Results 5,021-5,040 of 6,163 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I support the Bill and I commend Deputies Shortall and Catherine Murphy and the Social Democrats on bringing it forward. Ba mhaith liom cuidiú leis an reachtaíocht luachmhar seo, a thabharfadh cuid mhaith solúbthacht do theaghlaigh agus a chuirfeadh níos mó roghanna ar fáil dóibh. Ba chóir go dtiocfadh sé chun cinn in éineacht le...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I outlined previously that there are three different approaches in the amendments to how we might ensure that the lay representation is perhaps different from the some of the standard State boards and is representative of key organisations that would have an interest in judicial diversity and representativeness. My first preference is for the approach in amendment No. 50. I will come back...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: On the issue of diversity, there is no suggestion that there would be legal or political interference in lay appointments, which appears to be the Minister's interpretation. It is more a sense that there is a degree of inertia among the types of persons who are sometimes appointed to State boards. While they are often competent and capable individuals, as many Deputies from all political...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: While I do not wish to unduly delay proceedings, the Minister has not given a substantive reason for rejecting amendment No. 50. The point about whether it would be invidious to select certain organisations is not a criticism that applies to amendment No. 50. My amendment retains all the criteria by which people would have to reach certain standards, creates greater flexibility and...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I have not made any such accusation. With respect, most of the Minister's contribution related to amendment No. 49. He did not give substantive reasons for not accepting amendment No. 50. I corrected the only issue he raised in respect of the amendment.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I addressed that matter when I pointed out that the role of the PAS would be preserved under amendment No. 50. Subsection (10) of the new section addresses the issue because the criteria in the original text are preserved in the new subsection (8). The same criteria would apply.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I move amendment No. 50:In page 15, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following:“Recommendation of lay person for appointment as member and chairperson 15. (1) The Public Appointments Service shall organise the following selection processes—(a) as soon as may be after the commencement of this section, a selection process referred to in each of subsections (2) and (3) for the...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I am sorry, but just so that I understand, does the previous change not affect amendment No. 65? Lines 10 and 11 have been deleted. Is line 11 not something else now?

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I wish to put it on record that there were also votes on, specifically, the procedures committee. The select committee agreed that the procedures committee was the one committee that was worth preserving and, therefore, I shall vote to maintain section 19. It will require an amendment to reflect the other changes that I have made but I intend to vote to retain the section.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I move amendment No. 98:In page 22, between lines 36 and 37, to insert the following:"(4) The annual report will contain a diversity statement on the success of the Judicial Appointments Commission in furthering the objectives outlined in section 7(2).". This brief amendment is germane to the intention of the Bill. It requires that the annual report, which the judicial appointments...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I do not agree but I do not think there is any need to rehearse this at any greater length.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I move amendment No. 115:In page 26, to delete lines 15 to 26 and substitute the following:“(3) Subsection (1) shall only apply to a legal academic who has qualified as a barrister or solicitor and subsequent subsections of this section, in so far as they relate to a person who is referred to in them as a ‘head of a faculty’ or ‘head of another faculty’,...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I take on board the Minister's point and will not press the amendment, with a view to reconsidering and perhaps redrafting it before Report Stage. The provisions need to be loosened somewhat as the section is too restrictive. I take the point about the necessity to have some practical experience, but the bar is being set too high. Provisions such as those which have been suggested by...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will not delay the committee unduly. The points have been well made. In an ideal world, I would not be of the view that Government should have much discretion in this area, but obviously there are constitutional considerations. In that context, it is important that the names received by Government are ranked and are clear. I have tabled amendments later which are similar to what Deputy...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: To restrict the Government in that regard is definitely desirable. The constitutional issue was raised in regard to ranking people but I cannot even remotely see the argument there. In this one, I can see it slightly more but I am still unconvinced. The committee or the Dáil, obviously, should not put in place any provision that is unconstitutional but I am not sure I understand or...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Refugee Resettlement Programme (7 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 266. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of unaccompanied minors that have been resettled here from Calais following the cross party Dáil Éireann Motion of 10 November 2016. [6210/18]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Community Policing (6 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: There is no evidence for that. The Minister's response did not address what is obviously a very dramatic fall which is what I want the Minister to address. While, on an individual basis, it is a decision for the Garda Commissioner, it is the Government which makes the policies. If the Government wants community policing to be a priority, it will be a priority for An Garda...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Community Policing (6 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: In common with written responses which I had received on this matter, the Minister has failed to address the matter of community policing. He keeps referring to overall policing numbers but he is not making any comment on how he will address that specific issue. I have put down variations on this question, in written or oral questions, and have received three different answers for the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Community Policing (6 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That is why I asked a specific question.