Results 141-160 of 4,736 for speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank the Chair. I have to go out soon. I thank Ms McDonald for answering the question on the response of political parties and what they have to do. I want to flesh out this ignore-versus-tackle dynamic more. Taking what Mr. Malone said, it feels to me after his presentation that we are just waiting for somebody to be killed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: When we look at the UK and we see two MPs being killed in the last ten years, one might say, "Well, that is the UK". However, it is not that far away. We have to take this with the utmost seriousness. I want to touch on two other things. One is the hate crime or hate speech legislation, and where the witnesses' views are on that. Also, there is a lot of money to be made in this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Well they believe in free speech. The wonderful thing about these organisations is that they believe in free speech, so maybe we can say what we like about them, as the Chair squirms in his seat.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Judiciary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The trans community.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: All members were very taken with the presentation by the Hope and Courage Collective earlier. As regards the direction of travel internationally, we have seen in other jurisdictions what happens when far-right racist activism and that type of activity goes only in one direction and people get hurt and killed. I have been in political life for 20 years, but now I have to be worried about my...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Could I interject, with Dr. Coxon’s permission?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Where somebody is blocking a road, does the Garda say that if it decides to unblock it, it could make things worse? Surely, nobody has the right to block a public road because a bus of people seeking international protection might be coming down it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: You were talking about how St. Pat’s were going to get relegated.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: We will have a second round of three minutes each if that is okay and if people are interested.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: So it is not, even if it is a lie.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: What if there is a lie on a poster or on a leaflet?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Yes. There is a big difference between-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: There would be a high threshold to reach to make a connection between those two things.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I am conscious of the time. Deputy Daly has just walked in so there is an opportunity for him to have a three-minute over and back if he wants to take it up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Arson Attacks: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I propose we publish the opening statements on the committee's website. Is that agreed? Agreed. On behalf of the committee, I thank the members of An Garda Síochána for taking part in our meeting today on this extremely important matter. I thank them for their evidence and their attendance.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Business of Joint Committee (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Does anybody wish to raise any other business?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Business of Joint Committee (5 Mar 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: We might go into private session to discuss that.

Recent Arson Attacks: Statements (27 Feb 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: -----and cracking down and have stated we are going to see an awful lot more deportations. What have we dealt with over recent years? As has been said, in 2018, the Caiseal Mara Hotel, Moville, County Donegal, where 100 asylum seekers were proposed to be accommodated, was burned out. The Shannon Key West Hotel on the Roscommon-Leitrim border was set on fire and a second fire was lit a...

Recent Arson Attacks: Statements (27 Feb 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Let us return to what this topic is actually about. In a debate like this, when we discuss the road blockers, protesters and people who feel they get on buses to check passports, we are actually talking about domestic terrorism when we talk about people setting stuff on fire. While it is open season for people from the Government and, indeed, from the Opposition to start talking about the...