Results 321-340 of 29,158 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Prison Service (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Minister for a comprehensive reply. For most of us it would seem a bit odd that such a significant service as the Irish Prison Service is not a statutory agency like most other analogous institutions in the State. The Irish Prison Service has 3,500 staff and a budget of €400 million. It is a very significant and important agency. Obviously we can debate the Minister's...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Prison Service (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: Again I thank the Minister. I want to ask a question about the structure of the prison system in this country. I understand that there are 12 designated prisons. Is it the Minister's intention to have additional prisons, to enlarge any of the existing prisons or to close any of the existing prisons as part of the reform package she is going to advance?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Prison Service (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: Will the Oberstown facility come within the remit of the Prison Service?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Prison Service (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: I am asking this question on behalf of Deputy Ó Ríordáin. In July of last year, the Minister announced that she was going to introduce legislation to put the Irish Prison Service on a statutory basis. When will this legislation be introduced?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: This question was tabled by my colleague, Deputy Ó Ríordáin. It is asking when a particular Garda station will be built, which is an issue he has raised on numerous occasions.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Minister for her reply. However, the point of the question was to obtain a timeline for the project. Much of the Garda estate across the country needs refurbishment or replacement to ensure we are able to attract new gardaí and ensure the falling numbers in the Garda Síochána have decent accommodation and decent places to work. We waited a long time for a decent...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: I understand bundles do not always work but when they do, it means we have five or six major stations being developed at the same time. There are economies arising from that. Is it possible to set out a timeline, even in general terms, for the expected completion of Garda stations? If the Minister has €50 million in capital spending a year and is looking for more, can she set out...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: Deputy Farrell would be arrested if he did that.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: 2015? The population has increased by 1 million since then.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: Garda numbers are continuing to decline. They have declined every month for the past 12 months. As she set out, the Minister's plan to deal with this decline was to recruit five different intake classes of 200. That has been a failure. The February intake was 135. The May intake was 154. Many of those being offered places at the Garda College are not taking them up. This is a serious...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: We are failing in that.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: We had a debate on housing just before these questions. The simple message is that if the strategy is not working, as it patently is not in terms of Garda recruitment, one has to do something different. The Minister’s ambition was to have 1,000 additional gardaí trained this year. We are halfway through the year and she tells us we have 370 in training. Her target is not going...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: But the Government is not.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: In light of the very worrying trend of a continuing decline month on month in garda numbers, I ask the Minister to set out what the current operational strength is and what her projections are and to give that in detail in terms of new recruits, retirements, resignations and what the net figures will be or are likely to be over the next 18 months.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (11 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: 122. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will ensure that the renewal of a passport for a child (details supplied) will be processed urgently by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34335/23]

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: Behind closed doors.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Priorities of the Spanish EU Presidency: Discussion with Spanish Ambassador (5 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the ambassador for his comprehensive presentation - gracias- and the self-evident two years of enormous preparation for the Spanish Presidency, which is both ambitious and important. There is a huge range of issues. To enable everybody to deal with some, I will deal with a couple. The first is something which is important from our perspective. The ambassador mentioned that this is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (4 Jul 2023)

Brendan Howlin: 142. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will ensure that the renewal of a passport for a person (details supplied) will be processed urgently by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32659/23]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (29 Jun 2023)

Brendan Howlin: 152. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will ensure that the renewal of a passport for a child (details supplied) will be processed urgently by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31720/23]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (29 Jun 2023)

Brendan Howlin: 405. To ask the Minister for Health if he will personally intervene to ensure that a person (details supplied) continues to receive a vital medicine to deal with a condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31700/23]