Results 7,281-7,300 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: May I first ask the Chair to remind the House the length of time that we have spent on this section?

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I will make three points in response to Senator McDowell. I thank him for making an important contribution, particularly in the area of sanctions. Before I respond to the Senator, I will make two brief points in response to the questions posed by Senators Norris and McDowell when they wondered as to the sense of amendment No. 68. I wish to allay their fears and concerns by pointing out...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Yes.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The notion put forward by Senators McDowell and Norris that much of the work of this commission will be in some way outsourced to the private sector has no basis. It will not occur in the way suggested.It would be wrong to suggest that the important work of this commission will be performed elsewhere in some routine manner by consultants or even, as has been specifically suggested, by...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: My amendments, in respect of which Senators were addressing concerns, provide for summary offences under sections 27 and 28 and confine the offences to being dealt with within the District Court, with a maximum fine on conviction of €5,000. That is set out in the Fines Act 2010 and it can be varied by the Oireachtas, should it be deemed necessary. As Senators are aware, the...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am not sure about Senator Norris, but he might be provoked into agreeing with Senator McDowell on that, perhaps unbeknownst to himself. In any event, it is important that we have consistency. There are similar sanctions for similar breaches in other legislation. Ultimately, I do not go along with the view that summary offences do not provide for adequate remedies in circumstances. If...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Some Members may not have heard the remark but the Acting Chair has now compounded it. It was directed at Senator Norris.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The House dealt with this matter some weeks ago.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I refer to the points I made earlier in reply to Senators McDowell and Craughwell when they spoke about the criminal sanctions that might be available to the State in the event of there being an unlawful disclosure or breach. My overriding concerns are proportionality and consistency. However, I acknowledge the strong submissions from the Senators and I will reflect on them between now and...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: This is not ignoring the law. There is clear sanction in the law.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I will reflect on that issue.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: It is only the director who is at play here and not another staff member. Only the director could have the delegated functions.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am not withdrawing it.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Opening Hours (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is primarily responsible for the effective and efficient use of resources available to An Garda Síochána. This includes operational matters such as the opening hours of Garda stations. As Minister, I have no role in relation to that matter. I am informed by the Garda authorities that Malahide Garda Station, located...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Certificates (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that an application for a certificate of naturalisation has been received from the person referred to by the Deputy. This application has entered the final stage of processing. A letter has issued to the person concerned requesting them to submit the prescribed certificate fee and other documents. When...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: White Collar Crime (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 to 95, inclusive, together. As the Deputy will be aware, this report which was published on 25 October 2018 is a very substantial piece of work with over 100 recommendations. The report and recommendations will require detailed consideration by the relevant Departments including the Departments of Justice and Equality; Business, Enterprise and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service Strategies (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by officials in the Irish Prison Service that a review of the Incentivised Regimes Policy and its application in prisons commenced in 2018. The review is being undertaken in partnership with the Prison Officers' Association and an external academic from Queens University Belfast. The terms of reference for the review and research plan have been established and the Steering Group...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that it wrote to the person concerned on 25 October 2018 and advised that all applications for permission to remain in the State on the basis of parentage of an Irish citizen child from a Non-EEA parent must be submitted on the Irish Citizen Child Application Form. I am further advised that it remains...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service Staff (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the Service is committed to protecting dignity and respect across the organisation and addresses complaints of bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment under the Dignity at Work policy for the Irish Civil Service. I am informed that in the period referred to by the Deputy, one such complaint against a member of staff was upheld after...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service Staff (8 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I wish to inform the Deputy that it has not been possible in the timeframe available to collate the information sought as this entails a manual check over each month for the period in question. I will revert to the Deputy as soon as this information has been compiled.