Results 9,161-9,180 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am awaiting further clarification on the issue. It is important that we arrive at a point where there is full transparency and we have a process that the public can regard as satisfactory. I do not believe we have reached that point yet but we are working towards it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Yes. I expect, as was always the target, that we will have a Garda Commissioner in place by the end of the summer. Broadly speaking, I expect the appointment to be made in advance of the Dáil returning in September. I believe we are on target to achieve that and I would be happy to keep the Chair and committee informed. The process has been satisfactory. I am in regular contact with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I do not want to move into the realm of speculation but I would expect that there will be some aspects of the commission's report that will require short-term actions on the part of the Government. Others may well require legislative change. I am conscious of the configuration of Parliament in that regard and the challenge in preparing legislation. I would be happy to receive a report from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the select committee and Deputy O'Callaghan in particular for his work on the Parole Bill. We are working on the amendments. It is a source of regret that I am not in a position to present them this week. We are in a tight timeframe between now and the end of the session. Deputy O'Callaghan asked me if we could expect the Bill. My desire and wish is that we would have something...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I share Deputy O'Callaghan's surprise - if he did express surprise - regarding both of the issues he raised. I was surprises to learn that on any one day there may be fewer that 50% of the members of the Garda on front-line duty. I raised this issue with the Garda in the context of my regular meetings with the management of the force. A new rostering duty management system is being...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I had that in mind. I expected that Members would know my officials at this stage. I had been in the habit of introducing them but did not do so on the previous occasion or today. It was on my mind to do so, however. It gives me pleasure to introduce Mr. John O'Callaghan, Mr. Peter Mullan, Mr. Patrick Forsyth and Mr. Brian Merriman. The official sitting behind is Ms Louise Sansom.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality is Ms Oonagh McPhillips and she has been before the committee on a number of occasions. I am sure that, as the senior civil servant in the Department, she will be here again.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I have every intention of ensuring that these issues are dealt with by the end of June. I would expect to have a memo for Government in the next couple of weeks. Assuming that I have the approval of Government, I would be happy to come back to this committee at an early date or at least to ensure that it will be familiar with the new regime. The committee at least will be familiar with the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: INIS offered to meet certain groups.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am not sure what group the Deputy is talking about.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: We attended their conference. We receive their written submissions all the time. There was an offer of a meeting by INIS.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: We attended their annual conference. There is a positive avenue of engagement. The Deputy is particularising a wish on the part of a group to scrutinise the statutory instrument with us. They may not have been fully accommodated on that particular point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I certainly do not want to induce any heart attack for the Deputy. I want to assist the committee in any way possible. As far as the coroners (amendment) Bill is concerned, we are making progress, albeit at a pace that is regrettable. This is taking considerably longer than I anticipated. I may have been speaking about this issue to the committee previously. It was my intention that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I want to make it clear that I mean no disrespect to any member of the committee, the Chairman or the committee as a whole. These are not simple issues that can be dealt with without due and proper consideration. I regret that the coroners (amendment) Bill has taken such time. My new target in this regard is to proceed to publication as a priority within the next four weeks before the end...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I will get back to the Deputy on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I can confirm that the pre-action protocols will be completed by the date upon which the Dáil rises for the summer, 13 July. In respect of the mental health and well-being of people in prison, I acknowledge progress in a range of Departments. People with mental illness coming in contact with the criminal justice system is an issue that involves more than just the Prison Service. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: No, that will not be the case. I do not wish to be in any way critical of the independent body, respecting as I do the independence of GSOC. However, in the context of resources, it is entirely reasonable that we work on a business plan and a set of projections. That is what I am doing and that is what I will do to ensure that GSOC is properly resourced.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: It is subject to a money message. A number of Bills are the subject of a money message which is an issue for the Government. I will check out where we are on the provision of the money message to facilitate that Bill going forward.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am keen to ensure national best practice in our prison system. I acknowledge over recent times the manner in which single-cell accommodation in Mountjoy, for example, has become a thing of the past. I am keen to ensure that will be the case right throughout the prison system. We can move towards a position where solitary confinement can be something that is very much of necessity but...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Síochána Oversight and Accountability: Minister for Justice and Equality (13 Jun 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I accept the Chairman's comments about the Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2017. It is a matter of concern to this committee, as it is to me.