Results 961-980 of 3,337 for speaker:Patrick Costello

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: Okay. Does that include arson?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: Does it include blocking a premises that is in lawful use and preventing people using that premises?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: In the last few days, we have seen all of these things and more around the country. In Buncrana there are reports of community organisations coming together essentially to have vigilante patrols. In Dromahair there were checkpoints set up. Cars were being stopped. People were being interrogated, and there was demanding of ID. We saw that down in Inch as well, where protesters boarded a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: Excuse me, 2022. I was not even here in 2002.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: No, last September, on the first day the Dáil was back, a TD was assaulted outside. Last year a TD was assaulted as well. Because nothing was done it grew into more significant protests outside. Nothing appears to be done and these protests are growing. We had a whole summer of librarians being harassed, intimidated and threatened and seemingly no response. Are these things...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: If you are looking for evidence, much of it is posted on the social media groups and Telegram groups. These people are proud of what they have done and they are happy to show others. The evidence is out there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: Surely if you are taking an intelligence-led approach to prevention, and surely prevention is the first port of call in a graduated response, you should be on these networks. As was said earlier, the SDU should be on these networks.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: I want to follow on from the Chair's question about the numbers in the SDU. Will the Commissioner provide more context in terms of how many are in the unit, how many should be there and how many he would like to be there, how many have applied for the unit and are waiting for sign-off, who should be doing that sign-off and whether there are any roadblocks in that regard? I am asking for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: May I quickly ask one more question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: As units are being amalgamated, what policies and plans are in place to ensure the amalgamated counties will still have a full policing service? The Commissioner might respond to that later in writing.

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Supplementary)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: If extra money is needed for foster care it is very welcome in the context of the need to increase payments, but perhaps I am a little naive to hope that it is also a reflection of an increased number of foster carers. There is an absolutely huge need to improve the conditions of foster carers in order that we can recruit more foster carers. We absolutely need more foster carers. The...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Traffic Offences (28 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: 162. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he is taking to tackle and reduce road traffic offenses, particularly given the increasing number of fatalities and serious injuries on our roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52134/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (28 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: 271. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans for primary schools in the Ballyfermot area identified as having potential demand for a transfer or divestment of school patronage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52211/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (28 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: 272. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that there are enough primary and secondary school places in the Ballyfermot area to service the population in the area; or if there is a requirement to increasing the capacity of existing schools or the establishment of new ones; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52212/23]

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Business of Select Committee. (28 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: I nominate Deputy Niamh Smyth.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: In respect of the Garda Vote, the Minister of State has made reference to the supplementary funding being principally driven, among other things, by the €10 million funding for Garda overtime to increase high-visibility policing in the Dublin metropolitan region. While we will all support high-visibility policing, which is exactly what people are looking for, I have two questions. Is...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Patrick Costello: The Minister of State talked, in his opening statement, about additional prison numbers. There has been some criticism of the growing number of short sentences, and how these do not really impact in terms of recidivism and can cause more problems in their own right. Surely, instead of trying to drive more budget into the prisons, what we should be doing is trying to find ways of reducing...