Results 5,121-5,140 of 6,188 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Community Policing (30 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 319. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of dedicated community gardaí in the service of An Garda Síochána in each of the past seven years; and the number of dedicated community gardaí in each Garda district in each of the past seven years, in tabular form. [4472/18]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: National Minimum Wage (30 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 575. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons paid below the national minimum wage of €9.25 due to the exceptions for an employee in the first year after the date of first employment over 18 years of age and the second year after the date of first employment over 18 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4473/18]

Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (25 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Beimid ag tacú leis an mBille seo. We support the passing of this Bill and we will not be bringing forward amendments. Sinn Féin is a republican party. As republicans, members of Sinn Féin believe in a broad civic society where all traditions and views of the world are equal, included and respected. Deputy O'Callaghan is correct that in many respects the existing ban is not...

Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (Resumed) (24 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The eighth amendment of the Constitution should never have been part of it. I firmly believe that abortion should not be dealt with in the Constitution. It is an entirely inappropriate manner of legislating for the matter. As the Attorney General at the time predicted, it has created great uncertainty, and it has cost lives. As the former master of Holles Street, Dr. Peter Boylan, told...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017: Discussion (24 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank the witnesses for coming. It is a reality that discrimination on a socioeconomic basis happens; I would say it is quite widespread. I acknowledge that legislation is not always a panacea. The Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2005 included housing assistance as a new ground. While that was welcome, unfortunately people will find ways around it. At least it has made...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017: Discussion (24 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I might clarify. There are existing definitions of "disadvantaged community". Take for example job applicants from designated RAPID and CLÁR areas. We would not be expecting employers to devise new definitions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017: Discussion (24 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: No, but I might come back in later.

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2018 Second Stage: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will pick up where Deputy Ó Broin left off. I commend the Bill. For a long time Ireland has lagged quite a distance behind EU comparators in protections for tenants and not just in the area this legislation deals with. Previously we have discussed the issue of tenants being able to remain in a property after the property is sold, which is a frequent occurrence. The amendments...

Reception Conditions Directive: Motion (23 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Ar an gcéad dul síos, ba mhaith liom a rá go raibh cuid mhaith díomá faoin bplean agus faoin scéim a chur an tAire os comhair an choiste an tseachtain seo caite agus atá os ár gcomhair tráthnóna inniu. As I said last week in the committee, the Department appears to want garlands and congratulations for this measure, which is quite...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Like Deputy Wallace, I believe there is a role for the two positions concerned but I also believe that another mechanism can be found to facilitate this, be it that they serve as ex officioor additional lay members. This issue will need to be revisited on Report Stage. In the context of the proposal that the commission, as a whole, be responsible for the appointment of judges, I believe...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will speak to amendment No. 31, which is an enabling amendment allowing for the more substantial amendment No. 50. That amendment is not included in this grouping, so it is necessary to explain the amendments. One of the points raised on Second Stage was that, while the issue of a lay majority was favoured by many, a lay membership alone would not suffice, in that lay members would need...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Amendment No. 31 is required to facilitate amendment No. 50. I want to respond to Deputy O'Callaghan who thinks it is a bit complicated. I think the amendment is quite simple and straightforward. It is based on the premise that it will not be possible to identify all the organisations that would have an interest in this. While it looks complicated legislatively, ultimately it is a simple...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I move amendment No. 31:In page 12, to delete line 7 and substitute the following:“(h) 3 lay persons appointed under section 15(3) (the General Lay Appointments), and (i) 3 lay persons appointed under section 15(3) (the Diversity and Social Inclusion Appointments).”.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I move amendment No. 38:In page 13, line 37, to delete “determine.” and substitute the following:“determine, and (c) submit to the Director, a Declaration of Interests, within 1 month of appointment, and thereafter, in January of each year.”. This is a very straightforward amendment. The section relates to terms and conditions of membership who are part of the...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I take on board the comments and may return to the issue on Report Stage.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I am of two minds on this, but I am inclined not to support the amendment. I might think differently were the period longer, for example, a renewable five-year term, but even a total block of six years if reappointed would not be excessively long. If the commission had six different lay members every three years, their influence within the process might be reduced, given that it would take...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I have some sympathy for the intention behind the amendment although I do not support it. Notwithstanding whatever issues may exist or may have existed with any of the organisations referred to, these are official representative bodies. They are organisations that have policies and have developed views around sentencing, the appointment of judges and court procedures. It is probably the...

Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport Initiatives (17 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: There has been a great deal of talk in recent years, particularly in the past 12 months, about the need for balanced regional development. One of the core areas in the better balancing of population will be Cork, particularly the Cork metropolitan area. I have tabled parliamentary questions before on this matter to the Minister, but I felt it was important to tease out the details with him...

Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport Initiatives (17 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I take some positives from the Minister's response. The transport strategy is welcome and I look forward to examining it when it is published. I hope it will show the ambition required. I am aware of some of the items which have been funded, including the city centre movement strategy and the DLUTS. There are many good points in them, but most of them have to do with managing traffic....

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Jan 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will be brief. Regarding some of the points made by Deputy Wallace, we support the idea of a lay majority on the judicial appointments commission. We believe it is in line with what is in place in many other jurisdictions and in many other professions and organisations, and that is something that we will be supporting throughout this process. A point that was clearly made is that lay...