Results 9,181-9,200 of 9,252 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (28 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: 54. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to provide details of all costs associated with the Garda Síochána investigation into a person (details supplied) including the number of gardaí and overtime involved in the investigation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17976/16]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (28 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: 120. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the special needs assistants provided to a school (details supplied) can be maintained at their current level rather than having one special needs assistant removed from the special needs assistants available to that school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18065/16]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Labour Court (28 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: 544. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of appeals to the Labour Court which it has considered as being out of time and has not heard as a consequence in each of the years from 2011 to 2016 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18047/16]

United Kingdom Referendum on European Union Membership: Statements (27 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Acting Chairman, Deputy Durkan, will be well aware, for centuries the history of this island has been dominated and overshadowed by its relationship with the neighbouring island. For most of that time, the relationship was poisoned because of colonialism and oppression. Fortunately, the past 100 years have been different and there have been great improvements in that relationship....

Revised Estimates for Public Services 2016 (Resumed) (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: I welcome this opportunity, which is my first one, to speak on the justice Vote group Estimates. Each year, this State spends a considerable amount of money on those elements within the control of the Department of Justice and Equality. It is extremely important that the elected Members of Dáil Éireann have an opportunity on behalf of the citizens who elect us to consider those...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Garda Resources (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: 20. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the Dublin armed support unit in An Garda Síochána is in place and operational; the number of gardaí in the unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17122/16]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Garda Resources (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Tánaiste is aware, serious gangland crime continues in Dublin. She has stated that the threat is severe and is a significant challenge to the gardaí, and not just the gardaí on the north inner city of Dublin but to gardaí throughout the city. Fortunately they are meeting that challenge and have been very active as was seen last weekend.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Garda Resources (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: I recognise that resources are crucial in order to meet the challenge posed by organised crime. I welcome that the Tánaiste has been apprised by the Garda Commissioner that the unit will have 55 gardaí. It is not a matter for the Tánaiste or me to get involved in operational matters with regard to whether that number is sufficient or insufficient. However, I am slightly...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Garda Resources (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: On behalf of myself and Fianna Fáil, I acknowledge and thank An Garda Síochána for the excellent work the gardaí are doing. However, it is obviously the case that senior gardaí and commissioners can be reticent when it comes to stating publicly that they need further resources. Ultimately this is a battle that will be defeated if sufficient resources are provided to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Garda Reports (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: 18. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she shares the serious concern expressed by the Policing Authority at systemic performance and management failures within An Garda Síochána and the dismay expressed by the authority at the familiarity of performance failures through various inquiries and reports and the concern that good work being done by...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Garda Reports (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: Last month this House debated the report of the O'Higgins commission. During the course of that debate, I referred to the fact that the central and most important message from the report was the consistent reference to management and supervision failures within An Garda Síochána. It is instructive to note that since then, the Policing Authority has expressed its views on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Garda Reports (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is very important that people express support for An Garda Síochána. It is important that the political system does this and that the public has confidence in An Garda Síochána. It is also important that in order to improve An Garda Síochána and its young recruits, there is proper management and supervision within the force. It is instructive to note that...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Garda Reports (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: One of the difficulties for An Garda Síochána is that the political system concentrates on the force and gets interested in its failings in the aftermath of specific reports. As a result of that political concentration, the Garda can move from crisis to crisis. It is important to have an appraisal and a proper assessment of An Garda Síochána away from crises, such as...

Priority Questions: Judicial Appointments (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: 12. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the proposed new Judicial Appointments Commission will be in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17509/16]

Priority Questions: Judicial Appointments (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: Since December 2015, there has been a vacancy on the Court of Appeal. The Courts Act 2015 was enacted in December 2015 which increased the number of High Court judges by two, so there are vacancies for two more High Court judges. There are also vacancies in the Circuit Court and the District Court. When does the Government intend to nominate appropriately qualified individuals to fill...

Priority Questions: Judicial Appointments (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: Sometimes people think that the filling of judicial vacancies is a matter to convenience judges or lawyers, which it is not. It is required in order to ensure that citizens who appear before our courts, who are anxious to secure and seek justice, have an opportunity to have their rights vindicated. When there is an absence or shortage of judges and vacancies that have not been filled, it...

Priority Questions: Judicial Appointments (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: If there is a desire within Government to try to delay the nomination of judges pending the establishment of the judicial appointments commission, I urge it to bring forward legislation promptly in respect of such a judicial appointments commission. That is something that Fianna Fáil intends to do. We believe the judicial appointments commission process should be amended so that the...

Priority Questions: Garda Remuneration (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: Obviously, we welcome the further investment of €55 million in respect of targeting and dealing with organised crime. The question I am seeking to address is the issue of pay for new recruits in An Garda Síochána. The Tánaiste will recall that the agreement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael contained an agreement to establish a public service pay commission. The...

Priority Questions: Garda Remuneration (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: We hope those talks do progress, but that will not disguise the fact that there is frustration among rank and file gardaí about the Garda pay review. I think it was due to finish in June 2014 but, regrettably, we have lost the Chair of that review body. In the context of negotiations and discussions with the Garda representative associations, does the Tánaiste anticipate that the...

Priority Questions: Garda Remuneration (22 Jun 2016)

Jim O'Callaghan: 10. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the measures she is taking to improve the working conditions of rank and file members of An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17508/16]