Results 81-100 of 2,916 for and speaker:Lisa Chambers

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jan 2024)

Lisa Chambers: I acknowledge the points made by Senator Burke on the damage done by both storms, in particular along the western seaboard where there has been considerable damage to businesses and homes. I also acknowledge the points raised by Senator Dolan about front-line workers in the ESB, Irish Water and Electric Ireland working to get the faults fixed. I fully support the call on behalf of clubs...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (24 Jan 2024)

Lisa Chambers: I welcome the engagement of the Minister on this particular section. I am speaking to the Government amendment No. 84 and also the Fianna Fáil amendments Nos. 76a, 82aand 83a. We have well hashed out the issues relating to this section and I thank the Minister and her Department for the extensive engagement that we had over the past number of months. We had several meetings on this...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (24 Jan 2024)

Lisa Chambers: Having listened to some of the contributions, I will respond to some of the matters raised. The Minister and Department have requested that debate on the Bill finish tonight. I was happy to facilitate that because we have gave it three and a half hours on the previous occasion and provided four hours for it tonight. There has been ample opportunity for Members to have their say and we have...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (24 Jan 2024)

Lisa Chambers: The issue arose many months ago. We have been many months working on this and using every avenue available to us to engage with the Department, the Minister, my party leader and other colleagues. Any suggestion that somehow we have not been working on this is not factually correct. That is borne out in the timelines and our engagement with the councillor representative organisations. As I...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: The Order of Business is No. 1, report of the Committee of Selection, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 2, Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 12.45 p.m., and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes by the putting of one question from the Chair...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: I thank the Cathaoirleach and all those who contributed on the Order of Business. The Deputy Leader, Senator Doherty, spoke about the UN call for a ceasefire, as did many other Senators with very impassioned speeches. There is a view throughout the House that what is happening is abhorrent. There has been acknowledgement that the Government - the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Ministers -...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: I support the amendment put forward by Senator Ruane. It is worth considering, but I understand that it will potentially be considered at a later stage. When going through the section, in particular, section 61(2) states that "Before determining policing priorities, the Authority shall consult with-----" and one of the provisions is "such other persons as the Authority considers...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ...to engage with those priorities or is that simply just to let us know what they are? That might be an opportunity for Members here to bring forward issues that are happening in their communities and views they may have on what those priorities should be. The copy of that will then be put on the website of the authority, which is a good thing. It is very transparent and the public will...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ...yesterday when we had a discussion in the Chamber on security services. The section relates to determining the priorities for An Garda Síochána in performing its functions relating to security and security priorities. Understandably, the section is vague on what that might be because, of course, security services are sensitive. It is important that we are mindful of how we...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ...House elements that may not be suitable to be in the public domain shows why it can be argued that the appropriate place for those services is not under An Garda Síochána. The Bill will progress and pass. Is there scope to consider at a policy level removing those elements from An Garda Síochána and setting up a national security service or agency?At present the...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: I understand the Minister said that in 2005 the establishment of a separate national security agency was considered. In the past decade in particular, there have been many changes. Heretofore as a country we relied heavily our geography to protect us. We did not think national security was an issue for Ireland but that it was something that happened elsewhere. We did not think there were...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: Work was done in assessing whether we needed a separate security agency and a report was done. Could we get a copy of that?

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: I thank the Minister and appreciate her response. I appreciate that she will circulate the report. When was that body of work conducted?Who was involved in that decision-making process such that, at this point in time, it would not be the right move for us, as a State, to move towards a separate national security agency?

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: It is directly relevant to the section. I want to find out when that work was done, who made that decision and if there is an intention to review that decision at any point in the future. If we could get information in terms of what has been established under the Department of the Taoiseach, that would be helpful.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: With regard to the strategic plan, I note that this section lays down a process by which the plan is developed, how it is laid before the Houses and how it is consulted upon, and I have a couple of questions on that. I agree with the timeline set down. It should be done within six months and it is then submitted to the Minister and the Garda for the period of three years, which is a...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: I know we have been back and forth on this but the point I raised was that if there is evaluation and the objectives are not met, will further time be given or is a particular process employed after that point - almost an evaluation as to why objectives are not being met? My concern remains that the view in rural areas is that because Garda resources are at times constrained and a lot of...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: I have a brief question about the publication and implementation of the plan. A question was asked about whether the public will have access to that plan in terms of being able to view it in a particular location. How is it intended to publish that plan and will it be made available in a number of formats to take account of the fact that not everybody might be to get into the local Garda...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ...it before the Oireachtas means it does not reach everybody. Perhaps there are other locations, such as in a community centre, where they could be made available. I am sure the local partnership and local authority members will have access. Maybe the local authority is a good place to lay plans. Often plans of this nature are laid in the local authority building for people to access....

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ...types of points. The annual service plan is obviously important. It sets out which services the Garda will provide, the volume of services, the objectives to be achieved through those services and performance targets. Similar points were raised by Senator Mark Daly. How would the objectives be established and how will performance be measured effectively? What will be the consequences...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: On the specific question on performance targets and what happens if they are not met, I note the Minister said there would be flexibility in the plan. However, I think the line used by Senator Gallagher that “What gets measured, gets done” is pertinent. If there is an incentive to get certain things done, other things may get missed. It is important that unnecessary pressure...