Results 361-380 of 2,497 for speaker:Colm Brophy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Pensions: Discussion (12 Jul 2017)

Colm Brophy: I thank the witnesses for attending and making their case. On a human level, what they are saying is understandable. On that basis, I see the validity of their case. Legally, though, there are problems. The refunding of payment at the time of departure is a major obstacle to what the witnesses are requesting. On a decency basis, I would support them. The State needs to examine their...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: An Bille um an gCúigiú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Colscaradh) 2016: Céim an Choiste
Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Divorce) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2017)

Colm Brophy: I join the other Deputies in welcoming Deputy Madigan's Bill. I fully support it, having been involved in the two original divorce referenda, in particular the successful second one. Irish people have a particular way of looking at issues. Referenda, in particular, can be very divisive. Issues which may not have even entered the minds of those drafting a constitutional referendum can...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2018: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and Economic and Social Research Institute (13 Sep 2017)

Colm Brophy: I am conscious of the time allowed, so I will try to keep my contribution relatively brief.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2018: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and Economic and Social Research Institute (13 Sep 2017)

Colm Brophy: To be honest, I did not understand Mr. Coffey's last contribution to Deputy Ryan about where emigrants move to. If a person is in Iowa, he or she can move 1,700 miles to California for a job and not necessarily just next door. People do not make moves based on monetary union. They move to where believe the best opportunities are for them and their families. They may move quite a distance....

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2018: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and Economic and Social Research Institute (13 Sep 2017)

Colm Brophy: I accept Mr. Coffey's comments to a certain extent and it has been a good few years since I last studied economics in any way, shape or form. However, I still believe there is a problem in that each of those countries would effectively have to have an equivalent of GNI*, regardless of the differential level, to make for valid comparisons. We should not be comparing directly. When I asked...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Ex-ante Scrutiny of Budget 2018: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and Economic and Social Research Institute (13 Sep 2017)

Colm Brophy: I understand what Mr. Coffey is saying about what GNI* attempts to achieve and I am not disputing that. Rather, I am disputing how GNI* muddies comparisons with GDP when included in a chart like that one.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Provision (20 Sep 2017)

Colm Brophy: 513. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the provision of mental health supports for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 16; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39760/17]

Leaders' Questions (27 Sep 2017)

Colm Brophy: It must be in the script.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Recent issues relating to An Garda Síochána: Discussion (27 Sep 2017)

Colm Brophy: That is Deputy Daly's narrative, anyway.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Recent issues relating to An Garda Síochána: Discussion (27 Sep 2017)

Colm Brophy: I believe the authority has made a very valuable contribution to the development of policing. The point that Ms Feehily made about the code of ethics that new gardaí sign on graduation is important. It is work like that - the quiet work, the implementation work - that changes things, but that very often does not get the level of publicity it deserves. Such work will be to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Recent issues relating to An Garda Síochána: Discussion (27 Sep 2017)

Colm Brophy: I agree that it is enormously important because it goes to the heart of the issue. The thread running through a lot of Ms Feehily's statements today is that while the former Garda Commissioner was attempting to bring in various structural reforms, there is effectively a systems failure at management level within An Garda Síochána. There seems to be a functional inability to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Recent issues relating to An Garda Síochána: Discussion (27 Sep 2017)

Colm Brophy: I fully accept what the chairperson has said. The Americans have an expression, when one is up to one's neck fighting alligators it is very difficult to remember one came to drain the swamp. That is why I agree with Kathleen O'Toole who made the point that if one does not put in the work in advance of the appointment of a new commissioner, he or she will find himself or herself very quickly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Recent issues relating to An Garda Síochána: Discussion (27 Sep 2017)

Colm Brophy: -----effectively gone within 12 months of his or her appointment. It would deter any candidate of substance from applying. In that context, and in the context of management failure, I have quite a bit of support for some of the existing structure. The Public Appointments Service deals very much in the context of appointing very senior people to senior management roles. While a Garda...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Recent issues relating to An Garda Síochána: Discussion (27 Sep 2017)

Colm Brophy: I can see what the chairperson is saying. We have a unitary service. I acknowledge that we could look at how one handles security in the context of a security service. The system that exists in other European countries was originally that the primary police service was born out of the type of structural policing that we would view as abhorrent. In many countries the police service has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement on the Future of Europe (Resumed): European Movement Ireland, Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Assocation and Macra na Feirme (4 Oct 2017)

Colm Brophy: I thank the witnesses for attending. I echo the comments of the Chairman regarding Deputy Crowe, a constituency colleague of mine whom I have known for many years. His depth of knowledge and contribution to the committee was valued. There is a good line in the EMI's presentation about there being five options, which are not mutually exclusive. At the heart of it we see the real...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: European Travel Information and Authorisation System: Motions (4 Oct 2017)

Colm Brophy: I fully support what the Minister said and I believe we should give it consideration. We need to remember that when one strips out the rhetoric and the bits and bobs, what we are actually talking about is safety for European citizens, including Irish citizens. The Schengen area is one of the great successes of the EU. I know we are not a member of the Schengen area because of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Recent Issues Relating to An Garda Síochána: Acting Garda Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin (4 Oct 2017)

Colm Brophy: I thank the acting Garda Commissioner for coming before the committee. I want to echo what Mr. Ó Cualáin said in his opening remarks that it is important always to realise and remember that the members of An Garda Síochána are out every day, often putting themselves at risk, to enforce the law, and keep us safe as a community and society. In looking at what are major...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Recent Issues Relating to An Garda Síochána: Acting Garda Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin (4 Oct 2017)

Colm Brophy: I will follow up on Mr. Ó Cualáin's answer. There is a problem with it. He stated that management in the Garda, particularly at divisional level, was applying pressure to ensure that enforcement took place in the form of conducting the tests to deal with the scourge of drink driving. One of two problems stems from that. Either management accepted reports from subordinates that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Recent Issues Relating to An Garda Síochána: Acting Garda Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin (4 Oct 2017)

Colm Brophy: I was fairly happy with the comments until this point but I have a real problem now. I always find that when organisations make mistakes, the mistake is made in a self-serving way. I hope An Garda Síochána does not go down this route. I am sorry but the assistant commissioner's answer is unacceptable. He started by saying that there was a cutback here and a cutback there and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Recent Issues Relating to An Garda Síochána: Acting Garda Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin (4 Oct 2017)

Colm Brophy: I thank the Chairman. As, I presume, we are coming to the end of the session, I thank the witnesses, particularly the new acting Commissioner, for the co-operation we have all experienced today. I am one of those people who believes it is the role of this committee to quiz, interrogate, investigate and put our views to witnesses and for them to answer our questions. I record again that I...