Results 7,481-7,500 of 7,777 for speaker:Joe Costello

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (24 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: Question 92: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the mechanism for recruiting nursing staff to health board residential nursing centres when extra staff are required, a nursing member of staff becomes ill or is unavailable for any reason; if private agencies are employed; the rate charged; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6402/05]

Written Answers — Prisons Building Programme. : Prisons Building Programme. (24 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: Question 154: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the prison building projects which have not been proceeded with over the past 35 years by his Department; the reason they did not proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6403/05]

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed). (24 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: Deputy McGinley makes an interesting point. The purpose of the establishment of the new board is to give the appearance in the public arena of transparency. An emasculated board is to replace the independent board in a move designed to convey the pretence of an accountable structure. In reality, however, the only person who can adjudicate and disburse funds is the Minister. It is with the...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed). (24 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: I agree with everything my colleague, Deputy Howlin, has said and with the views expressed by all speakers from the Opposition side of the House. Everybody is gobsmacked and flabbergasted by the blatant introduction of this Bill, the stated intention of which is to remove from an independent board the responsibility to disburse the windfall funds from dormant accounts and to put that power...

Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed). (24 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: That is agreed.

Order of Business. (24 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: On the Residential Institutions Redress Bill 2002, the list of institutions where abuse took place was not comprehensive. Amendments were made to it two years later. However, quite a number of people were in other institutions that have not yet been included in the list. These people are not getting any younger. Is it intended to amend the legislation to include the other institutions?

Order of Business. (24 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: An amendment is needed to include the extra institutions.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: Question 80: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he intends to address the gross inequality of treatment of asylum seekers in the context of direct provision; if he will increase the rate of direct provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5902/05]

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (23 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: Question 91: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has reviewed the habitual residence condition; if he has considered the hardship this condition has caused in many cases in recent times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5901/05]

Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill 2002: From the Seanad (Resumed). (23 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: The Minister has gone some distance to allay some of our fears on the matter. In the context of the annual report from the judge which, in the first instance, is given to the Taoiseach, what about an annual report on the complaints mechanism, that is, the referee established in section 59? Is there a similar requirement for that person to provide an annual report to the Taoiseach? Section 7...

Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill 2002: From the Seanad (Resumed). (23 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: No proper statutory basis exists for this.

Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill 2002: From the Seanad (Resumed). (23 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: We should consider what happened in the case of nursing homes.

Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill 2002: From the Seanad (Resumed). (23 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: However, it does not get a call from the Garda Commissioner identifying such a person.

Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill 2002: From the Seanad (Resumed). (23 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: Why is this new amending section needed when section 60 outlines the procedures whereby an issuing state seeks arrest and surrender? It states that it must be done in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the framework directive. Why build in a presumption there instead of leaving it as it is? The Minister is shifting the onus very rapidly.

Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill 2002: From the Seanad (Resumed). (23 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: My memory of the European arrest warrant was that it did not make provision for bail but rather that people would be remanded in custody alone. Are we now being somewhat more generous? We debated the fact that there could be health and other circumstances where a person could be granted bail, but my memory is that the Minister did not accept that amendment. Are we going a step further here?

Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill 2002: From the Seanad (Resumed). (23 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: The debate was that the person concerned did not have to be held in custody.

Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill 2002: From the Seanad (Resumed). (23 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: It seems there is a contradiction in this section. In the first instance, section 21A(1) provides that the High Court shall refuse to surrender the person if it satisfied that a decision has not been made while subsection (2) contains an in-built presumption that a decision has been made. Surely the way to resolve that would be that the European arrest warrant would include a statement, or be...

Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill 2002: From the Seanad (Resumed). (23 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: The Minister did his best at the time.

Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill 2002: From the Seanad. (23 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: This is a fairly far-reaching measure and I understand the Minister's reasons for introducing it and particularly for ensuring that it is not abused. As we know, existing powers allow for interception, collection and the use of telecommunications data and other forms of data. However, a broader range of powers is being provided for and there seem to be very few safeguards. Section 61(1)...

Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill 2002: From the Seanad. (23 Feb 2005)

Joe Costello: This amendment gives rise to considerable concerns, already voiced on the Criminal Justice Bill 2004. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform justifies the establishment of a second Special Criminal Court on the basis that justice delayed is justice denied. Previous rulings on granting bail could be overturned if there was an inordinate delay in the provision of justice and a trial...