Results 4,901-4,920 of 8,986 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

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

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We are looking for the response, as presented, and the report will be drafted. Is that agreed? Agreed. The final petition is No. P00002/15, non-compliant installations of water meter boxes in vehicle access locations by Irish Water, from Mr. Con O'Leary. The petition claims that the companies installing water meter boxes on behalf of Irish Water are installing grade C boxes in the areas...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I apologise to the Minister for having to leave at 4 p.m. to chair the Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions. I thank her for her presentation. The Vote for the justice and equality sector is €373,092 for 2015 which is less than the budget figure for 2014. Why is that?

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Across the headings overall, it is pretty much as you were; there are no real increases.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That takes me to my next question, which is on GSOC. The Government has asked it to examine the penalty points issue. A major investigation has to be undertaken in that respect. We will also be giving GSOC additional powers when the Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill is passed today. That will entail the provision of more resources. Is the Minister satisfied that the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Will the Minister monitor the situation to see if GSOC needs more money?

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: My final question is on Garda numbers. There are 300 recruits in Templemore. If one factors in the number of gardaí that will retire this year we will not exceed the 13,000 threshold. The previous Garda Commissioner, Mr. Martin Callinan, famously said that if the number went below 13,000 he would not be able to deliver what was required. Are there plans for further recruitment this year?

Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It is good the debate on the Personal Insolvency Act has been reopened. In 2012 when this legislation was first debated, mistakes were made by an arrogant Government which decided it was better off trusting the banks rather than listening to those who work at the coalface with people in debt. We cannot let another opportunity slip past us. This time the Government must listen to those in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Data (3 Feb 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 485. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children in County Donegal with high medical needs, that is complex disabilities, life limiting diseases, and terminal illnesses. [4930/15]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme: Discussion (28 Jan 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The committee is sitting in its capacity as the joint sub-committee on public petitions. I remind everybody to switch off their mobile telephones, BlackBerry and other devices. The proceedings are broadcast live and we do not wish to have them interrupted. I welcome Ms Deirdre McCarthy who submitted a petition to the committee entitled, "Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme: Discussion (28 Jan 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: In Donegal there was a very strong lobby from the community sector opposing this, and I made the point that the community sector is so strong. In Donegal alone, there are hundreds and hundreds of organisations that were being affected by this. Even in terms of bottom-up development and participative democracy, it was a major issue. I conveyed to them that they have considerable influence...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme: Discussion (28 Jan 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: At a certain point, certainly in Donegal, it was my understanding that there was an assurance that the local authorities would not do this, but rather would make sure those who were delivering the services would continue to do so. Maybe that was wishful thinking.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme: Discussion (28 Jan 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: There is a difficulty because the advice from the Attorney General is privileged and the Government does not have to make us aware of it. It can say it has been advised. That is the same for every government. In terms of the European Commission our committee may seek to bring in representatives of the Commission to give us their assessment of these directives and to respond to the points...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme: Discussion (28 Jan 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Our committee will certainly correspond with the Commission and may look to bring in representatives or even a Commissioner if need be.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme: Discussion (28 Jan 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Deputy is absolutely correct. The secretariat has summarised the key points to the Department for response. Initially, we can do a similar exercise with the Commission. That will be an interim measure. We will also invite a senior official from the Department to speak to us and also a senior representative of the European Commission. If it is agreed, we will bring both to a session...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme: Discussion (28 Jan 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Who does the Senator propose we invite?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme: Discussion (28 Jan 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Senator’s wishes have been recorded and we will see what we can do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme: Discussion (28 Jan 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Senator O’Keeffe can make a point of clarification but she should be brief as Deputy Boyd Barrett has waited a long time to contribute.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme: Discussion (28 Jan 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I recall senior people in the European Commission referring to the Irish model as a template for community participation. That is one of the strongest points for me. I must declare an interest in that I was elected as a community director to the Inishowen partnership in Donegal in 1996. From the get go, the model involved directly elected people from the community and a bottom-up approach....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme: Discussion (28 Jan 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I call Senator O'Keeffe.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme: Discussion (28 Jan 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: A few points come to mind, having spoken to the clerk to the committee. We will seek from the Department, if it is attainable, the feedback from the surveys. We want to get the feedback they received to get a flavour of the issues. Another aspect is the advice that was sought from the Attorney General. We will ask the Department the wording of the advice and what advice it was seeking...