discussion document...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Oct 2024)

Brian Stanley: We will endeavour to do that. Bear in mind that on Tuesday, 22 October, it looks like we will have that meeting with the OPW. On Thursday, 24 October, the same week, we will engage with the Health Service Executive regarding the 2023 financial statements. Specific areas of interest flagged for this meeting will include the roll-out of integrated financial management system, IFMS,...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Oct 2024)

Brian Stanley: The report looks very comprehensive and useful. It is also proposed to add chapter 17 on the HSE’s integrated financial management system to the agenda for our meeting with the HSE on 24 October. Is that agreed?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Oct 2024)

Brian Stanley: We have five free meeting slots in November and December and, taking into account the C and AG’s annual report and areas of interest to members, I ask them to consider which bodies to prioritise for these slots, for example, the Department of Finance, the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, the Department of Social Protection or the Office...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Oct 2024)

Brian Stanley: I will make two suggestions on that. There are five free meeting slots available in November and December. I am taking the Taoiseach at his word. He says there will be no election until after St. Patrick's Day. We have to make provision for November and December. I suggest that if members are agreeable, we include the Department of Education. Issues have arisen, particularly in the C...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Oct 2024)

Brian Stanley: With the prefab accommodation, the modular developments need to be included in that. The modular units being used sound like a good idea but if I am correct, I recently saw the cost of one escalating by approximately 300%. I am not sure of the detail. I will bring in Deputy Verona Murphy in one minute. She is online. I wish to include education and deal with the issue of the State's...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Oct 2024)

Brian Stanley: I know.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Oct 2024)

Brian Stanley: I agree with Deputy Murphy. The only point is that €185 million has been put into the MetroLink to get it to this point. I understand there is a lot of work to be done, including a lot of studies, examinations, planning and design but €185 million seems incredible.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Oct 2024)

Brian Stanley: We will add that matter. As I said, we have five free slots and these are some of the issues or bodies that we want brought before us. Members can reflect on whether there is anything else and we can prioritise. The secretariat will endeavour to see if we can fill those slots for November and December. That concludes our consideration of the work programme for today. The last item of...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (3 Oct 2024)

Brian Stanley: The committee will now go into private session as we have some work to do on a report.

Financial Resolutions 2024 - Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (2 Oct 2024)

Brian Stanley: Social housing. What about that, Micheál?

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community:

I welcome our guests. I remind people of their privileges and that they cannot participate if they are outside of Leinster House, etc. Those giving evidence have to be physically present within the grounds of Leinster House and should not criticise or make charges against any person, or identify him or her by name or in such a way that makes him or her identifiable. I think we all understand that.

I propose that we publish the opening statements from our witnesses. Is that agreed? Agreed. I suggest that we invite our witnesses to speak for five or ten minutes and that we allow members to ask questions and make comments for approximately five minutes. Members may ask more questions after everybody gets an opportunity to speak.

The committee is looking at Travellers' experience of the justice system. Today we will focus on Travellers in prison. The committee has already visited Castlerea Prison, Mountjoy Female Prison - the Dóchas Centre - and Oberstown Children Detention Campus. Travellers represent less than 1% of the population yet we make up 8% of male prisoners, 16% of female prisoners and 21% of children detained. The committee looks forward to hearing from our witnesses about this very important subject. We would like to hear about the experience of Travellers dealing with the justice system, including prison, and how we can make things better.

We are grateful to our witnesses for coming here today. They include representatives of the Irish Penal Reform Trust, the Traveller Justice Initiative, the Traveller Mediation Service and Barnardos.

Our witnesses are all very welcome here today.

It is very important for us as a committee to examine the justice system and, most importantly, why there are so many Travellers in prison in this country and what supports we need for Travellers. I am sure we all know the answers but it is important we document those answers and that this committee has a responsibility to work with the Traveller community.

We will begin with one quote a young man said to me in 2020. It was his first time to be in court and he was very nervous. I said to him he will be okay and that everything will be fine. He said, "No Eileen, I am already guilty." I said no, he would not be and that was up to the judge. He said, "I am guilty on the basis of being a member of the Traveller community." I want us all to be mindful of that before we start.

I will open it up to our witnesses. I ask Ms Saoirse Brady to begin.

(26 Sep 2024)

Brian Stanley: It has one call centre.