Results 15,341-15,360 of 32,916 for speaker:Catherine Connolly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Citizenship Rights and DeSouza Judgment: Discussion (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: This took Ms DeSouza courage and persistence. This happened from 2012 onwards. Is that the key? There was legislation in 2012 on dual citizenship, was there not?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Citizenship Rights and DeSouza Judgment: Discussion (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: This was in relation to the EEA. If a person had British citizenship, he or she did not have the rights under the EEA. Is that right? I am a little bit confused. I wish to clarify that. Was there not also a case against that, separate from McCarthy, questioning that legislation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Citizenship Rights and DeSouza Judgment: Discussion (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: Those rights in particular, among a number of other rights, would allow family to come and settle with them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Citizenship Rights and DeSouza Judgment: Discussion (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I thank the witnesses.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I have a couple of practical questions. On the Data Protection Commission, why is there an underspend of €4.5 million in an office that is so vitally important to democracy?

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: In the note we have, on page 13, a figure of €4.5 million is given. Payroll is €1.8 million so that accounts for the staff who have not been employed. Is that the case? Non-pay is given as €2.7 million, also on page 13 of the explanation notes.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: It is extremely important for the Commissioner for Data Protection and the staff to have the full complement in place.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: It is worrying to see an underspend. If it is just this year and there are practical teething problems, that is one thing. However, I would not like to see an underspend this time next year for that office, particularly given its broad remit and the European responsibility that came up earlier at this committee.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: There is a reference on page 11 to Cosc. That is under the Department of Justice and Equality and relates to domestic violence, I think. Again there is an underspend with Cosc of €300,000. If I am correct that Cosc is the domestic violence agency, I would be very worried about an underspend. Is that correct?

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I see organisations on the ground struggling to survive and to provide essential outreach services. Why would there be an underspend?

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: My question is why there is an underspend. I am more than familiar with the positive nature of the Department's campaigns but I am also familiar with the statistics for domestic violence, which are shocking. Though I hate referring to economic statistics, a conservative estimate is that it costs €2.5 billion every year. Why is there an underspend? What is the Department doing about...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: That €300,000 is a technical matter relating to a pay issue.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: It is not an underspend on services.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: There is a significant underspend on page 11 for the office of promotion of migrant integration. It is a vitally important office. Why is there an underspend on that and on the decision support service? The Minister might clarify what that is. These are subheads D4 and D10 on page 11.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I hope that is the position but it is a significant sum. Perhaps I will table parliamentary questions. These are vital offices and the work is vital. What is the decision support service and why is there an underspend?

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: Will the Minister clarify in plain English what the decision support service is?

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: So the decision support service is not running. When will it be running and what will it do?

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: The director was appointed in October 2017. In that period, the director has been working to ensure codes of practice and ICT-----

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Supplementary) (4 Dec 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I understand. When it is ready to run, what decisions will it support? Who is it supporting and what is the purpose of the service?