Results 1,501-1,520 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: I will be brief. Last week I was really concerned. Based on the knowledge I had up to Thursday, I was really concerned that if we had an inquiry into this matter, it would suggest a lack of confidence in GSOC. GSOC had investigated, reached conclusions, terminated the investigation and had found no definitive evidence of surveillance or of Garda misconduct. Since then I have received all...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: I hope members will not be offended by the following suggestion on questions I have answered already. I hope members will not suggest I am not taking their questions seriously. If I have answered a question, I will simply state I have already answered the question. I do not want to cause any offence to anyone by saying that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: I can tell the Deputy that I am one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the work that is required of an organisation like GSOC. Way before he was in this House it was the type of body that I wanted to see in place. That is one of the reasons why, for example, we had to set up the Morris tribunal. It was because there was no body that existed that could independently investigate...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: I have a one line response. I have no up-to-date information beyond what was shared with the committee by GSOC last Wednesday.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: Of course it was mentioned by Mr. Simon O'Brien to me when he met me. He briefed me on GSOC's concerns. He advised me that it was investigating the leak, but I have not had a further conversation with him about that matter. Of course I know what he said to this committee; I read the transcript of the proceedings before the committee. As to where that investigation now stands and what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: Just to take the issue of the leak, in fairness to the chairman of the commission, he made it very clearly that it took that matter seriously. I am very anxious that we get back to a space where there is full public confidence in GSOC. It does a very important job. I spent an amount of my time in this Parliament many years ago talking about the need to ensure we had accountability where...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: In fairness to Mr. O'Brien, he obliquely addressed this. He did not address it in detail before the committee because I do not think he wanted to reference what it was that he thought might leak out into the public domain by contributing some credibility to it. However, it was addressed in the documentation I received. I think I mentioned at an early stage to Deputy Mulherin that two...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: The answer to that is "Yes". The terms of reference are designed insofar as is possible to get at the full truth of all of this. In the context of the terms of reference, I should say that not I but the Attorney General has been in contact with the retired High Court judge who it is anticipated will undertake this task. When the terms of reference are announced, we will announce who that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: It is and has always been the position that it is a matter for Cabinet and particularly the Attorney General to make recommendations in this area based on the expertise of the Attorney General of the day as to what are the appropriate terms of reference. The terms of reference for an inquiry of this nature would not in normal course be the subject of debate among committee members. I may be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: The chair of the commission expressed concerns about the fact that a leak had occurred and has a genuine and understandable concern that this is a very serious issue for GSOC. GSOC is conducting an internal investigation into this. It is my understanding that it has also sought legal advice. I know no more about that aspect of matters than members of the committee in the context of where...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: At that stage, I had not done that check at all. This has come to me subsequently. Simon O’Brien did not put much store in that particular part of the report. The big issue was the suggestion there was a “device”, without referencing what it was, relating to UK 3G network telephones that could have resulted in their being accessed if it was utilised for that purpose....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: I was summarising for the Dáil the three threats, GSOC’s conclusions on them as I was advised of them, and the ultimate outcome of GSOC’s investigation. I thought that was the correct and appropriate way to proceed. It was certainly not my intention to mislead anyone. Why would I do so? GSOC was coming to this committee the following day at which any issues of relevance...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: I presume the terms of reference for the review are being finalised as we sit here. It is important all colleagues in Cabinet agree to them. The judge will be able to ask people questions. It is my understanding that GSOC, Verrimus and Rits will co-operate. All documentation and information available to me will be furnished to the judge. If there is anything additional the review...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: I am afraid the truth is that the Deputy is a little disappointed that it has not been found that An Garda Síochána-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: -----was engaged in surveillance. I was asked about the proportionality. I specifically asked Simon O'Brien about that, as did both of my officials. I was told there was nothing and, indeed, there is nothing revealed in this brief to indicate what the evidence was. One cannot simply say, "There are two peculiar things happening and I am of the opinion that the Garda are responsible".

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: I am sorry to be a little tedious on this but I come back to the point that it is not for me to express views other than the views that the commissioners expressed to me. I come back to what Kieran FitzGerald said on "Prime Time". I think it was on at 9.30 p.m. that Tuesday within an hour and half of so of my addressing the Dáil. He said, and I am paraphrasing this, that he was happy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: Perhaps I could be allowed to finish my reply.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: The only concerns that led to the investigation were the two so-called "vulnerabilities". There was no evidence, and I still know of no evidence, and the Deputy and members of this committee know of no evidence, as opposed to feelings that people would like to have. There is no evidence of Garda involvement. I want to be very clear about this because I have been the subject of political...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: I am told that I am too close to the Garda Commissioner as if the Minister for Justice and Equality should be at war with the Garda Commissioner. Can I say on this issue that my only interest is that we get at the truth. I tell the truth as I know it based on the information that I am given. My interest is ensuring that the Garda Síochána and the Garda Commissioner properly carry...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Security and Surveillance Issues: Minister for Justice and Equality (19 Feb 2014)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy is absolutely right that if there is a threat or a suspicion that GSOC was under surveillance that it is appropriate that the matter be investigated, but what he is missing is that GSOC itself investigated it. It decided there was no definitive evidence of surveillance and it referenced what occurred as "anomalies". One of the anomalies - I am happy to address the other two but I...