Results 5,561-5,580 of 8,978 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (4 Jun 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: A person who was convicted of a public order offence for protesting for the rights of the Palestinian people, for example, and went on to become a leading human rights advocate, would not be ruled out by virtue of such an offence. Is that the Minister's interpretation?

Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (4 Jun 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is fair enough.

Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (4 Jun 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I move amendment No. 2:In page 9, between lines 18 and 19 to insert the following:"8. Pursuant to the Good Friday Agreement, an international agreement of which this Government is a co-guarantor, the Irish Government will take steps to further strengthen the protection of human rights in its jurisdiction. The Government will bring forward measures to strengthen and underpin the...

Topical Issue Debate: Crime Investigation (4 Jun 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I thank the Minister for her statement and her efforts to address this. As I stated, what will be of profound concern to the public are reports that there is a possibility a person responsible for level 5 child pornography, which is the most heinous category, would not face the full rigours of the law due to an inordinate delay over a number of years in taking the case to prosecution. If...

Topical Issue Debate: Crime Investigation (4 Jun 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: My Topical Issue matter follows a second report in The Sunday Timesnewspaper about the challenges faced by the computer crime investigation unit of An Garda Síochána. The challenges, in terms of resources and the apparent poor level of modern technology to keep up with changes, has led to a significant backlog. It is reported that there is a backlog of 1,000 cases. I hope the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Annual Report 2013: Office of the Ombudsman (4 Jun 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I will recommend that the clerk to the committee meet with the witnesses soon. He has considerable experience of working in these areas in respect of innovations and so on. I could also attend that meeting. Will the Ombudsman write to us about any outstanding issues relating to medical cards which have not been addressed? We can then write to the Department. The Ombudsman’s...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Annual Report 2013: Office of the Ombudsman (4 Jun 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I thank the Ombudsman, Ms McNally and Mr. Morgan for coming here today. We greatly value our partnership with the Ombudsman and take seriously our responsibility to follow up on the concerns and recommendations that he raises with us. We will meet him again soon to exchange ideas.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Annual Report 2013: Office of the Ombudsman (4 Jun 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Can I make a suggestion? We need to deliberate after the meeting today because a number of actions arise from the annual report that we need to follow up with the Government and seek assurance on the five key points raised in the annual report. Perhaps it would be helpful if Mr. Tyndall were to send us a brief report after the meeting today outlining the outstanding issues that he remains...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Annual Report 2013: Office of the Ombudsman (4 Jun 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We will do that. Did Deputy Mulherin want to deal with the motorised transport question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Annual Report 2013: Office of the Ombudsman (4 Jun 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: As the Ombudsman noted in his opening comments, we will have the Secretary General before us in private session, so we intend to continue to pursue this matter. This committee shares the concerns about the delays in putting in place the new schemes. We will probe those matters and complete our report. We are happy enough to delay making our report until we have seen what the shape of the...

Garda Síochána (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: People say a week is a long time in politics and refer to how circumstances can change. I recall when Deputy Wallace introduced this Bill last year, it was resisted and it was seen as wishful thinking, ill thought out and so on. As recently as February this year, I asked the former Minister for Justice and Equality about an independent policing authority and he robustly rejected the notion....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Guerin Report: Department of Justice and Equality (28 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: May 2009.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Guerin Report: Department of Justice and Equality (28 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That will do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Guerin Report: Department of Justice and Equality (28 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Does the Secretary General believe the prepared statement he read into the record today defending the Department's role with regard to the criticism in the Guerin report which led to the resignation of the Minister for Justice and Equality is consistent with his assertion that he does not want to prejudice the Fennelly commission by commenting on any of the issues?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Guerin Report: Department of Justice and Equality (28 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It is very clear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Guerin Report: Department of Justice and Equality (28 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I will rephrase the question. Does Mr. Purcell believe the detailed written statement which he prepared for today - his detailed rebuttal of the findings of the Guerin report which led to the resignation of a Minister for Justice and Equality - in defence of the Department's role in advance of a commission of investigation is consistent with his other arguments that he cannot comment on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Guerin Report: Department of Justice and Equality (28 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Mr. Purcell had a prepared statement-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Guerin Report: Department of Justice and Equality (28 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Does Mr. Purcell consider the fact that a Garda Commissioner and a Minister for Justice and Equality have resigned within a few months of each other to be extraordinary and of public interest?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Guerin Report: Department of Justice and Equality (28 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Does Mr. Purcell think his role as Secretary General of the Department in the middle of all of the circumstances which led to these two resignations is of public interest?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Guerin Report: Department of Justice and Equality (28 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Does Mr. Purcell think his knowledge of all the facts which led to the resignation of the Garda Commissioners is of public interest?