Results 5,761-5,780 of 9,148 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Law Reform Proposals (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: Everyone in this House will probably recognise, although they may not appreciate it as much as the Minister or I, the stress associated with family law cases. People go to court and it is a stressful event. When people go to court in family law cases, it is enormously stressful, and it has long-term impacts. The decisions of the court stay with people until the end of their lives,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Law Reform Proposals (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: I welcome what the Minister says but I think that we need to do something with Hammond Lane. Ms Angela Denning, who is the Accounting Officer for the Courts Service, was before the Committee of Public Accounts last week. From what she said, we understand that Hammond Lane is being used as a site depot for other builders who are doing work in the vicinity of Smithfield. We need Government...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: In other similar European countries, such as Denmark and Finland, there is a similar system to here in that they have accommodation centres where people stay while their applications are being considered. Where we differ is that people are staying for too long. We have seen that 22%, which works out at 1,600 people, have been in direct provision centres for more than three years. That...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: 5. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the fact that 35% of residents of direct provision centres have been there for more than two years will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47617/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: As of this month, approximately 7,500 people are availing of accommodation services under the direct provision system run by the Department of Justice and Equality. In total, 35% of those residents have been waiting in direct provision more that two years, and 22% have been waiting more than three years. What is the Government's plan for dealing with this ever-increasing issue and does it...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. We have to be frank here. I regret to say that a message is going out that the Government has lost control of the issue of direct provision. The public are getting that impression because proposals for direct provision centres are being blocked simply because of local opposition. The message going out is that the country is unable to sustain...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Law Reform Commission Reports (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: 3. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a response will issue to the call from the Law Reform Commission for a change in the way consent is considered in rape trials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48027/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Law Reform Commission Reports (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: In 2016, the Attorney General requested the Law Reform Commission to produce a report on how consent is considered in rape trials. That report was published earlier this month and it made significant recommendations on how the law in respect of consent in rape should be changed. Does the Government propose to accept that recommendation and, if so, does it intend to introduce legislation...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Law Reform Commission Reports (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister for his reply. This is a complex and complicated aspect of our law. Nonetheless it needs to be amended. We need to recognise that at present when it comes to the issue of consent, a man is believed to have honestly and genuinely consented if he believed the woman was consenting. At present that is a subjective test. That was the test that was recognised as being the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Law Reform Commission Reports (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: As legislators, we need to recognise that we have a problem in this country with people, particularly women, coming forward and being prepared to make complaints in respect of rape and other sexual offences. Part of the reason is that they find the process very intimidating and threatening. While ensuring an accused has a fair trial, we also have an obligation to put in place laws that make...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Proposed Legislation (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am not aware of any utterances by any Fianna Fáil candidate, as a candidate, in terms of making statements that could offend or incite hatred. We have a broader problem in this country and throughout Europe in respect of incitement to hatred of individuals. If one looks at the UK, one can see that there has been a significant rise in hate crimes recorded in England and Wales. In...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Proposed Legislation (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: I wish to record my disappointment and surprise that two of my questions have been ruled out of order. The questions relate to the number of Garda vehicles and the staffing level of the Garda drugs unit. Obviously, the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, is not responsible for ruling questions out of order. The question I wish to raise with the Minister-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Proposed Legislation (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: I do not wish to get into a debate with the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, but the Garda Síochána Act also provides in section 26(3) that the Commissioner is accountable to the Minister. The Minister has expressed his desire to be politically responsible for the Garda. That should be taken into account.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Proposed Legislation (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: Question No. 1 relates to hate crime legislation and is particularly relevant in light of certain recent utterances in the political domain. When will the Department of Justice and Equality bring forward an update to the hate crime legislation?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Proposed Legislation (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Minister noted that there are two legislative areas of relevance in terms of hate crime, namely, crime being aggravated by the targeting of a specific group, and the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989. The latter legislation is inadequate although its provisions are still relevant. We need to remind all people, particularly those in the political domain, that it is a criminal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Law Reform Commission Reports (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: 19. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will respond to the call from the Law Reform Commission for a change in the way consent is considered in rape trials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47613/19]

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff Data (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: 43. To ask the Taoiseach the number of staff in his Department by gender and pay grade in tabular form. [47954/19]

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff Data (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: 52. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of staff in his Department by gender and pay grade in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47944/19]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Data (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: 64. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of staff in his Department by gender and pay grade in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47948/19]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Staff Data (20 Nov 2019)

Jim O'Callaghan: 82. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of staff in his Department by gender and pay grade in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47947/19]