Results 1,581-1,600 of 4,305 for speaker:Martin Kenny

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Reports (14 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: I want to raise with the Taoiseach the issue of the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, DSGBV, which was launched before the summer. Of course, the decision by the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, to publish the strategy’s implementation plan was also welcome. It placed an emphasis and on obligation on all relevant Departments, including the...

Summer Economic Statement: Statements (Resumed) (14 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: As the Leas-Cheann Comhairle was reading the list of various Topical Issue matters, it brought into focus what we are talking about here. While the summer economic statement may paint a rosy picture, when you listen to those matters raised, you hear of all the various issues throughout the country that are affecting people. These are the issues of services mainly that are so devoid in so...

Rent Reduction Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (13 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: We support the Bill. We see spiralling rents in every part of the country. I raised Knocknashee and Tobercurry with the Taoiseach a couple of months ago. People there were paying €800 a month in rent, then the landlord increased it to €1,500 a month overnight. That happened to ten people in a housing estate, because the landlord owned many houses there. The Government made...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: I thank all the witnesses. I have a couple of small points to make because some of my questions have already been asked. It seems to me that the old adage about the war on drugs not working is very true. That war has generally been on the supply side. We have always been trying to stop supply, find the people who are supplying it, find the dealers and cut them out. We need to look more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: Does Dr. Capaz understand the dilemma that this presents from the point of view of getting this situation to work in a way that means the State does not become an advocate for the illegal supply of drugs?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: I thank Dr. Capaz. That is useful. I would like to hear the views of the other contributors on that issue. As has been said, we use a lot of other drugs in our society all the time. Tobacco has been mentioned. Alcohol probably causes more harm in Irish society than most things because we have huge issues with it. However, we regulate it. We know the strength of the bottle of whiskey or...

Education (Provision in Respect of Children with Special Educational Needs) Bill 2022: Second Stage (1 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: I welcome the Bill. As has been said, a few weeks ago we tabled a motion which set out the major problems with this issue across the country. We all acknowledge the serious lack of investment in special needs education over the years. The provisions in the Bill dealing with special needs education go some way to dealing with that. The section 37A process gives a lever for a Minister to...

Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (1 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: I suggest that the Member should make his contribution without interruption.

Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (1 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: It is a Second Stage debate.

Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (1 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: I welcome this Bill and the moves to resolve many of the issues outlined. I will deal first with the issue of the Stardust inquest and the coroner’s court. The Stardust tragedy happened 41 years ago when 48 people went for a night out and did not come home. It has influenced and impacted not just the people of Artane and that part of Dublin but the whole country. I remember that...

Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Second Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Martin Kenny: All of us in this House have made the choice to put ourselves before the public and become public representatives. We have made choices to make political decisions. The people in the Gallery, those with houses affected by pyrite, did not make choices to be political. However, they have been forced into this by the consequence of what has happened to them. Unfortunately, the Bill the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (30 Jun 2022)

Martin Kenny: I thank Mr. Lupton. In regard to his opening statement, Mr. Lupton also mentioned that we must have an eye on emerging and developing law across the European Union as things progress. How does he feel this legislation before us, which we assume from talking to everybody could be improved upon, will fit as we look forward? How future-proofed is it? What more needs to be done to ensure that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (30 Jun 2022)

Martin Kenny: One of the main criticisms that came from the European Court of Justice related to mass surveillance and the protection of people's right to privacy in this context. The issue here is to try to find the balance between protecting that right and having an effective method that can assist An Garda Síochána or other law enforcement agencies to do their work appropriately and in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (30 Jun 2022)

Martin Kenny: I have another question for Assistant Commissioner Kelly. Probably one of the ways to deal with this is to look at scenarios. We all remember the Joe O'Reilly case in north County Dublin. His wife was murdered, and CCTV and telecommunications were part of the method that was used at that time to investigate the case. If a similar situation arises after this legislation comes in, a victim...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (30 Jun 2022)

Martin Kenny: Yes, that is the real issue I have with it in respect of a serious situation like that. What would happen if we had a situation where the Garda did have access to a piece of data and in examining it another crime came to light, which had not been the subject of the judicial application to examine the data? Could the information be used, or would the Garda be prohibited from using it? For...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (30 Jun 2022)

Martin Kenny: I am sorry, but Mr. Kelly broke up a little bit. Did he say he would not be able to proceed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (30 Jun 2022)

Martin Kenny: That is fair enough. Perhaps Mr. Kelleher could enlighten us some little bit in that regard. I know the Minister has indicated that other legislation is coming later in the year. Is the Department's position that future legislation will hopefully fill some of the gaps that we see in this Bill? Is that the intention?

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (29 Jun 2022)

Martin Kenny: None of the amendments are a problem. The only clarification I would like on is amendment No. 10 and the provision for no fewer than three members, one a lay member and at least one a member of the Judiciary. While expenses and all of that is dealt with through these amendments, what is the issue with regard to training of the people who will be carrying out these interviews? It is a very...

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (29 Jun 2022)

Martin Kenny: I move amendment No. 8: In page 26, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following: “(i) in the case of all offices specified underparagraph (a), (b), (c), (d), (e),(f), (g), or(h), he or she has not held the office of Attorney General for a period of two years prior to their application under section 43.”. This is a very simple little amendment in respect of the...

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (29 Jun 2022)

Martin Kenny: They are already members of the Judiciary.