Results 1,481-1,500 of 2,412 for speaker:Niall Ó Donnghaile

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Statements (6 Nov 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: To keep things in the spirit in which I have offered my remarks, many of us view it in that regard. I alert the Tánaiste to that.

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Statements (6 Nov 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: What is the purpose of the review and what is the rationale for accepting a review of what we have all acknowledged must be a permanent, fixed and secure backstop?

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach as ucht seal a thabhairt dúinn cúpla focal a rá faoi shaol Maurice Hayes agus comhbhrón a dhéanamh lena chlann atá linn inniu. I thank the Cathaoirleach for this opportunity afforded to Members, not least those of us who were elected after Maurice's time in the Seanad, to reflect not just on his life within this...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: We are not listening.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: The Senators should not fall out when they have been working so well.

Seanad: Perjury and Related Offences Bill 2018: Second Stage (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. The Minister of State is very welcome. Ar dtús báire ba mhaith liom an Seanadóir Ó Céidigh a mholadh as an mBille seo a leagadh os ár gcomhair. Beidh sí á plé ag Seanadóirí anocht. Mar atá ráite cheana, is píosa reachtaíocht tábhachtach í agus beidh lucht Sinn...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: That is-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: It is a disgraceful way to take this meeting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I thank the Commissioner who is welcome. I preface my questions by responding to some earlier points. The questions put to the Commissioner by my colleague, Deputy Ó Laoghaire, were not ones which were initially raised by Sinn Féin or any other party represented around this table. They were points, concerns and legitimate questions from victims' organisations and individual...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I appreciate the response and would appreciate receiving such an update. However, families will be quite unsettled by the fact that this level of senior management in An Garda Síochána is not alert to the current status of the case.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: The question was whether the PSNI had provided An Garda Síochána with all of the information that was pertinent to the case.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I take Mr. Twomey's point. Perhaps we might revisit the issue at a later stage. The Commissioner has acknowledged that he will meet victims' groups and that there are a number of pending invitations. On the back of some of those meetings, there have been public calls. Will the Commissioner provide reassurance for victims' groups which desire An Garda Síochána to engage actively...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Regarding the investigation into the death of Denis Donaldson in April 2006, the Commissioner may have noted the statement from the family's solicitors, Madden and Finucane, which included the following remarks:At the heart of this case is a criminal conspiracy involving State agents in the exposure of Denis Donaldson as an informer for the RUC, PSNI and MI5, leading to his murder in April...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: That is appreciated. Turning to Brexit, there were a number of questions put about the issue of community policing and the worry and concern about a hard border. There was a reiteration by the Commissioner of that concern, but we have not heard about mechanical preparations. It is a difficult question because of the uncertain times in which we are all living. It is a question similar to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I will follow up with the Commissioner in writing and give him some space to check it out. I appreciate what he is saying about community safety and policing concerns. That is a given. From a political and societal point of view, one of the biggest concerns would be the re-emergence of infrastructure along the Border.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: That is encouraging to hear. I wish I had received as decisive an answer from the Minister a few weeks ago. Does the Commissioner have concerns about the resources available to and within the Garda to deal with cybercrime? Does the Garda have enough equipment and qualified staff to deal with the increased threat posed by cybercrime? Does the Garda have enough resources and personnel to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Between January 2016 and August this year, GSOC received 1,794 reports of use by gardaí of incapacitating spray - what is known as pepper spray - on suspects. In 80%, or 1,566, of these cases, gardaí failed to notify GSOC about using the spray within 48 hours, as mandated by internal Garda directives. Some uses of pepper spray were only notified to GSOC up to two years after they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: In that case, it was worth coming here this morning.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: The Commissioner touched on the code of ethics. According to the statistics I can obtain, the Policing Authority was informed by management of An Garda that less than 40% of the force had signed the code. If I caught what he said correctly, the Commissioner said he imagined everybody would be trained in the code of ethics.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Is that the result of a direction from the Commissioner or the organisation?