Results 5,021-5,040 of 8,978 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Promotions (9 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 258. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will ensure the new suitable personnel are appointed to the interview panel as provided for in the 2006 regulations as a matter of urgency, so that suitably qualified personnel can be appointed to promotion boards by her in the forthcoming promotion competitions for chief superintendent, superintendent, inspector and sergeant. [46846/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Promotions (9 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 259. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of appointments to Garda promotion boards she has made since the appointment as Minister where the names of the ministerial appointees were forwarded by the Garda Commissioner. [46847/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Promotions (9 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 260. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her views there has been serious disquiet and concern regarding the appointment of personnel to Garda promotion boards in recent years and that cronyism is rife in the Garda promotion process; and the steps she is taking to allay that concern. [46848/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Promotions (9 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 261. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to transfer responsibility for the administration of the promotion competitions in An Garda Síochána to the Public Appointments Service in view of the lack of confidence in the system. [46849/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Promotions (9 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 262. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the percentage of responses in the recent Garda portal survey which raised concerns or made comment on the promotion and lateral appointment processes. [46850/14]

Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Government has come under extensive public pressure on water charges. It has been forced to introduce the proposed lower rates. This was not something it wanted to do; it was something in which the Government had no choice. Next Wednesday, the Government will be faced with even larger protests. Today, however, it could take the opportunity to do the right thing and scrap water charges...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I have some final questions, and Senator Ó Clochartaigh wants to put a final question also. In the third paragraph of the correspondence from December of 2013 the Private Secretary, writing on behalf of the Minister, states: The Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952 gives the Minister for Foreign Affairs primary responsibility for the regulation of activity by foreign...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I appreciate that and, in fairness, Mr. Burgess clarified in the original correspondence in December that he did, so I accept that my query was not entirely justified. In terms of my next question, Mr. Burgess rightly pointed out the reasons we have friendly relations with the United States. I would go further and say we have an umbilical relationship with the United States. Some 70 million...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Deputy Halligan does not have the advantage that Senators O’Keeffe and Ó Clochartaigh and I have because we have been to Shannon Airport and met the management there and the management of An Garda Síochána. Our sense of it is that the management of the airport operates within the law and allows flights, subject to the licence from the Department of Transport, Tourism...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am just clarifying the points the Deputy has made. The Garda confirmed that it has on several occasions searched planes following reports of wrongdoing. It also pointed out the constraints on a military aircraft that had received a diplomatic note. It would regard that as a foreign embassy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is fair enough.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: In fairness, they have agreed, subject to advice, that they will release this information. They just do not have it readily to hand.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We can dance around on this but the bottom line is we are advised that either the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or some Department of Government has given permission to 2.3 million US marines to come through Shannon Airport with their weapons stored away. Is that a fair point?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I will say a large number.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: You do not want to commit to the number but is it fair to say a huge number of US marines and members of the US army have come through Shannon Airport with the permission of the Government, with a side arm and rifle on board a plane?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is for huge numbers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is a fair point. It is just that in the correspondence to this committee it is not acknowledged. You speak about 50,000 in one year, 2013, but in terms of the scale over the period of time that would be a concern. Do you think the fact that two Departments and Government permit such a huge number of members of the US army, marines or whatever, to come through Shannon Airport on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: How do you define military neutrality?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Would you regard the fact that we permit huge numbers of members of the US army on the way to the theatre of war to stop over and avail of our facilities as commensurate with what you would understand to be military alliances?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I have a final question. You said the process is that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade would be consulted on potential exemptions and prior approval and would make a recommendation to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Does the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport advise you as to whether it accepted the recommendation?