Results 12,161-12,180 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for facilitating me. I thank Members for their contributions. I hope that colleagues on all sides will appreciate that in recent days my focus has been to ensure that the instructions of the Taoiseach regarding a search and retrieval process were followed in a comprehensive way. I do not believe that any criticism can be levelled at the Taoiseach for...

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Many of the recommendations of the Toland review have already been examined and are in the course of being implemented in the Department of Justice and Equality. In fact, there is a specific dedicated committee within the Department to oversee the implementation of the Toland report. However, having regard to the events of the past three weeks, it is important that implementation be...

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Having made inquiries, I assure the House that there has been full disclosure within the Department of Justice and Equality in the context of all issues in respect of which it is statutorily obliged to make disclosures. However, having regard to recent events, I would be very happy to have the Department undertake any further inquiries or further scrutiny which may be required. I have no...

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I do not wish to engage in any speculation as to what might or might not be the subject matter of a report of the disclosures tribunal. As I have said repeatedly in reply to parliamentary questions, in public comments and in response to any questions that have arise, it is important that this House acknowledges the importance of the disclosures tribunal. Every party and group had an...

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I would be very happy if that could be undertaken. However, Members will accept that it is very difficult to determine responsibility for these matters. I want to see the external investigation of the events of the past few weeks get under way at the earliest opportunity.

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: A press statement issued from my Department on 13 November in respect of public commentary that had been made in both the newspapers and the broadcast media over the previous weekend. I instructed my press office to issue a reminder to everybody in order to ensure that the tribunal should not be in any interrupted or disrupted by commentary in the media - or, indeed, in the Dáil - on...

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I want to make it quite clear, as I have said on a number of occasions, that my first sight of this email was on 20 November. While I was notified of the existence of an email, I had no opportunity to see that email, I had not had sight of it, I had not seen its content and nobody had read it to me. I had no knowledge of the detail until I saw it on 20 November.

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I instructed my press office to issue a press statement regarding public commentary that had taken place over the previous number of days on the tribunal and on tribunal issues.

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: It was done in my office in Dublin. I have no knowledge of an examination of the email account of the former Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, or of those of any of her advisers taking place. I assure the House that, as far as the former Minister, her advisers or anybody in my office is concerned, we will co-operate fully with the tribunal in accordance with the law and the former-----

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: As I said in my opening comments, the Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality, having reached 40 years' service, has decided to retire from his position.

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I would like to complete my response to Deputy Howlin by saying I expect that everybody in the Department of Justice and Equality - including those who may not now be in the Department - will continue to be responsible for dealing with these issues.

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: In the course of my conversation with the Secretary General, it was made quite clear to me that the timing of his retirement and the matter of the tribunal were entirely coincidental. The email mentioned by the Deputy referred to a document which pertained to the O'Higgins commission and Sergeant McCabe. As soon as I heard about the nature of the document, I immediately stated that it...

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am satisfied that the former Tánaiste had no hand, act or part in designing, guiding or devising any strategy against Sergeant McCabe at any juncture. These issues will now be the subject of considerable investigation and discourse at the tribunal. I look forward to the former Tánaiste being vindicated by the tribunal at the earliest opportunity.

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: This is precisely why it was my belief all the time - it remains my belief - that all of these issues are best deliberated and decided on at the tribunal. We are now in a rarified and frenzied atmosphere - as the Deputy has conceded - of rumours, whispers, innuendo and allegations, many of which are completely untrue. All of this will be determined in early course by the tribunal. That is...

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am considering further steps that I, as Minister for Justice and Equality, can and will take in order to ensure that the events of recent weeks do not take place again. There are important lessons to be learned. We should look at this in the context of the overall review of the Department of Justice and Equality, which has been under way for some time and which will now be accelerated. I...

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I do not think it is fair to speak about confidence in the former Commissioner, Nóirín O'Sullivan, at this stage . It is important now that we look forward to the various reports that have been completed and to the reform process that is under way. I refer particularly to the many recommendations of the Garda Inspectorate, some of which have been implemented and many more of which...

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Lest there be any misunderstanding, I wish to state that much of the criticism that has been made of the Department of Justice and Equality today and earlier is warranted. I want to ensure that this will not be the case again. As far as the timelines to which the Deputy referred are concerned, he is broadly correct. In respect of the discovery of the document, there will be an...

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: It seems that, of the tens of thousands of emails that were received in the Department within that period, no reference was made to the email of 15 May. My understanding is that it was considered, in the context of what had been forwarded to the tribunal, as a new document. However, there is more work to be done in that regard and it will be done in the context of the forthcoming...

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: On the matter of the first question raised by Deputy Howlin, I was told of the existence of an email. I was not provided with appropriate details to allow me to link the email to the issues that were under question in the Dáil on the following days. The existence of an email to me was along the same lines as the 230 documents, many of which were emails, that had been already forwarded...

Justice Issues: Statements (28 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: On inquiry, as to the reason it was not sent, my understanding, as I said to Deputy Ó Laoghaire, was that there were legal issues regarding the document and there was the matter of privilege, which was considered. The matter was referred to the Attorney General and that has been put forward as an explanation for the lapse of time until 22 November.