Results 5,381-5,400 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: One of the most positive things about An Garda Síochána is that it is, for the most part, an unarmed police force. We are the envy of many police organisations across the world because of the connection that gardaí have with their communities. It is important that we make sure that people know they can pick up the phone and call community gardaí and those who are on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I agree with the Leas-Chathaoirleach that it is vital that we have an oversight body and that there is accountability. Before GSOC we had the policing complaints board. What we have here is a newer and appropriate structure. It needs to be there to give people confidence in An Garda Síochána. We have a structure at present that allows for a longer period of time and a delay. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: As Deputy Ó Laoghaire has said, I was in my constituency that morning. Generally I am not there on a Thursday but the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, was officially opening the Eureka Secondary School building so I was there for a number of hours. I was due to be in Dublin directly after that but due to unforeseen personnel circumstances I had to cancel two events. One was the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: At that stage, because it was early on, he outlined the response to the actual attack and any further response needed in terms of the gardaí and potential implications. Yes, it was discussed at that stage.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: He outlined that gardaí would be available and were there to respond to any issue that might arise.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I do not know the exact language that was used in what he discussed with me. A number of phone calls took place.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: It might not have been in that conversation. I spoke to him a number of times throughout the day. I spoke to him soon after that and remained in contact and met him later. As the day went on and situations arose there was a concern. I mentioned earlier there are number of international protection centres in the area and quite a high volume of accommodation centres that have international...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: To be honest, my initial concern and view was that if there was to be any unrest it would potentially be at one of the centres. This was my initial thought and it was early on in the day. I do not know the exact time. As I said, I was on a lot of phone calls. I spoke to the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Donohoe. I spoke to the Commissioner a number of times. My initial concern was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I do not accept that gardaí did not respond in the best way possible, so no-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I have very clearly stated that it was not safe for a period of time. Buses were on fire and people were looting and rioting. With regard to control being lost, gardaí responded in the most appropriate way possible. How do we stop people if they want to loot and riot? Where the situation escalated to that point gardaí responded in the most appropriate way. For a period of time...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: They were unprecedented. I had not seen that before nor, I believe, had most gardaí who responded. I repeat that what we had was the largest mobilisation of public order units and not just in the response we saw on O'Connell Street. It was in a very small area but this could have expanded right across the city. It was contained in a very small area. It was horrific to look at, never...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: A public order unit of 25 Garda members were on the scene immediately and there was a second public order unit. I know that the Garda Commissioner went through this and it is not for me to give the exact timelines but a second public order unit was there when a group had gathered at the Garden of Remembrance, which was relatively calm. As things started to escalate, resources were...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: First, on the spent convictions, it had been everyone's view, wrongly unfortunately, that it could be sponsored by other Deputies. That is not the case now. I have a particular plan on legislation marked out which I am working through and it has to be incorporated into that. It is a matter then of trying to identify a time to be able to do that but that is still being worked through. As I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I would like to see progress on it at some point, yes, but I will have to work with the Senator and to engage further on it. On the engagement with Twitter, it was said to me in more than one station and by gardaí working on the ground. I was asked a question directly about it and that is why I gave that answer. As I said, I will have a report from the Commissioner which will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I was asked a question about it in the Dáil and I responded based on the experience of gardaí who had been working on the ground. I will have a further report outlining that more but this information was received directly from gardaí who were working on the day on what they explained to me had happened. That is simply what I relayed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: If I may add to that, we want the young girl and her carer to make a full recovery and I wish them well.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: The project was part of a wider PPP project with Macroom and Hammond Lane family court complex in Dublin. Those projects have since been separated so Macroom and Clonmel are now progressing separate to the court. That progress will continue. Money has been allocated and construction will begin next year.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: These amendments follow on from previous amendments made to the Bill in the Dáil arising from proposals made by Deputies on the issue of the prominence of the Irish language in the names of newly established bodies. The Bill already provides for Irish language names for the various policing bodies, in line with the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021. I did not include the reformed...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Senator. At the outset, I understand why she is proposing this amendment. The overall objective is to make sure nobody is left out of the terminology used. What we have tried to do, and I will say similar about some of the other amendments, is not be so prescriptive as to potentially exclude people. In this particular section, the term "vulnerable" is used in conjunction with...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I will speak to amendments No. 4 and 5 because both relate to the independent examiner and the role he or she will be given in adjudicating. While the independent examiner has many important and significant roles under this Bill, I do not think it is appropriate for him or her to have this particularly expanded determination focus. The remit of the examiner relates to security only, whereas...