Results 14,981-15,000 of 16,344 for speaker:Peadar Tóibín

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received: P00027/12, P00030/12 and P00032/12 (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: Yes, that is very important. The petition is open and this is only the preliminary stage of our investigation. That will be communicated. The next petition for consideration for the committee is P00030/12 from Mr. Des Keane, concerning the issue of capital cases commuted prior to 1990 and which do not amount to a sentence, with the result that this group of prisoners have no redress to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received: P00027/12, P00030/12 and P00032/12 (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: We may have to meet every second or third week so the necessary background work can be done to investigate each of these petitions. There is a considerable amount of work to be done.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2011: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: I have experienced that element of discretionary power being used one way or the other in respect of quite a number of constituents. When one asks about the criteria being used to judge eligibility, the person refuses point blank to detail what they are. This leaves the citizen powerless to work or-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2011: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: -----campaign on his or her case. Where the Ombudsman identifies concerns, it is important for us as a committee that we not let them stop at our door. We must ensure that they are brought to the public service providers. I propose that we write a letter regarding the concerns outlined in the paragraph on long-running schemes, etc., to the Departments to which they are relevant and ask...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2011: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: It has been proposed that we meet and discuss the overall issue. Is that agreed? Agreed. At that point we might send letters concerning the information detailed in this report. Is that agreed? Agreed. Ag an bpointe seo, ba mhaith liom míle buíochas a ghabháil leis na finnéithe go léir as teacht isteach agus eolas iontach maith a chur ar fáil. Tá a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2011: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: I propose we send a letter to the Secretary General of the Department to ask why he has not fulfilled his responsibilities with regard to this issue and to outline our determination that this issue be resolved as soon as possible. Is that agreed? Agreed. Do any committee members wish to raise other issues?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: Does the Central Bank come under the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: Is it proposed to do so and what are Ms O'Reilly's views on the matter?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: I thank Ms O'Reilly for her presentation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2011: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: The committee will now sit in its capacity as the Oireachtas Joint Sub-Committee on the Ombudsman to consider the annual report of the Office of the Ombudsman. I invite Ms O'Reilly to make her presentation with regard to that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2011: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: I thank Ms O'Reilly for the excellent and fascinating report and the work that has been done on it. As she noted earlier, her office does re-balance the power individuals experience vis-à-vis the State. I also thank her for her statement of intent with regard to co-operation with this committee. The issue of non-compliance arises on page 59 of the report. My understanding of this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: I will bank the questions from the next two speakers because we have such a workload today. We have a number of petitions which we will discuss later. Members will be aware that one of them discusses the possibility of freedom of information being extended to two bodies in future, namely, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Central Bank. To help us in our examination of the petition we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: To clarify, what is Ms O'Reilly's view on the Central Bank coming within the remit of the freedom of information provisions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: I understand Second Stage was passed by the Dáil on 22 June 2010 and Committee Stage will be taken shortly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: We appreciate the meeting the Deputy will have with the Government Chief Whip to ensure that happens as quickly as possible.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: I would prefer to hold a discussion on the Bill before dealing with the annual report. I thank Ms O’Reilly for her forthright and interesting presentation. As a new Deputy, it is shocking to see how long it has taken to prepare this Bill. I understand the frustration that must exist inside the Ombudsman’s office at this delay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Discussion with the Ombudsman (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: For the sake of the broadcasting and recording services, I request that members ensure their mobile telephones are turned off completely. Apologies have been received from Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl. The first part of today's meeting is to discuss with the Ombudsman the Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008 in the committee's capacity as the Joint Committee on Public Service...

Other Questions: Office of the Ombudsman Status (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will amend the Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008 to extend the remit of the Ombudsman to prisons and all issues relating to asylum, refugees and naturalisation. [43490/12]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of the Ombudsman Remit (10 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason for his decision to exclude an additional 50 agencies from the Ombudsman’s remit despite his Programme for Government commitment to ensure that all statutory bodies and all bodies significantly funded from the public purse will be covered by the legislation. [43491/12]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (9 Oct 2012)

Peadar Tóibín: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to require all schools in receipt of capitation funding to implement targeted energy efficiency programmes to cut wasteful usage of lighting, heating and electronic equipment; his views on the opinion that existing voluntary projects show the potential to save 15 – 40% of schools’ energy costs within two years, using models...