Results 5,181-5,200 of 6,163 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I appreciate that. That information needs to be provided. Although much documentation has to be prepared, much of the discussion has been in regard to what was asked for and I am unsure as to what that was, which is a big problem. As regards those of which the witnesses are aware, would the process of preparing the documentation to be submitted in the discovery orders have included...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That is one of three discovery orders. Did the other two discovery orders involve a search of email accounts, in particular those of the six senior officials?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: To the best of the witnesses' knowledge, there was no trawl of emails related to any of the discovery orders.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The point has been made that it would not be of assistance to the commission or tribunal for there to be such a trawl which could potentially produce a large number of documents, yet the trawl that has taken place has produced two chains of emails which will be helpful as it is difficult to see that they would not be. I share the view expressed by Deputy Brophy that it is difficult to credit...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Is it correct that the Minister was informed on 13 November?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: He stated that he was informed by telephone of the broad parameters of the email's contents but was not sent the email and did not inquire as to the nature of the row or legal dispute at the O'Higgins commission. On the same date, a press release was issued by the Department in the name of the Minister and related specifically to the O'Higgins commission, the legal approach taken there and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: It is difficult to accept that he received such a phone call and issued a press release of that nature but did not seek further detail on the nature of the legal query, perhaps on foot of receiving a draft of the press release. How was the documentation discovered on 9 November? How was it initially found?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Will Ms McPhillips read into the record which parliamentary question specifically led to the discovery of the email?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: A point regularly relied upon is that it would have been improper for the Minister to get involved in the process at the commission. The use of the word "improper" is quite specific. The Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney, made specific reference in the Seanad to the fact that neither the Minister nor any other party should interfere with the adducing of evidence at a commission. Does Ms...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: On the basis of the first part of Ms McPhillips' answer, the conversation that led to the first email was in breach of the Act.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I understand from media commentary on the issue that the Minister noted the first email that emerged into the public domain, which was sent to the former Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, and her staff on foot of the call from the Office of the Attorney General.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Was that correspondence was noted several weeks later?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: What is the process for a Minister to note a piece of correspondence? What happens to prompt an email?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: In the Department's eyes, does that constitute official recognition that the Minister has read the document?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Is Ms McPhillips happy to put on record that there was no wilful non-disclosure or deliberate non-disclosure of the documents?

Topical Issue Debate: Community Employment Schemes Administration (5 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I agree with what the Minister of State has outlined as the function and value of the community employment scheme. To an extent, this boils down to common sense. We are forcing people to jump through hoops that should be unnecessary. We are making it far more difficult to connect people who want to work and participate in the scheme with those who want to give such people a job. I call on...

Topical Issue Debate: Community Employment Schemes Administration (5 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Community employment schemes offer people significant opportunities in terms of experience and getting back to work and they also offer a considerable benefit to the communities in which they are located in terms of the services they provide. It has been drawn to my attention by people involved in scheme, both at administrative level and participants in it that the manner in which CE schemes...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Departmental Reform (5 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The Toland report, published in 2014, followed much of the same kind of controversies which An Garda Síochána and the Department found themselves in at that stage. The report found there to be a closed, secretive and silo-driven culture and that there was a deferential relationship with An Garda Síochána, with a lack of proper strategic accountability being brought to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Departmental Reform (5 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I welcome that the review is to be undertaken by a senior counsel, which was a welcome change on the part of the Minister and Government. It is still my view that it is difficult to credit that the emails could not have been found simply as a result of accident or error. That is why I was of the view that the tribunal should consider amending the terms of reference. The short document...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Departmental Reform (5 Dec 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 41. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the implementation of the Toland report and the need for comprehensive reform of his Department; his further views on whether structural and cultural reform is required in his Department; and his plans for same. [51980/17]