Results 141-160 of 10,013 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I know. I am well aware of it. I have met the Bar Council. It is in the programme for Government that we will reinstate the cuts that were made to the criminal legal aid scheme. I have contacted Ministers and said this should be done. I will not say it is above my pay grade but it involves alignment and agreement with other Departments. It is something that is in the programme for...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Yes, I agree. I will be signing the regulations in respect of the community safety partnerships very shortly but €9.5 million has been allocated in budget 2025 for the office to support community safety partnerships and the community safety fund. The fund, totalling €4 million in 2025, directs proceeds from the Criminal Assets Bureau. It is an extremely important part of...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It would be applying for the funds. That is what is there at present, whereby you apply for funds in terms of assets from the Criminal Assets Bureau. Local projects make their applications in respect of it.

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: No.

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am sure if I could revert and reintroduce the pension that existed prior to 2013 it would make the job more attractive. I do not think there is any doubt about that, but there are limitations in what the Government and I can do. There were reasons that pension changed in 2013. It is going to cost a very significant sum to change that because we cannot just change it in respect of...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I agree with the Deputy. It is a dangerous thing for any person to be looking at a phone. Whatever about being on the phone, looking at stuff on the screen and being on the phone are highly dangerous things to do. It is important that the message gets out there. Deaths are caused by it. Momentarily, people stop concentrating and are looking at something and, before they know it, they are...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I will ask them about that. We will try to see how much is devoted to policing protests.

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The only thing I would say is that, when it comes to concerts, the Garda can charge for that. It is entitled to charge a promoter for the extra resources the Garda is required to put on because of a concert. It is not as though we do not get money back from any type of extra policing that is required. When there are concerts, they can charge the promoter. Obviously when it comes to...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I visited Cork Prison - the new prison - and it is a very fine prison. I am aware of what the Deputy is saying about overcrowding in prisons. It is a challenge that I have. The only way we are going to be able to deal with it is by getting further prison spaces. I have proposal that we will redevelop. It will be part of the old prison site. It is just going to be an extension of Cork...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Yes, I will certainly ask that. In fairness to the Prison Service, it builds prisons on time and on budget. It did it with Cork Prison and Limerick Prison, both male and female. When I am on the topic, and I apologise for giving a suggestion, Chair, because you have enough on your plate, but if the committee gets a chance, it should visit Limerick Prison. It is a fantastic prison,...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: There is work going on in the Department that I have repeatedly enquired about what we can do to speed up Garda vetting. I am waiting for a report on it. In light of what the Deputy said, I will certainly raise it at the meeting I will have with the senior Department officials this Thursday. I raise it every time, but something needs to be done. We do not want this repetitive thing where...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Is the Deputy asking about the vetting for new members of An Garda Síochána?

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Just let me finish. Let us say somebody had started in Templemore last February and the vetting rules were changed. If, as a result of that, a person was identified as not being suitable, the Garda is not going to come to me as Minister for justice and say, "There was a bloke who-----"

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Be realistic, Deputy. I am not going to be told about the fact that somebody does not get through vetting in Templemore.

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I suspect the Deputy is aware of a problem that he has not told me about. If he wants to tell me about it, he should do so.

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Okay. I am not aware of a problem. There is a benefit to speeding up the process in order that we can get more gardaí out there. Regarding prisons, I got permission from Government recently to bypass what was previously referred to as the public sector spending rules to speed up the process of building 940 units in prisons. I am hoping to see 670 spaces in the Midlands, Mountjoy,...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: -----sites that we have. Thornton Hall, however, is a place where I want to see work commenced for the construction of a new prison.

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I want to see this done within the term of the Government. Regarding local authority areas, on my Department's website one can see the number of people in international protection accommodation. At present, there are 33,000. This figure is broken down by local authority areas. Some of them probably do not carry as many as others. There is one I can think of not far from where I live...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: This is something I have looked at and I will do something about it. The Department and my officials are trying to balance things. Regarding the last hotel in Roscrea, I want to get out of the business of going around trying to rent hotels for international protection accommodation services. The decision was made last week to buy Citywest Hotel on the basis that it is no longer going to...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Further Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: That still stands, Deputy. There is no reason why that would not happen. As Minister with responsibility for the area now, I will not go around looking for new hotels to start putting in international protection applicants.