Results 6,761-6,780 of 9,160 for speaker:Thomas Pringle

Flooding: Statements (13 Jan 2016)

Thomas Pringle: County Donegal experienced its most recent flooding events at the start of the current crisis. One of the fortunate developments for the population of the county was that the flood waters receded quickly. Unfortunately for the county, this probably means that priority will shift to the south and Donegal may be left behind in terms of funding to alleviate flooding problems in future. County...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (13 Jan 2016)

Thomas Pringle: 464. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the Yazidi community of Northern Iraq are included in her plans to accept refugees agreed with the European Union; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46521/15]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Údarás na Gaeltachta Funding (13 Jan 2016)

Thomas Pringle: 950. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding provided by her Department or agencies of her Department to Cló Ceardlann na gCnoc in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46539/15]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Egyptian Conflict (17 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: 16. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the situation regarding a person (details supplied) held in an Egyptian prison; if he has made representations to officials in Egypt in view of this person's hunger strike; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45386/15]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (17 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: 38. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the implementation of the stock-take report and the work of the independent chairperson of the Maghaberry prison forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45385/15]

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: I will speak to amendment No. 102, which basically has the same effect as Deputy Collins's amendment, except it does not allow blame to be put on the applicant. The Minister of State will probably indicate in response that the intention of the Bill is that all decisions will be made within six months so this does not arise. Seeing is believing and I certainly do not believe it. I would...

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: I move amendment No. 17: In page 18, line 10, after “years” to insert the following: “or where the person self-identifies him or herself as a person who has not attained the age of 18 years,”.

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: When somebody presents in the State and is interviewed by an international protection officer or immigration officer, they give their date of birth and, at that point, as the Minister of State suggests, section 14(2) comes into play. Is that what will happen in practice?

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: The legislation states at section 14(1): "Where it appears to an officer referred to in section 13 that a person seeking to make an application for international protection". I am sure that in the cases I mentioned earlier, the children gave their dates of birth to the immigration officer at the port of entry when they entered the State, but they certainly were not treated as minors....

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: The Minister of State contradicts himself in regard to self-identification. First, he said that if a minor gives a date of birth that shows they are a minor, subsection (2) automatically kicks in and Tusla will be informed. He then said the reason he is not accepting this amendment is in order to stop people declaring themselves as minors falsely to try to subvert the system. What is to...

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: I wish to speak to amendment No. 17. The Bill as it currently stands states that "where it appears" to an officer that a person seeking to make an application for international protection is under the age of 18 but the amendment allows for a person to self identify as being a person under 18 years of age. This is vitally important because unaccompanied minors have ended up and do end up in...

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: I support these amendments. It is hard to figure out why amendments such as these have to be tabled. The tenet of the Bill appears to be that if a marriage breaks down or ceases to exist after family reunification, those who have come here to be reunited with family will lose their rights to residency. This is bizarre. It is supposed to be a humanitarian system which is concerned with...

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: In respect of the Minister of State's response, what we are saying to family members of someone who has international protection is that if the marriage breaks down, they have to apply for a visa for a long-stay permission or something like it under the Immigration Act 1999. Should they apply before the marriage breaks down or afterwards? Should they apply before they leave the abusive...

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: I support amendment No. 12. Given that many people seeking protection move around a lot and would not be in a fixed abode, it is vital that documentation such as that provided for in this amendment would be passed on to their legal representatives. Is the intent of the Minister of State's amendment, in terms of its proposed removal of subsection (2), to shorten the length of time a person...

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: I move amendment No. 10: In page 12, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following: "(5) The best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration in the application of all provisions of this Act and in the performance of all functions conferred by this Act that directly or indirectly affect children.". One of the glaring issues throughout the Bill is the absence of references...

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: I still oppose the Minister of State's amendment, which states, "The best interests of the child will be a primary consideration in the application of this section", rather than in the application of the Bill as a whole. I fail to see what unintended consequences there could be in executing Government policy to look after the best interests of the child. Children, by definition, are...

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: That is not what is in the Bill. The section states, "The Minister may enter into contracts for services with such and so many persons. It does not say that such persons are also to be public servants or civil servants.

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: It is stated not in the Bill.

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: I take what the Minister of State says at face value. I accept he believes that these will be civil servants trained to the highest international UNHCR standards. The problem, however, is that when the Bill is passed this will not be provided for in black and white. The Bill will provide solely for the power of the Minister to appoint and revoke the appointment of the international...

International Protection Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Thomas Pringle: What section did the Minister reference?