Results 5,361-5,380 of 9,140 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Discussion (22 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I welcome Ms Anne Mulhall from Anti-Deportation Ireland, who will make a presentation on the work and operation of the agency. She will also identify areas where she believes changes can be made to improve the service provided. Ms Mulhall is accompanied by Ms Pako Mokoba and Mr. Gerald Musekiwa. I thank the witnesses for forwarding their presentation which is being circulated to members of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Discussion (22 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We will allow the witnesses to respond in detail to the questions, and then we will invite our next guests to speak. Anybody who has not had a chance to ask a question can speak after the next guests because the discussion will be around the same subject matter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Discussion (22 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is no problem.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Discussion (22 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: This is why today’s meeting is so vital and we are particularly delighted to have asylum seekers who are living in the system here to tell their stories. It is powerful for the committee. Everything we are hearing will feed into our recommendations. The Office of the Ombudsman and Information Commissioner, held by Mr. Peter Tyndall, and previously by Ms Emily O’Reilly, has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Discussion (22 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I thank both contributors. As there are three other groups, I ask the members to keep their questions and commentary as sharp as possible.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Discussion (22 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I ask Ms Conlan not to identify any individual when referring to the correspondence.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Discussion (22 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We will hear presentations by four agencies involved in the provision of services for immigrants and those seeking asylum, protection or residency in Ireland. We will hear from the Anti-Deportation Agency, the Irish Refugee Council, Doras Luimní and Spiritan Asylum Services Initiative, SPIRASI. We have received correspondence from the Minister of State responsibility for new...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Members of Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Motion (22 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: On Traveller ethnicity, the committee has recommended-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Members of Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Motion (22 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am not straying at all and I will tell the Chairman why. When they appeared before the UN Human Rights Committee, representatives from the Human Rights Commission of Ireland mentioned failure in this area as part of the issue. It is, therefore, extremely relevant to what we are discussing. I am aware that there has been interaction between the Minister's Department and representatives of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Members of Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Motion (22 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is fine. I thank the Minister.

Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am sorry, I want to clarify something. Is the Minister suggesting that the Ombudsman and the independent review of the DPP is not an independent approach in the North?

Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I want to be clear. Is the Minister suggesting that the referral to the Ombudsman in the North and the independent review of the DPP are not independent?

Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Why did the Minister choose on that issue?

Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am sorry, I am not finished. To be clear, is the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, suggesting that these allegations given to her are subject to independent review and the case in the North is not? Is that what she is saying?

Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Why did Minister decide to comment? Deputy Fitzgerald should remember she is the Minister for Justice and Equality.

Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: She is the Minister for Justice and Equality.

Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: No, it is not. It is about political opportunism.

Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: No. Today she chose to be politically opportunistic but the difficulty is that she is the Minister responsible for justice and must apply the same standard to families in this jurisdiction who await justice and afford them the courtesy of a meeting in which to outline their case face to face with her. They cannot have one with her or the Taoiseach.

Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Minister dived in today and the Taoiseach is to dive in tomorrow. That is the Minister’s right but the families have told me about inconsistency. She should be very clear this is the standard she will be measured by in the remainder of her term of office. I look forward to her response.

Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Oct 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am pleased to take part in the Second Stage debate on this Bill. We have been waiting a long time for these extra powers to be given to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. It is has been a very disturbing period in terms of the whole area of the administration and application of justice in this State. Public confidence has been fundamentally undermined by the incompetence,...