Results 4,781-4,800 of 8,978 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 Mar 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Our secretariats will undertake some desktop research on what the situation is in other European countries. The second petition before us today is P00029/14, a child care tax credit, submitted by Mrs. Sonya Boyd. The petitioner requests that the joint committee call on the Government to introduce a child care tax credit in the 2015 budget. The proposal was submitted in September 2014,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 Mar 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Is that agreed? Agreed. The next petition is P00030/14. The non-principal private residence tax, NPPR, process is flawed, according to Mrs. Brigid Timmons, the petitioner. She is seeking to have the committee change or modify the Act relating to the payment of NPPR, dismantle the fines and refund and compensate those who have paid or entered into a so-called agreement to pay by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 Mar 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 Mar 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: P0003/15 is a call for the legalisation and decriminalisation of marijuana. There have been a number of these petitions. This is the fourth received on this topic. What is being said here is that the petitioner did not exhaust all avenues for having his suggestion implemented prior to submitting his petition and, therefore, this should automatically deem the petition inadmissible....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 Mar 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is a very important point. We have received four quite similar petitions and we have dealt with them all individually, so it is an important point that no petitioner should be deterred because a similar petition has failed a period of time ago.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Remit (3 Mar 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 578. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will clarify where the Water Services Act 2013 states that Irish Water is legally permitted to install meters in estates not taken over by a local authority. [9324/15]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Fines Data (26 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 104. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality since the enactment of the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014, if she will provide, in tabular form and by county or on a district basis, the number of persons sentenced to pay a fine prior to that enactment who have been imprisoned. [8525/15]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Wild Atlantic Way Project (26 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 248. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the investment, State agencies are making, or are planning to make, in developing the Fanad lighthouse in County Donegal as a key tourism amenity for the Wild Atlantic Way. [8482/15]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects Expenditure (26 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 249. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has received a resubmitted funding application for a new bridge at Cockhill, Buncrana, County Donegal, to take road traffic, and pedestrians, away from the existing unsafe bridge on this busy route through the heart of the Inishowen peninsula; and if he will provide funding for this vital project. [8483/15]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Person or Number?2: Crosscare (25 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We are here to deal with the Crosscare report, Person or Number?2, a second examination of issues faced by immigrants in accessing social protection. I remind all of those present, including committee members, that mobile telephones and other devices should be turned off completely or switched to flight or safe mode, because they interfere with the sound system and the meeting is being...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Person or Number?2: Crosscare (25 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I suggest we take one question at a time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Person or Number?2: Crosscare (25 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I cannot imagine an issue with a name badge. However, if there were to be a security issue, would the witness be agreeable to the use of an identifying number so that the person is identifiable in a case where he or she cannot use their name but a unique number would be a means of clear identification?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Person or Number?2: Crosscare (25 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am trying to anticipate any objection. Is there any objection to that proposal on security grounds? If so, one could put in place an alternative plan which is an identifying number, such as the numbers assigned to members of An Garda Síochána, for example.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Person or Number?2: Crosscare (25 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Is it fair to say the committee agrees with the principle of an identification badge but that its implementation should allow for flexibility to reflect the concerns we have heard expressed today?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Person or Number?2: Crosscare (25 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Are we agreed that the best option might be to give a first name and a number?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Person or Number?2: Crosscare (25 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Yes. We are agreed there should be some flexibility in how it is dealt with as long as the principle is observed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Person or Number?2: Crosscare (25 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Before we conclude, the committee agrees to correspond with the Department to get its response to the issues raised by the witnesses and to ask it what it is being done to address them. We also reserve the right to take further action when we get that response from the Department. I thank the witnesses for coming in today, we greatly appreciate this interaction and in going through your...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Undocumented Migrants Living in Ireland: Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (25 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I thank the witnesses for the presentations and, in particular, Mr. Montenegro. I listened to the piece on Newstalk this morning and I found it very moving and I have now also heard his evidence here today. We often hear about the opening of floodgates and huge numbers coming in. If Irish people with concerns about this heard the testimony of Mr. Montenegro they would realise that it is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Undocumented Migrants Living in Ireland: Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (25 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: What stands out to me in the research carried out is that almost 90% of the interviewees are working and that 80% have been here more than five years. I raise these questions because of misconceptions which exist in terms of the profile of the people and the families who are here. They are already making a huge economic contribution. They are in our schools and have hopes and dreams and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Undocumented Migrants Living in Ireland: Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (25 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We have all heard of the undocumented Irish in the United States having to keep their heads down and having to keep away from the authorities. There is a constant fear. One of the things which struck me about the presentation was that women who are victims of domestic violence and crime could be fearful of going to An Garda Síochána because it would bring them to the attention of...