Results 8,121-8,140 of 9,252 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (18 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: I move amendment No. 8:In page 8, to delete line 30. This grouping concerns the structure within the judicial appointments commission and how it proposes to operate. Under the legislation as drafted there will be a series of committees. Amendment No. 8 seeks the deletion of the definition of "Procedures Committee". Subsequent amendments, to which we will come to consider presently, seek...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (18 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: Amendment No. 85 is tabled by Deputy Sean Sherlock.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (18 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: Amendment No. 162 is an amendment to section 53, which refers to submissions or observations at request of the procedures committee. We are seeking the removal of the words "the Procedures Committee" and the substitution of "Commission". The commission will be doing this work as opposed to the procedures committee and that is the purpose of amendments Nos. 162 to 172, inclusive, in my name....

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (18 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister for his response, to which I listened carefully. It indicates how complicated the procedure will be. Even the Minister must accept that the length of time required to provide an explanation to justify the procedures committee indicates that it is excessively complicated. The first amendment in my name and that of Deputy Jack Chambers attempts to prevent the...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (18 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am sorry to interrupt Deputy Wallace. The Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016 is being discussed in the Dáil and I have to speak on it. The Minister has back-up in the Chamber. I do not know if Deputy Clare Daly plans to speak on that Bill.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (18 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: I do not mind what action the committee takes but I have to speak on that Bill in the Dáil.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Training (18 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: 118. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the 8% reduction in the Garda training and development budget in 2018. [44093/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Assisted Human Reproduction Services Provision (17 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: 354. To ask the Minister for Health when the subsidised funding for IVF will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43741/17]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Wards of Court: Discussion (11 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Ms Farrell for coming before the committee along with her colleagues. Today we are largely dealing with financial issues but it is important to remember that behind every ward of court is a very painful story for the individuals concerned. The committee is very conscious that each case relates to someone who is incapable of looking after themselves for the rest of their lives. ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Wards of Court: Discussion (11 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: Is it correct that Ms Farrell wants to see the families having a greater say in the management of the fund?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Wards of Court: Discussion (11 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: I understand the point that Ms Farrell is making. Take the example of a ward of court where a large award is made but it might not be sufficient, for instance there might be a young child with cerebral palsy, and an award is made for €5 million or €6 million when the child is five or six years. There can be no knowledge as to whether that amount will be sufficient to care for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Wards of Court: Discussion (11 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Ms Farrell.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Wards of Court: Discussion (11 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the witnesses for attending. We all appreciate it is a difficult job when one is managing other people's money. If I were managing other people's money, I would be adopting a low-risk approach. I would not like to be exposing their capital award to considerable risk. Ms Mary Farrell gave a number of answers at the end of her presentation. She would like to see the Courts Service...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Wards of Court: Discussion (11 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: When will that happen?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Wards of Court: Discussion (11 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: Ms Farrell also raised the matter of when the UN Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will be ratified. The Minister of State, Deputy McGrath, has been before the committee twice. Does Mr. McKenna have any update on this or can someone tell the committee when it is likely to happen?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Wards of Court: Discussion (11 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Mr. McKenna. My next question is for the Courts Service. There seems to be a complete divergence of opinion between what Ms Mary Farrell and the Justice for Wards group says and what the Courts Service says. This committee is trying to establish what is happening. Ms Farrell has presented as though funds have been lost and the funds have been depleted, whereas the Courts Service,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Wards of Court: Discussion (11 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: When the Courts Service is deciding how it will invest funds from an award over a period, does it have to calculate the likely life span of the individual concerned? For example, if a 30 year old who was a ward of court received an award of €3 million, on what does the Courts Service base its calculations? Does it say that this person may live to 80 years?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Wards of Court: Discussion (11 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: The people here are very genuine. They have raised their concerns and believe there are issues in respect of their funds. Has there been any engagement between the wards of court office and the representatives here to provide them with personal explanations as to why the Court Service says their funds have depleted? Inevitably the fund will be depleted, but the problem here is that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Wards of Court: Discussion (11 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: If a ward who is in receipt of a court award dies, what happens to the funds that are being controlled for him or her?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Wards of Court: Discussion (11 Oct 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: Is it part of the estate?