Results 8,821-8,840 of 9,252 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Commission of Investigation relating to disclosures by members of An Garda Síochána: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: It will be a while before the Deputy retires.

Commission of Investigation relating to disclosures by members of An Garda Síochána: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: We know that in September last year two protected disclosures were made. I have never seen the content of those protected disclosures but I know from what is in the public domain that in general they allege that a campaign launched at senior levels in An Garda Síochána to discredit a whistleblower. When Mr. Justice O'Neill was nominated by the Government to investigate the matter...

Bail (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (8 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: In 1966, a man called Roger O'Callaghan was charged with a number of criminal offences, including larceny, breaking and entering, malicious damage and assaulting a member of An Garda Síochána. He was remanded in custody by An Garda Síochána. He sought bail and when he went to the High Court, he was refused bail. One of the grounds on which he was refused bail was that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Prisons, Penal Policy and Sentencing: Irish Penal Reform Trust (8 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the witnesses for coming in and for their presentation. There have been a number of reports before in respect of the area of penal reform, for example, the Whitaker committee report around 30 years ago and the Oireachtas sub-committee report in 2013. I am conscious that at the end of this process this committee is going to produce a report. It is such a huge area and there is so...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Prisons, Penal Policy and Sentencing: Irish Penal Reform Trust (8 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Ms Chinnéide for her answer. In terms of, say, a drug addict who is convicted of a minor offence such as shoplifting and a drug addict who is convicted of a serious sexual assault, what options does Ms Chinnéide believe should be available to a judge sentencing that person?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Prisons, Penal Policy and Sentencing: Irish Penal Reform Trust (8 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: It does in part. Obviously, a person who is a drug addict is in a different position from a person who is not but who is convicted of a serious offence. There should be some incentive or benefit for a drug addict in that the conviction should indicate that if he or she goes down the path towards trying to get treatment for their addiction they will get a lesser sentence or the prison will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Prisons, Penal Policy and Sentencing: Irish Penal Reform Trust (8 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: It was not put that eloquently.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Civilian Staff Data (8 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: 89. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of civilian staff employed in An Garda Síochána at the end of each of the years from 2010 to 2016, in tabular form; and the proportion of total personnel numbers in An Garda Síochána that this represented on each date. [6129/17]

Courts (No. 2) Bill 2016: Second Stage (7 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: Like the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 we debated earlier and the Bail (Amendment) Bill 2016 we will debate tomorrow, the Bill before us this evening, the Courts (No. 2) Bill 2016, is welcome. I commend the Tánaiste on the productivity of her Department in bringing legislation before the House. The same cannot be said for some of her Government colleagues. Perhaps she will...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: I support amendment No. 28, which has been proposed by the Tánaiste. It is important to recall what the function of a prosecutor in a criminal trial is. The function of a prosecutor here, unlike in America, should not be to adamantly pursue a guilty conviction. His or her function should be to put the evidence fairly before the jury so that it can determine whether the accused is...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: Just to be clear in order that there are not any surprises, I agree with Deputy O'Brien. In terms of changing the law, the law is being changed if Deputy O'Brien's amendment is defeated. It is being changed if section 28 is introduced. The law at present provides that there is life imprisonment for a male who is convicted of incest but the sentence is three to seven years for a woman who...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: Deputy Jonathan O'Brien wanted to move that amendment.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: I want to speak to the amendment. The amendment in Deputy Jonathan O'Brien's name is a proposal to amend the legislation by removing section 28, which criminalises incest on the part of females of or over 17 years of age. This was discussed briefly on Committee Stage when the matter was before the select committee. The law in respect of incest is archaic and there was a discrepancy between...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base Proposals (7 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: 181. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on CCCTB; if the matter has been raised recently with the European Commission and-or the Council of Ministers and, if so, their response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5911/17]

Committee Report on Garda Oversight and Accountability: Motion (2 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: Approximately 50% of my time as spokesperson for justice and equality is devoted to issues concerning An Garda Síochána. That is not surprising when one considers that it is a force of up to 13,000 members who interact with members of the public every day. One of the downsides of discussing An Garda Síochána in this House is that we only really get to focus on issues...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: There is general agreement that there should be a review of this legislation and that a report should be produced. That is a good idea. When we introduce new laws, it is important that we review them on an ongoing basis and come back with recommendations where they might be improved. It is important that we are not too prescriptive with regard to the legislation in terms of setting out...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Report Stage (1 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: On Second and Committee Stages, Fianna Fáil's attitude to Part 4 of the Bill, which deals with the purchase of sexual services, has not altered. Therefore, we will not support amendment No. 10. It is important to recall what lies at the heart of prostitution. At its heart lies abuse of vulnerable women and that vulnerability has been growing in recent times. When you look at the...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Report Stage (1 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: Are the amendments grouped? I thought we would deal with amendments Nos. 1 and 52 to 55, inclusive, together.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Report Stage (1 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: Part of the definition of a person in authority is any other person who is, or has been, responsible for the education, supervision, training, care or welfare of the child. I take it this includes people such as sports coaches and members of the clergy involved with children at a particular time. I am interested to hear the Minister's view on this.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Report Stage (1 Feb 2017)

Jim O'Callaghan: We had tabled an amendment in respect of consent on Committee Stage, which we withdrew. The Minister indicated that she would propose a definition. That was helped in large part by a decision of the Supreme Court on 11 November in the case of the DPP v.O'R which gave a broad overview of the issue in respect of consent. Obviously, people previously had a definition of consent when it came...