Results 8,021-8,040 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Topical Issue Debate: Road Traffic Offences (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I want to put on the record that the behaviour of the Deputies is outrageous. There is a pretence at wanting a public inquiry, but in fact what the Deputies want is a hanging. They want to make allegations, to prosecute them and to assume everyone is guilty. Why? Because they are the recipients of allegations. All of the issues raised by the three Deputies relate to the same topic which...

Order of Business (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: It was done in the same way on the advice of the then Attorney General.

Leaders' Questions (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy is good at giving it, but he will not respond to it.

Leaders' Questions (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: If the Deputy had showed compassion 15 or 20 years ago, it would have made a big difference.

Leaders' Questions (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: No one walked out.

Leaders' Questions (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: One would think Deputy Martin was not in the previous Government.

Leaders' Questions (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy has learned nothing from being in Government.

Other Questions: Penalty Points System (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I never cease to be amazed at people who are consumed by conspiracy theories.

Other Questions: Penalty Points System (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I say to the Deputies yet again, very clearly, that the allegations they are referring to were made to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Department of the Taoiseach in September. They were referred to my Department in September and in October they were referred to the Garda Commissioner and they are being thoroughly investigated. Deputy Daly has made the sweeping claim...

Other Questions: Penalty Points System (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I wonder how she knows that because there are quite clearly a broad range of circumstances in which tickets can be properly cancelled and I have already given detail of those. I say to both Deputies that there will be no cover up, on my watch, of anything. I have the greatest confidence in the Garda Commissioner to ensure that these matters will be and are currently being properly...

Other Questions: Penalty Points System (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The numbers involved seem to grow every time Deputy Wallace says something.

Other Questions: Penalty Points System (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The letter that I have seen, with certain allegations in it, is the letter that has been furnished to the Garda Commissioner. All of the allegations contained in that letter, I am advised, are being fully and properly investigated. As I said to Deputy Mac Lochlainn, it is likely that this investigation will continue into the new year because of the nature of the allegations made. When the...

Other Questions: Equality Issues (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: Before turning to the specific question raised by the Deputy, I wish to make a number of points which are important. The functions of the new Irish human rights and equality commission will involve a levelling upwards rather than downwards of the functions of the Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission. The purpose of the merger is to strengthen protection of human rights...

Other Questions: Traveller Community (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I have no immediate plans to introduce such legislation, although, as I have indicated in the past, serious consideration is being given to the issue. I am aware of the long-standing wish of many Travellers that such status be granted, but there are some divergent views. I am also aware that the previous Government was of the view that Travellers were not an ethnic minority. Dialogue...

Other Questions: Traveller Community (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The purpose of the conference to which I referred was to allow for a wide exchange of views. I understand two speakers from the Traveller community spoke in favour of Travellers being identified as an ethnic minority, while one other spoke against this. Debate and discussion on the issue are ongoing. We must be careful that in taking this route we do not make decisions that will have...

Other Questions: Penalty Points System (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 58, 68, 96 and 104 together. The allegations referred to by the Deputies are not that some people have had penalty points written off, but that in a number of cases members of the Garda Síochána have inappropriately cancelled fixed charge notices, mainly for speeding. The allegations appear to be made on the basis of records of cancellation on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I put it to the Deputy that the members of the Defence Forces have specific training and capabilities and it is important that they use those capabilities in appropriate circumstances. Members of the Defence Forces are not trained in the prevention and detection of crime. The training provided to members of An Garda Síochána is quite different from that provided to members of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I caution the Deputy about talking about fear and terror. Let us get back to the discussion of the closure of Garda stations. Some 94% of the stations that have closed were open for no more than three hours and the vast majority of these were only open in the morning. They made no contribution of significance to crime prevention by their presence. The vast majority of burglaries take...

Other Questions: Equality Issues (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I can provide absolute assurance to persons with potential discrimination claims under employment equality legislation and equal status legislation that they will, on the merger of the Equality Tribunal into the new workplace relations service, continue to be able to pursue formal complaints before the new body and that these complaints will be dealt with as effectively as by the Equality...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy, sadly, is addicted to soundbite politics.