Results 121-140 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement Reports (23 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Section 955(1)(a) Report from the Director of Corporate Enforcement has been the subject of detailed consultation with the Office of the Attorney General. On the advice received recently from the Attorney General, I do not have a legal power to publish statutory reports prepared pursuant to section 955 of the Companies Act, 2014. I am conscious, however, that the shortcomings...

Seanad: Justice Matters: Statements (22 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome this opportunity to update the Seanad and put on the record of the House certain matters that have been raised in the Oireachtas and in the media in recent days. As the Taoiseach said in the Dáil, I had no hand, act or part in the former Garda Commissioner's legal approach. I want to reiterate that point. The former Commissioner's legal approach was a matter for her alone...

Seanad: Justice Matters: Statements (22 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Justice Matters: Statements (22 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: When the truth is revealed at the disclosures tribunal it will be because of that work from all Members of the Oireachtas. I do not believe we should be running a parallel process, though, of course, I fully respect the role of the Seanad and the Dáil. The terms of reference clearly mandate the tribunal to consider a wide range of questions, including the then Commissioner's legal...

Seanad: Justice Matters: Statements (22 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to thank the Senators for the range of issues they have raised here tonight. First of all a number of Senators have raised this question in relation to the email. The full email has been published. I took the decision last night. I circulated it before I spoke in the Dáil. That is the full email. There is nothing being kept back. That is the full email. I do not know...

Seanad: Justice Matters: Statements (22 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: That question is yet to be fully determined in the Charleton tribunal. As for not remembering, when one gets an email that specifically says "This is for information only" and so on, regarding the legal strategy, that has a different significance. I acted on all the issues that came up about whistleblowing and I put that on the record of the House tonight. I hope Senators will accept that...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Relations (22 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: In reply to parliamentary question no. 160 put down by the deputy on 7 November last, I outlined the position in relation to the Labour Court Recommendation 21574 referred to by the deputy. Labour Court Recommendation LCR 21574 was made under the Industrial Relations Acts 1946 to 2015 and published on the Court’s website at www.workplacerelations.ie. The Court's Recommendation...

Justice Issues: Statements (21 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I do not agree with the Deputy. I outlined in my opening statement the various actions that I took. I also spoke of the continuous discussions I had with An Garda Síochána and the priority I gave to ensuring that whistleblowers-----

Justice Issues: Statements (21 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: In every discussion I ever had within the Department of Justice and Equality and with members of An Garda Síochána, I was always intent to ensure that whistleblowers were being dealt with properly.

Justice Issues: Statements (21 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Let me just say, Deputy Shortall, that the commission of investigation is doing its work.

Justice Issues: Statements (21 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: When the O'Higgins report came out-----

Justice Issues: Statements (21 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: -----I addressed many of these issues in the House and followed up the recommendations and the O'Higgins commission as well.

Justice Issues: Statements (21 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I repeat that what the Taoiseach put on the record of the House the other day in relation to the fact that I had neither hand, act or part in the legal strategy of the Garda Commissioner is absolutely accurate. When I spoke to the Taoiseach about the other information, I became aware of that one year later, the same as everyone else, when it was put in the public domain. That is what I was...

Justice Issues: Statements (21 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The email said that I did not have any function in relation to this. What possible advantage would it be to me if I had remembered that email to say to the Taoiseach that I did not? There would be absolutely no possible advantage. Clearly, it was there in the files, as has emerged. The other question I wish to pose is why would I set up a commission of investigation and then...

Justice Issues: Statements (21 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I met Sergeant McCabe on one occasion. I had a very good conversation with him and his wife, Lorraine. I do not have notes of the conversation with me, but from recollection it was primarily about his experiences, how difficult he had found things, some of his ideas about reform, and I think we may have also discussed the situation on penalty points. He spoke about how he would like to...

Justice Issues: Statements (21 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Could Deputy McGrath repeat that question because I have not grasped what he is asking?

Justice Issues: Statements (21 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The only information is that which was in this email, which I was reminded of last week. The matter raised in that email is that the allegation had been that a serious criminal complaint against Sergeant McCabe, which he had always denied, had been raised by counsel for An Garda Síochána. Counsel for Maurice McCabe objected to it and that is the only information in regard to...

Justice Issues: Statements (21 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: To ask me that question is to completely misunderstand the way a tribunal or commission of investigation works. It would be absolutely inappropriate. As I said, it would be criminal for me as Minister for Justice and Equality to begin to interfere with evidence given before a tribunal. That would be a criminal act.

Justice Issues: Statements (21 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is prohibited to interfere with the evidence which a witness gives before a tribunal or for me, as Minister for Justice and Equality, to get involved in any way with something like that. When my Department was represented at the O'Higgins commission it would have been wholly inappropriate for me to try to influence or change the legal approach of a witness to a tribunal.

Justice Issues: Statements (21 Nov 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The chain appears to be that the Chief State Solicitor had some contact with the Office of the Attorney General, a senior official from the Office of the Attorney General made a phone call to a senior official in the Department of Justice and Equality, the senior official in the Department of Justice and Equality summarised the call, and that was the email which was sent to me and a number of...