Results 5,801-5,820 of 8,986 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Matters relating to An Garda Síochána: Statements (26 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: He sought to minimise concern about the implementation of the penalty points system by the Garda. He even went onto the plinth to attack the two whistleblowers in a scurrilous effort to undermine their credibility when the O'Mahoney report was published. I remember the exchanges in this Chamber at that time. Later, he wrongly and disgracefully, accused the Garda whistleblowers of not...

Matters relating to An Garda Síochána: Statements (26 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Subsequently, the former Garda Commissioner, Martin Callinan, who has enjoyed the Minister's unswerving support, gave evidence to the Committee on Public Accounts and went so far as to say the actions of the two Garda whistleblowers were "disgusting". The Minister and the Garda Commissioner tried to prevent Sergeant McCabe giving evidence to the PAC. Then there was the scandal of...

Matters relating to An Garda Síochána: Statements (26 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Minister, however, who will be responsible for overseeing this process, is the very Minister who has been at the heart of all of the recent scandals. I note that the independent policing authority was not included in the programme for Government. Hence the importance some parties attribute to that decision. There is an opportunity for a step change, a new beginning, in policing,...

Matters relating to An Garda Síochána: Statements (26 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: -----a "heavy gang" within the Garda who brutalised people in custody; serious miscarriages of justice; wrongful convictions and the abandonment of the principle that all citizens, including suspects, held in Garda custody, must have rights in our justice system. It was also evident in the Kerry babies case; in the behaviour of some gardaí in Donegal that was exposed by the Morris...

Matters relating to An Garda Síochána: Statements (26 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The succession of bad decisions taken by the Minister, supported by the Government and intended to obstruct proper scrutiny of policing, have done untold damage to public confidence in the administration of justice and to An Garda Síochána. The latest twist in the succession of scandals and crises that have emerged on the Minister's watch occurred yesterday. We were told that the...

Restorative Justice (Reparation of Victims) Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I welcome the introduction of this Bill to the House and commend Deputy Halligan on his preparation of it. My party and I welcome the spirit of this Bill and will be supporting its progress to Committee Stage. However should the Bill get to that Stage, Sinn Féin will seek to amend it in order to strengthen it further. I will speak further about this a little later in my contribution....

Other Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: For a lay person, as I am in this regard, reviewing matters is important. Some of the former members of the Defence Forces, some of whom I met with the family, have detailed and expert knowledge as they were serving members in the area. The circumstances of the events involved will never leave them and they have followed all of the investigations in great detail. This is not just about...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I welcome the Minister’s commitment to meet with the family of Private Doherty. One issue of concern and alarm brought to my attention is that, during the original investigation carried out by Colonel Savino at the time, he did not interview any of the team with which the two privates served. Other issues of concern are the isolated nature of the observation post they were holding,...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 130. To ask the Minister for Defence if he will meet the family of a person (details supplied). [12876/14]

Other Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We have discussed this matter previously, which concerns the circumstances that led to the killing of Private Hugh Doherty and Private Kevin Joyce. Their families have requested a meeting with the Minister and I seek an update in that regard.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: As the Minister is probably aware, I had an opportunity to meet some members of the Doherty family in County Donegal. I represent the constituency in which they live and from where Hugh Doherty came. I met some former members of the Defence Forces who had served with the two men. Mr. Eamonn Lafftery who was a member of the Defence Forces and president of PDFORRA was also present at that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It took place in 2001.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I ask that the Defence Forces examine this matter. They may need to contact the people who were involved in the meeting mentioned. Marwan Hamadeh is still alive and I ask that our diplomats in the region try to make contact with him to establish what happened after he gave that undertaking. I understand he was very exercised about the matter and made telephone calls while at the meeting....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 126. To ask the Minister for Defence if he will outline all efforts by the Defence Forces and his Department to follow up on an initiative from PDFORRA in March 2001 aimed at recovering the body of a person (details supplied) when they met the then Minister for the Displaced in the Lebanese Government, Marwan Hamadeh, in the Lebanon. [13081/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Fatalities (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I have discussed this matter previously with the Minister. Two members of the Defence Forces, Private Hugh Doherty and Private Kevin Joyce, were killed on 27 April 1981 in Dyar Ntar, a village in south Lebanon. I wish to probe the efforts made to date by the Defence Forces and Governments to follow up on a meeting held in 2001 on the initiative of PDFORRA with representatives in Lebanon,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: White Paper on Defence (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 139. To ask the Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on the White Paper on Defence; and if we can expect to see it published prior to the end of this Dáil session in July. [12873/14]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Archives (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 140. To ask the Minister for Defence his plans to make changes to the military records regarding the death of a person (details supplied). [12875/14]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Dialogue (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 141. To ask the Minister for Defence when he last met with the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces. [12874/14]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Expenditure (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 324. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an annual breakdown, in tabular form, of the amount of money invested on student support services in County Donegal yearly since 2008. [13293/14]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Expenditure (25 Mar 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 325. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an annual breakdown, in tabular form, of the amount of money invested in education services in County Donegal yearly since 2008. [13294/14]