Results 8,021-8,040 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (20 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that it is not possible to provide a targeted response in the absence of detailed information in relation to the current immigration status of the person concerned. I am, however, further informed that if the person concerned is seeking to renew or vary an extant permission to reside in this State they...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (20 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned was granted refugee status in the state on 20 March 2002. Due to their status, the person was given a Stamp 4 which is valid until 19 May 2019, at which point it will need to be renewed. Stamp 4 indicates permission to stay in Ireland for a specified period, subject to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Garda Operations (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I agree with Deputy Daly that trust and confidence in the police service is vital in any democratic society. I say to Deputy Collins that those present were acting in accordance with a High Court order, which, by my understanding, was lawfully obtained and was being lawfully executed. I reiterate that the gardaí present faced a most difficult task in managing protest and enforcing the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Garda Operations (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: No.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Garda Operations (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Deputies will be aware that the deployment of gardaí and Garda operations generally are solely matters for An Garda Síochána. While the Taoiseach addressed some of these issues during Leaders' Questions yesterday, I can perhaps add some additional detail to the record of the House today. The Garda Commissioner has issued a statement on the incident referred to and we all now...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I welcome the members back to the Houses after a refreshing summer break. I am very pleased to be here with my team. On my right is Ms Carol Baxter and on my left is Ms Sarah Kavanagh. I am also joined by Mr. John Garry and Ms Caroline Spring. I am pleased to be here to participate in the pre-legislative consideration of the general scheme of the thirty-eighth amendment of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I acknowledge the work of the task force. Numerous bodies, statutory and otherwise, have examined this issue over many years, dating back to the early 1990s. The reason the Government formed the view that the recommendation of the task force was challenging was informed by the eighth amendment, and the advice sought on the eighth amendment from the Attorney General, which concluded that a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Rather than having merely symbolic insertions in our Constitution, it is preferable to firmly state these are matters dealt with by the Oireachtas. I remind members again of numerous instances over the years where the Supreme Court has interpreted aspects of our Constitution in a way that was really unintended by those bringing the case. I am keen to proceed with certainty on an issue of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I acknowledge what Deputy Clare Daly has said. The difficulty is the next question. The Deputy takes the view that there should be something in the Constitution and makes a very fair point in that regard but the difficulty arises when we ask what that might be. On the matter of the Citizens' Assembly, it was felt that we should have an assembly on the issue of caring but that assembly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Very briefly, I see this as a gender equality issue. I see it as being distinct from the issue of caring but that is not to diminish in any way the importance of caring. I felt that the focus should be on asking the people to delete wording in the Constitution that is sexist and outdated.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Of course I welcome the views of Deputies and Senators. I am pleased to have had an opportunity to engage directly with Deputy Ó Laoghaire and other Members of the Oireachtas. I believe such engagement is very important and I welcome it. I have to say, however, that the series of options which were put were rigorously tested. After legal advice was received, it was clear that each...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I do not accept that. As Minister for Justice and Equality, I have to say that the whole issue of care, caring and carers is a matter for the Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty. I acknowledge her record in this area. I put it to the Deputy that we have a strong record in responding to the childcare needs of parents. The Minister, Deputy Zappone, received substantial increases in funding in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As I made clear in the letter I sent in the early summer, I am very keen to hear from the committee. My intention is to maintain my relationship with this committee into the future. The Government, the Oireachtas and expert parties and advisers have grappled with this issue for more than 25 years. Everyone agrees it is timely and appropriate to make the change. That was said 25 years ago,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: There are no immediate plans for such a body of work. The programme for Government contains an agreed pathway on this and a number of other constitutional amendments. In fact, the timetable was that once the people made the decision on the eighth amendment, which they did earlier this year, we would move on to further referendums this autumn, one of which was on Article 41.2 and the other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I would propose that we proceed with the Citizens' Assembly, which would deal specifically with the issue of care and other matters that might be included in its terms of reference. It was the intention of Government that the Citizens' Assembly would proceed and deal with the very valid issues raised by Senator Clifford-Lee. I am sure that there would be opportunity for engagement in that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Very much so. I refer the Senator to the programme for Government and improvements that have been made following a direct focus on the part of Government to increase investment in childcare. Also, parental leave has been increased. These are issues that are the subject of pre-budget discussions and will undoubtedly be included in the Budget Statement of the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, later...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As I said earlier and as I am on the public record of saying throughout the summer, it was the intention that the referendum would take place and that the question would be asked of the people on 26 October, with the other referendum and the presidential election. However, we are now in a situation where the referendum will not take place this year. Next May we have the European Parliament...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am happy to engage with the committee. On the publication of the Attorney General's advice, there is a long-standing precedent and protocol that I do not intend on departing from. However, I, along with my officials, am very keen to offer assistance to the committee with a view to helping it inform its decision.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the Senator. I would point to the difficulties and challenges of finding an appropriate wording that would meet the needs of people like Senator Black who propose that the article be amended rather than replaced. I point to the fact that over the years the Supreme Court, when requested to adjudicate on aspects of our Constitution, has interpreted matters in a way that was perhaps...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I wish to make three brief points. First, in terms of clarification, I would never regard the Chairman or any member of this committee as commentators. The committee are very much legislators and players rather than commentators, and I am glad that the Chairman accepts that point, lest there be any doubt. Second, Deputy Chambers mentioned the issue of the availability or otherwise of the...