Results 141-160 of 3,128 for speaker:Mark Ward

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (1 Feb 2024)

Mark Ward: I agree with the Minister that antisocial behaviour on and towards Dublin Bus is an absolute scourge to our communities and absolutely unacceptable. The people carrying out this do not represent the vast majority of people from my area. I want to talk about one bus in my area, the 13, which goes from Grange Castle to Dublin city. On its route it travels through Bawnogue and Deansrath....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (1 Feb 2024)

Mark Ward: The Minister is right again. The detour has stopped. I myself met with Dublin Bus during the week. One of the issues we have is that there is often an incident and then it is followed by another incident and then it ends in a pattern and the behaviour becomes commonplace. I wonder if a more cross-departmental approach is possible whereby we could nip this in the bud a lot earlier. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (1 Feb 2024)

Mark Ward: 8. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures being taken to address antisocial behaviour on Dublin Bus and Go-Ahead Bus services or towards their staff; what supports are available to their staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4599/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (1 Feb 2024)

Mark Ward: We have had a number of bus curtailments in my area of Clondalkin and it has had a huge impact on passengers getting to and from work, visiting family and friends and getting home at nighttime. What measures are being taken to address antisocial behaviour on public buses or towards staff and what supports are available to staff and passengers?

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (1 Feb 2024)

Mark Ward: 60. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the curtailment of the No. 13 bus service in the Bawnogue area in the evenings; what measures are in place for replacement services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4600/24]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (31 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: Many mental health stakeholders were left disappointed that the reform of the Mental Health Act was not included in the spring legislative programme for publication. This means the Bill will not be published until the middle of the year, if even then. In reality, it will not pass in the lifetime of the Government. Pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill finished 15 months ago and reform of...

Misuse of Drugs (Cannabis Regulation) Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (31 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: I thank my constituency colleague, Deputy Gino Kenny, for the opportunity to discuss this issue. I also want to add my disappointment to that of other speakers at the fact that the Government has kicked this Bill down the road and denied us the opportunity to discuss it further on Committee Stage. We could have heard about the consequences and positives of the Bill in a more balanced way. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (31 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: 55. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans to build new secondary schools in Newcastle and Rathcoole given the recent population growth; what planning is in place to address this shortage of secondary school places in both areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4488/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: 94. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection what options are open to a person who was previously in full-time employment and is now in full-time education in regard to availing of social welfare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4406/24]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (31 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: 105. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality how many applications for Garda vetting are received per local authority; the average time it took to process an application in each of the years 2021 to 2023, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4403/24]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Waste Management (30 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: 217. To ask the Minister for Finance to comment on the measures in place to stop domestic waste removal companies from applying surcharges to customers that make payments by debit or credit card; if he is aware if this practice is currently in place by some domestic waste removal companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3839/24]

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: A reduction in those waiting times and waiting lists would make a real impact on people. When they leave prison, they will be less likely to reoffend if they get the help they need in the place where they are imprisoned. Something else came up that is connected to this. I was at a presentation late last year by the Irish Penal Reform Trust, IPRT, on what happens when people leave prison....

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: One of the groups that looks after those people, which is funded through the Department of Health, is community prison link workers, who are very good. I have worked with a number of them over the years. They put things in place, including some very basic things. For example, they ensure that when people leave prison, they have a payment when they get out, and are ready to access payments...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: I have a couple of questions, one of which relates to the community safety innovation fund. It is a welcome initiative. Sinn Féin has for a long time called for money seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB, to go back into the most disadvantaged communities. While it is the first year of it, I welcome the proposed increase. A number of organisations from really disadvantaged areas...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: On the theme of community safety, it is very interesting to see that a new national office of community safety is being established. I would like to tease out what this involves. Is it about restructuring what is already there in the community safety forums, the joint policing committees, JPCs, or the local policing forums? What is this national office of community safety, who is involved...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: I am on the joint policing committee, JPC, in south Dublin. Will the structures under the JPC, including the community safety forum and the local policing forum, still be in place or will they be different? Will they be feeding into the national office?

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: To go back to the structures, I have been a member of all of the various fora in my area. The community safety forum usually comprises members of the community and some local public representatives who feed into the local policing forum, which then feeds into the JPC. Are those structures still going to be in place? I am not clear about that. Will the community safety and local policing...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: No.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (30 Jan 2024)

Mark Ward: To follow up on the point made by Deputy Costello in regard to mental health, I am the spokesperson for my party on mental health but I also worked in addiction services throughout Dublin. Much of the time people have dual diagnoses and are not getting the adequate care they need prior to going to prison. I appreciate that is not the Minister's responsibility. However, when people end up...