Results 11,521-11,540 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: That is fine as long as we will be coming back to it.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: With specific reference to amendment No. 33 in the name of Deputy Clare Daly which proposes to reduce the number of lay members of the commission from six to four, I would be concerned about a reduction in the number of lay members.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I acknowledge the differing views and amendments from the various party groupings, all of which refer to the non-legal or lay members of the commission. If we were to increase the lay membership, having regard to the fact that the committee has already deleted the reference to the involvement of committees, it is important that there be a mix of people chosen by the Public Appointments...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am not convinced that such a declaration is required. The requirements of the Standards in Public Office Commission are the normal benchmark in respect of such positions or offices. I have provided for this in section 60 so I am not prepared to accept the amendment.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: No, it was amendment No. 49.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I listened to Deputy Wallace suggest there may be an inappropriate level of influence on the commission.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I do not agree with him and I feel the members of the commission to whom he makes reference could be the most expert people in terms of their knowledge and their input and contribution. As a result, I have a difficulty with the amendment. The provision applies to lay members, including the non-legal chairperson selected by the Public Appointments Service and the nominees of the professional...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: It is important that we consider the practical outturn of this amendment. It may well be the case that, after three years, we have people who have contributed substantially to the effective working of the commission. They would be regarded as good people and have expertise. They would have acquired three years of experience. It is not unreasonable that they might be asked to serve for a...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: There will be opportunity, I am sure, before the amendments are put. Amendment No. 41 certainly shows consistency on the part of Deputy Daly in respect of membership of the commission, in particular, the manner of the appointment of the legal professional body nominees and the stipulation that the Free Legal Advice Centres, FLAC, and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, ICCL, should...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I do not accept that. In fact, it is very unfair on the representative professional bodies. Of course, it is open to anyone in society to ask questions and Deputy Clare Daly has referred to people asking questions about suitability and appropriateness. Asking questions is easy but answering them and drawing on conclusive evidence and ensuring due process is important. I do not think it is...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Questions may have been raised, but drawing conclusions from this is fundamentally unfair.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I have made the point that I am not minded to take on board the thinking of Deputy Clare Daly. We have been over this ground before and I will not accept the amendments.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences Data (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I have requested the statistics sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána and will contact the Deputy directly on receipt of this information.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Sector Pensions (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I can inform the Deputy that the new Single Public Service Pension Scheme ("Single Scheme") commenced with effect from 1 January 2013. All new entrants to pensionable public service employment on or after 1 January 2013 are, in general members of the Single Scheme. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform-led project entails, as part of the next phase, the building of a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Opening Hours (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is primarily responsible for operational decisions in respect of the effective and efficient use of resources available to An Garda Síochána including the opening hours of Garda stations and I, as Minister, have no role in relation to the matter. I have asked the Garda Commissioner for the specific information requested...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am aware of media reports concerning the purported transfer of a Garda as referred to in the Deputy's question. As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no role in the matter. It is, correctly, a matter entirely...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Tribunals of Inquiry Data (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 246 to 248, inclusive, together. As the Deputy will be aware, it is the Garda Commissioner who has statutory responsibility to carry on and manage and control generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána. Accordingly, the putting in place of the internal structures to service the Disclosures Tribunal referred to was a matter...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service Properties (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications Data (23 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the information sought by the Deputy is included in the table. The number for 2017 is influenced by the introduction of the new International Protection Act which required significant changes to procedures as well as the introduction of the transition provisions of the Act which required a...