Results 7,441-7,460 of 17,498 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: My apologies; our Cabinet meeting went on a bit longer than anticipated. If it is helpful, I can read the statement to the committee. I think members would have heard a lot of the information over the last few days anyway. If it is helpful, we can take it as read.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy has said, a lot of work is under way looking to the year ahead. This is not just in terms of new laws and legislation but also in terms of overall resourcing and structural changes in An Garda Síochána, focused on policing, not just in the city centre, but also more broadly. We introduced and passed body-worn camera legislation last week in the Dáil. A pilot...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: First, the Garda Commissioner obviously engaged with me before that decision was taken. I of course supported that decision, but it is not my decision. I want to be very clear on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am very clear here. My decision is not to bring gardaí out early.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: First, I have never claimed to be able to bring gardaí out of Templemore early. I am very clear on that. The response to your question is the response you would have gotten, irrespective of any other posts. The Garda Commissioner of course engaged with me before that decision was taken and it is a very positive decision. Instead of 153 members coming out on 12 January, 153 will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I will come back on the other questions because you have raised points around the Policing Authority and Twitter. Very soon after the riots on the Thursday night, I met members of An Garda Síochána in a number of stations across the city. I was in Pearse Street, Store Street, Bridewell and Heuston Station where gardaí monitor a lot of CCTV footage. What was said very clearly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: People might have an idea in their head of what law and order is, but I have a particular idea and it is not just about how we can police more and have stronger powers for the Garda. That is part of it, and it is important, when we see more Garda members being assaulted on our streets when doing their job and protecting all of us, that they be protected, that the laws be strong and that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: That is a whole-of-government response and it is a matter of making sure that communities are supported. Senator Ruane will see even in the most recent budget that so much focus was placed on making sure that those communities that are most impacted by the cost of living, the increase in energy costs and the increase in costs more generally are directly supported and that we see those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: My first engagement was, obviously, with An Garda Síochána, working with it to make sure that it had what it needed to respond not only that Thursday but also over the weekend and into the following week. The school that was affected by this awful tragedy immediately received a response from the Department of Education, which is experienced in dealing with these types of scenarios,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: Sorry. I will meet with them soon but I have not met with them yet. I have been engaged with the Commissioner.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: On that specific question, I have not been asked to make any changes. I regularly engage with the Commissioner to ensure he has the relevant powers he needs for his members who are engaged in any type of investigation dealing with a particular crime. Whether it is protests outside the Dáil, violent behaviour or rioting, I will always ask the Commissioner whether there is anything more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: It is very difficult for me to give direction to the Commissioner if he feels the powers he has are sufficient for any particular case. I cannot get into what cases may or may not be-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: Absolutely. I engage with the Commissioner on my own priorities and those of the Government and the Department. It is important that I do not force something on the Commissioner that An Garda Síochána does not need. There is a two-way flow here and that is an important way in which we work with each other. An Garda works with Government to make sure it has what it needs and that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: On the overall Garda numbers, the college was closed to new recruits. The doors might have been open but the college was closed to new recruits not just once, but twice in the last ten years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: There were no new recruits, however.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: Yes but it was closed to new recruits. If you have no new recruits coming out, you cannot increase Garda numbers. That is a simple fact.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: It was closed to new recruits. If there are no new recruits coming out, there are no new recruits coming out, whether the doors are open and the lights on or not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: What I have always said is that the college was closed to new recruits. I can clarify that but there were no new recruits coming out for almost four years out of the last ten. The first time was a result of the bailout and a number of measures having to be taken. The second time the Garda College was for reasons relating to Covid, to keep people safe. In the first instance, we manage to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: What happened on the evening has been outlined very clearly to me. We had the largest ever mobilisation of the public order unit. We do not usually have 200 or 250 people standing around Grafton Street, O'Connell Street, Parnell Street or Santry waiting to respond. I have heard people got WhatsApps and that is how it was done. This came directly from the top, from the assistant...