Results 7,141-7,160 of 9,159 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Security (14 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 471. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will outline any representations received from the Prison Officers' Association since 9 March 2011 regarding gangs and criminality in prisons; and the steps he has taken to address concerns raised. [22476/13]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (14 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 686. To ask the Minister for Health if the Service Level Agreements between the Health Service Executive Medical Education and Training Unit and the College of Anaesthetists, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland require the colleges to ensure the fair and equal distribution of training posts for junior doctors to hospitals throughout the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (14 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 687. To ask the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that the Health Service Executive's centralised recruitment process will deliver the required number of junior doctors to hospitals throughout the State this summer [22840/13]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Sunbed Usage (9 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 13. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she or her Department have engaged directly with the Department of Health to ensure that legislation currently being drafted on the issue of sunbed use and access adequately addresses the serious problem of under-18 use of these machines with all the potential adverse effects on children’s health and their well-being in later...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Scrutiny Reports: Discussion with Department of Defence (8 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is fine for now. I will move on to the next question. As Mr. Howard is aware, the operation in Mali has a wider context. Many of the European countries have a colonial history, particularly in north Africa but also throughout Africa - we are talking about north Africa for the purposes of this conversation - which is not something to be proud of. There are always concerns about the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Scrutiny Reports: Discussion with Department of Defence (8 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I welcome the Secretary General and his colleagues. Concern has been expressed in recent years about a perceived erosion of Irish neutrality, with our participation in the Partnership for Peace, PfP, operations and the EU battle groups. This was not helped by the comments of the Secretary General of NATO who, on a recent visit here, said that he would like to see Ireland join NATO in the...

Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (7 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: My party welcomes the legislation, as it is right that the soldiers in question are pardoned. Fascism did not just emerge with Hitler’s rise to power. It was already evident in Mussolini’s Italy and later in Franco’s Spain. Many men from this country who went to fight fascism in Spain were excommunicated from the Catholic Church. They were condemned up and down the...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (7 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am sure the Minister understands the context of this question, namely, the concern around the use of the anti-malarial drug, Lariam, and its side effects as outlined by many serving members, many of whom I understand are taking legal proceedings in this regard. The US army ceased using Lariam a number of years ago. Why do the Irish Defence Forces continue to use it? Are there no...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (7 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: On a point of order, what time is allowed for the Minister's response?

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (7 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That was a very lengthy response.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (7 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: While personnel are screened for mental health and underlying issues, there are difficulties in detecting them. How can the Minister be sure the drug is being properly prescribed? As I stated, this medication has not been prescribed for serving members of the US defence dorces since 2009. Why do the Defence Forces continue using it? Are there alternatives that do not have the same side...

Other Questions: Defence Forces UN Missions (7 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Northern Africa has a colonial history and was carved up by a number of countries, most notably Britain, France and Spain. It is a tragic history of the pillage of natural resources, genocide and oppression over many decades. That is the context of engagement in north Africa. France was very slow out of the blocks in Tunisia when the people had their uprising and removed the dictator Ben...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve Issues (7 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I do not know the answer to the question I am about to ask the Minister. Has he met with the members of the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association to seek the views of its members? It strikes me they are making a constructive contribution to the debate. They are genuinely concerned their members will not be able to meet the requirements in terms of training and they made a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve Issues (7 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I have the transcripts of the presentation and the subsequent question and answer session with the RDFRA at the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality. It is clear that it has a significant difficulty with the VFM report and its input to it. One major point that stands out is that of training hours. Unless a member of the Reserve Defence Force has met the statutory requirement of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Reserve Issues (7 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 73. To ask the Minister for Defence if he has taken the opportunity to read the transcript from the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association which was before the Oireachtas Justice Committee on 24 April 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21410/13]

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (3 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I commend Deputy Pringle on introducing this timely Bill. As Deputy Niall Collins has noted, the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality has been examining this issue and has invited a variety of spokespersons for national organisations, academics and former prostitutes to share the views and experiences of those who want to change our law to adopt the Swedish model and those who...

Other Questions: Garda Investigations (2 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am concerned that the confines of this re-examination and report will be limited to the immediate investigation. As the Minister knows, a range of issues flow from this case which are of the utmost concern. This case is truly shocking. I had a chance to review it in detail over the weekend and I am stunned at the extent of the scandal. The public will not be satisfied with police...

Other Questions: Garda Investigations (2 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We will await the outcome of that report. The Minister will be very familiar with this case going back to the time when he was an Opposition spokesperson on justice. I have had a chance to review what is known about the case, most of which is in the public domain. Potentially it is one of the biggest scandals in the history of the State in terms of the range of people associated with it,...

Other Questions: Visa Agreements (2 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Minister may be aware of the case that has been reported in the media over the past week of two Chinese parents, Meijiao Yu and Xiao Shao, who are looking to have their daughter, aged almost four years, returned to be with them. They came here as students on student visas and now they are here with a business. They are exactly the kind of persons who we want to build their future here...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Industrial Relations Issues (2 May 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: To be fair about this, the relationship between the GRA and the Minister of the day has been antagonistic for a number of years. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in the last Government had a big row with the GRA as it was about to deliver a condemnatory address. This happened before the Minister's time in office but it serves no one's interest that it continues. I appeal...