Results 1,021-1,040 of 6,944 for speaker:Michael McNamara

Food Costs and High Grocery Bills: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: Usually, the Minister of State gets to address the Members at the end of the debate on what we have said but because of the way tonight’s debate ran, we have heard his contribution first. He lauded the establishment of this agrifood regulator and he talked about real powers. He did not say what it will have power to do, if anything, he just spoke about real power. It reminded me a...

Food Costs and High Grocery Bills: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: Hear, hear.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: I move amendment No. 35: In page 44, to delete lines 26 and 27. The Garda Commissioner has, as one might expect, a broad range of duties to keep the Minister informed of certain matters. However, section 36(1)(d) is problematic in that it refers to "any other matters that, in the Commissioner’s opinion, should be brought to the Minister’s attention". The Covid-19 pandemic...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: An allegation was made on "Prime Time".

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: I cannot either. In any event, it was an allegation that former Deputy Wallace took umbrage at being raised on "Prime Time", as well as the fact that the Minister for Justice had been informed of it by the Garda Commissioner. I am not saying there is political policing very often in this State but the Bill allows for it. The current Garda Commissioner will not be in place for much longer -...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: I know that.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: Yes I did. It is fair to say that the Arms Trial information referred to by An Cathaoirleach would already have been clearly covered by the legislation.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: That is a bit, respectfully-----

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: That is a bit fatuous, in that the arming of certain groups in the State, even though their target was not this State but was the British involvement in Northern Ireland, was considered a threat to this State. Hence the Offences against the State Act and all of the apparatus that is around that. This section is so broad that it is inherently open to abuse. I want to be very clear when I...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: I move amendment No. 43: In page 54, to delete lines 33 to 38, and in page 55, to delete lines 1 to 5. The purpose of these amendments is to continue to facilitate the Garda Commissioner in appointing persons as members of Garda staff. However, they also remove the effect of civilian staff of An Garda Síochána who are civil servants of the Government immediately before the...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: It seems to be the case both to me and to the few serving members of An Garda Síochána who talk to me.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: In any event, I am not pressing the amendment but I reserve the right to return to it on Report Stage.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: I am not withdrawing the amendment; I am just not pressing it. If I withdraw it I cannot raise it on Report Stage.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: Okay. Once that is indicated I will withdraw it. I thought there was something in the so-called salient rulings of the Chair. They are sort of a dark-----

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: I would not recommend it for an evening's reading.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: I will press the amendment without calling a vote.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: That is fine.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: I move amendment No. 44: In page 55, lines 6 and 7, to delete “pursuant to an order under subsection (5)”.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: The Minister has given commitments. In fairness to him and to his officials, I will not call a vote or press this amendment further at this stage but I reserve the right to come back to it on Report Stage. There is one point I wish to raise, however. It relates to this idea that we will have a single organisation and everybody will just work for An Garda Síochána without...