Results 5,241-5,260 of 8,978 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Workplace Relations Bill 2014: Second Stage (8 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I apologise on behalf of Deputy Peadar Tóibín who could not attend today as he has a funeral in his constituency. It is important to state from the outset that it is a shared objective of the Members of this House to reform the current industrial relations structures. From Sinn Féin's perspective, we have stated from the start of the Minister's consultations with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: On procedure, we spoke earlier about this committee recommending that we have a Dáil debate about the UN human rights committee's startling implications for our international reputation, and that stands. I appreciate that is something Senator Mullen feels strongly about, and he has graced us by attending today, but we can have a wider debate on it in the Dáil and in the Seanad at a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It is a statement of fact.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It is a statement of fact, Senator. You are hardly ever here. This is a working committee of the Oireachtas and you rarely show up, except for your own agenda.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: You rarely grace us with your presence. This is a working Oireachtas committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Your attendance rate is very poor.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: You rarely show up for the business of this committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: You have used this committee for your own agenda-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It is great that you could be here today. We are really graced.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I thank Ms Logan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I congratulate Ms Logan on her appointment. In terms of the presentation by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission to the UN Human Rights Committee, Ms Logan referenced the views of that committee, and I followed that with a great deal of interest. She suggested that we probably should have a dedicated debate on that in this Parliament because what we are talking about here is our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: My next question relates to the direct provision system. Ms Logan has raised this issue and I am sure she will have noted that there has been a marked increase in focus on it in Parliament. It was the subject of a Private Members' motion last week that extended over two nights. It appears we are nearing the point where, collectively, everybody is agreed that this system needs to change...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Not at all. I am pleased that the Chairman intervened. I have two final questions. Ms Logan will be aware of the equality budgeting campaign which comprises a group of civic society organisations which campaign that we carry out an equality impact assessment of budgets and Government policy in terms of how they would impact particularly on the most disadvantaged in society. I would like...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Transfers (7 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 296. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if and when a person (details supplied) in County Louth will be able to apply for repatriation; and the timeframe for same. [38119/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (7 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 297. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applicants for Irish naturalisation approved for persons not currently resident here; and of these the number of same sex couples. [38120/14]

Garda Síochána (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (3 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That can never be allowed to happen in the State again. We can never again have an unhealthy political relationship between the most senior police officer in the State and the Minister for Justice and Equality of the day, whereby they see it as being in their interests to protect each other and circle the wagons to protect themselves from criticism. The people who were failed most by that...

Garda Síochána (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (3 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I welcome Deputy Collins's Bill and its aim of making the Garda Commissioner responsible to the Garda Ombudsman Commission and to allow the Garda Ombudsman Commission to investigate complaints concerning any conduct of a member of the Garda Síochána made by another member of the force, among other proposals. Sinn Féin will support the passage of this Bill to Committee Stage...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Functions: Office of the Ombudsman (1 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We will deal with those as they come in. On behalf of the committee I thank Mr. Tyndall and Ms McNally for coming before us today. We will send a transcript of this meeting to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to seek a response from him and his colleagues in Cabinet, where issues are relevant to Departments. Next Wednesday we will deal with petitions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Functions: Office of the Ombudsman (1 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I think we might send the transcript of Mr. Tyndall's exchange with members today to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for response. While we will complete a report on the overall observations on the various offices of ombudsmen, the issues Mr. Tyndall has raised repeatedly are standalone issues and can be dealt with as part of that ongoing process. I think it will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Functions: Office of the Ombudsman (1 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I know it is the view of all committee members that we want to pursue any matters that Mr. Tyndall or any of the sectoral ombudsman offices are raising either on the back of reports or of their own instigation. At the very least we want to seek responses from Government and as much as possible strengthen those offices in respect of the issues they raise. It is important that these...