Results 121-140 of 263 for garda speaker:Martin Kenny

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Martin Kenny: What supports or assistance did the Department give to the holding of the Garda Representative Association, GRA, conference in 2020? As we know, the event took place during the pandemic when practically nothing was happening anywhere in the country. I have a letter to the Minister from Jim Mulligan, the former president of the GRA, in which he expressed concerns that unofficial lobbying had...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Martin Kenny: The issues here go beyond the conference. All of us understand that there are issues with the Garda Representative Association, particularly in its governance. Individual members of An Garda Síochána to whom I have spoken are concerned at the way things are run and operated. We know there were difficulties in the past in that regard. On 15 December 2020, the Minister received a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (25 Nov 2021)

Martin Kenny: I echo that sentiment; we must commend the Garda on the work done in respect of this. However, the reality is that many passengers feel abandoned and unsafe when they travel on our public transport systems. The National Bus and Rail Union has basically stated this type of service must be provided and spoken about taking industrial action if something is not done because it believes that...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Transport (25 Nov 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...also know millions of euro are being spent every year on private security firms doing this kind of work and they only deal with aspects of the issue. They do not deal with the broad range that An Garda Síochána could deal with because of its remit. We are now at a stage where we are encouraging more people to use public transport because of global warming, our carbon...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Minorities Engaging with the Justice System: Discussion (24 Nov 2021)

Martin Kenny: Is it not the case that An Garda Síochána seeks an assessment of an individual by a psychologist before he or she is brought to a facility? Sometimes, there is no space for such individuals in those facilities and they end up being released. The risk the Garda has highlighted can sometimes come to pass because there is nowhere for these people to go.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Minorities Engaging with the Justice System: Discussion (24 Nov 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...their contributions and written statements. I will ask questions of the groups in the order they spoke. The Mental Health Commission raised some issues, including in respect of engagement with An Garda Síochána. It strikes me, and has long struck me, that many of the situations members of the Garda encounter involve individuals who have a mental health issue. These...

Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...and children; and a provision for electronic monitoring or tagging to ensure post-release compliance by offenders who are subject to sex offender orders. The amendments also finally empower the Garda to collect photographs, fingerprints and palm prints to identify offenders. It will allow a Garda inspector to apply for changes to or discharge from the sexual offender order....

Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021: Motion (16 Nov 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...One of the biggest issues that people will remember, and the real origin of this Bill, was the utter confusion in respect of outdoor alcohol consumption caused for members of the Judiciary and members of An Garda Síochána last summer, when nobody knew exactly what the rules were or where we were. That is where this Bill comes from, which reflects a certain sense of poor planning...

Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Second Stage (4 Nov 2021)

Martin Kenny: ..., background checks and so on be aware of the signs they need to look out for, whether in regard to the person they are speaking to or the documents he or she provides. The same goes for members of An Garda Síochána, the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the divisional protective units in place throughout the country. The State has to support these people but...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Women's Shelters and Domestic Abuse Refuges: Discussion (3 Nov 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...in various sectors throughout the country. They do tremendous work. Despite their lack of funding, we expect a service. I have come across people who have gone with their difficulty to An Garda Síochána, the HSE or State agencies but who have been pointed in the direction of the organisations to which I refer, which get no public funding whatsoever and must fundraise as a...

Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality: Statements (20 Oct 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...in every way possible to have the freedom of the streets the same as everyone else. That is something we need to do more about and ensure we put the provisions in place. There must be sufficient garda numbers to protect and police and ensure that everyone has freedom of movement across our city and everywhere else as well. Issues of healthcare are regularly mentioned in relation to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2021: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...this is moving away from reforms that were clearly necessary and appropriate in the past. He indicates a sense that some of the matters that were very concerning for many people regarding how the Garda was run and managed in the past had been dealt with to some extent through the establishment of external bodies and oversight but that some of that has now been pulled back. I would like a...

Access of Competent Authorities to Centralised Bank Account Registries: Motion (19 Oct 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...services which are hiding cash, including the ill-gotten gains of criminal gangs, etc., can be found and traced. While I welcome the powers that it gives to the Criminal Assets Bureau of the Garda, it would be remiss of me not to point out that we are doing something about this at the last minute. There are just ten days to go. Why are we in this position? We always ask these questions...

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...Minister of State for their work on justice. I acknowledge some of the positive things in this budget with regard to the justice sector. Much of it, such as the recruitment of an additional 800 gardaí, is very welcome. We have looked for that for some time. We recognise Templemore is restrained in the numbers that can be trained in any one year. It is at its maximum, so it is...

The National Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027 and Supporting Community Safety: Statements (6 Oct 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...grow up with it as part of their lives and then, naturally enough, it takes over. Children may have parents or older siblings who have been through prison and have continuing contact with the Garda and criminal justice system. That also has an impact. All of these areas have to be worked on. They can all be traced back to social disadvantage and where it leaves us. The failure of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Courts and Courthouses: Discussion (28 Sep 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...various parts of the country. One of the things members hear regularly is that many victims of crime feel lost in the process. They do not know where to go or what is happening. There may be a garda with whom they have a relationship present in the courtroom who will give them a little advice regarding what is happening, what will happen next and when that will take place, such as...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Commissions of Investigation (23 Sep 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...was made to smother what was happening. I believe the first that people outside of the household knew of the death of Fr. Molloy was when the parish priest in Clara knocked on the door of the local Garda station. The conversation immediately was about how it could be kept quiet. That has been how it has gone on since then. I wish to commend the family of Fr. Molloy, and Bill Maher...

Garda Siochana (Functions and Operational Areas) Bill 2021: Second Stage (22 Sep 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...opening remarks on this technical Bill, which will impact on a series of legislative measures, many of them dating back to well before the formation of the State, particularly in respect of Garda districts, which will now become part of Garda divisions. All of this is coming from the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland's recommendations on modernising the force and making it...

EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement: Motion (21 Sep 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...authorities, particularly in Spain, Portugal and other countries like that where incidents occur. They have found it very difficult to get information across. They have been working with the Garda, which does its best as well, but the anecdotal reports coming back indicate that the Garda also finds it difficult in some situations. Some jurisdictions in Europe are magnificent and others...

Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Custodial Sentences) Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Sep 2021)

Martin Kenny: ...levels of resources, not just for our Prison Service and the rehabilitation service that is provided for people coming out of prison but also for our law enforcement services. We need to ensure An Garda Síochána and all the other resources that are there to deal with criminal activity are strong and robust and have international contacts and liaison capability with other police...