Results 15,781-15,800 of 32,916 for speaker:Catherine Connolly

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22: Courts Service (14 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: Good. If he accepts them, they have to be dealt with efficiently and speedily.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22: Courts Service (14 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I have a general question on the review of legislation. It came up in the context of the sexual offences Bill. The system seems to have an aversion to building a review into legislation and where it is built in, it is in a very limited manner. If provision for an operational review had been built into the Fines Act, it would have sorted out matters very quickly. Mr. Fallon said the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22: Courts Service (14 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: Something came up yesterday in the context of the Department of Justice and Equality and the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995. There is a very good provision included in that Act to provide assistance for victims of sexual or gender violence, but nobody is availing of it. The figures are extremely low. I think there was just one case in 2018, although I will not give further figures as I do not...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22: Courts Service (14 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: Does it give the Department cause for concern?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22: Courts Service (14 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: Will the Department look at the issue in terms of access to justice? The legislation was enacted in 1995 and this is 2019, yet there has been no review, despite there being little or no uptake of the provision.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22: Courts Service (14 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I have a question for Ms Denning. Where does the Irish language feature in the review of the organisational capability of the Courts Service? Given the commitments under law, where does it feature in any of the briefing papers or the opening statement?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22: Courts Service (14 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I can read all of that information. What I am trying to get at is that we have serious obligations under the Constitution as Irish is the first language. There are pieces of legislation in place and a new piece is coming down the road, an amended languages Bill, that will place an obligation on all new recruits to a figure of 20%. As an organisation, has the Courts Service discussed that...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22: Courts Service (14 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I want to make a point about the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. Again, the delay is not the fault of the Courts Service, but parts of the Act are still not fully operational. What is the current position in that regard? Perhaps Ms Denning might be able to tell us how many have been made wards of court since the Act was passed?

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22: Courts Service (14 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: If Ms Denning will allow me to put my questions, I will then stop and allow other members in. How many have been made wards of court since the Act was passed? On the handing in of driving licences, I understand there is a distinction and a different mechanism for persons caught speeding and those caught drink driving. Is there a difference where a person is caught drink driving,...

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22: Courts Service (14 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I ask Ms Denning to clarify the matter as best she can.

Public Accounts Committee: 2018 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22: Courts Service (14 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: That was explained. It is the same. I am seeking an update from the Department of Justice and Equality on the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act.

Provision of Accommodation and Ancillary Services to Applicants for International Protection: Statements (13 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I am sharing time with Deputies Pringle and Joan Collins. I understand the Minister of State has a difficult job to do and my comments are not directed at him personally. Direct provision was introduced as an emergency measure 20 years ago in 1999. It not only continues but has been embedded as a permanent structure. They are not my words but those of the Ombudsman for Children, Dr. Niall...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff (13 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: 106. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of times consent has been sought and-or given under the terms of circular 109/247/7417 of 17 October 2011 for public servants to undertake paid work, in addition to their own salary, in each of the years 2012 to 2018 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46830/19]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Appeals Tribunal Data (13 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: 140. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons that received a decision from the International Protection Appeals Tribunal declaring them to be a refugee that have not received such a declaration; the length of time in months persons are awaiting such a declaration; the reason for the delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46767/19]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Discussion (13 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I thank everyone for their presentations and Deputy O'Callaghan for putting the spotlight on this important area. Senator Black mentioned context. I have read the Oireachtas Library and Research Service paper on this. I always take the opportunity to thank them for their detailed work, which is tremendous. In 2018, there were 16,994 disclosures of domestic violence alone. The Bill seeks...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Discussion (13 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: Where is it? Perhaps we might come back to that issue in due course as a committee as it is a vital piece of the jigsaw and was supposed to have been published by the end of 2018. It has been quoted by the Government on numerous occasions. We have been told that we should await the O'Malley review. That is a very sensible suggestion, but for how long do we wait? There is an existing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Discussion (13 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: Is Ms Counihan saying the low uptake is due to the fact that advice is not provided when it is needed before the complainant-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Discussion (13 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I understand that. Ms Counihan is saying the existing scheme does not cover the range of offences on which there is the biggest demand for advice - sexual assault offences. Second, advice is not provided before a complaint is made-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Discussion (13 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: Before a prosecution is initiated.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Discussion (13 Nov 2019)

Catherine Connolly: I understand that. What I want to know is what has happened in the Department of Justice and Equality since 1995 in researching the uptake. Are the delegates aware of any research to acertain the reasons for the low uptake of the scheme? It seems to be a very basic piece of research.