Results 61-80 of 150 for "direct provision" speaker:Trevor Ó Clochartaigh

Seanad: National Integration Strategy: Motion (1 Apr 2015)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...to the Seanad his plans to deal with the estimated 30,000 undocumented people in Ireland and to inform the Seanad of what action, if any, he intends to take to address the humanitarian crisis in the Direct Provision System."It is important to acknowledge that the relationship between Ireland and Poland goes much further than football and mass and that there is a much richer engagement...

Seanad: National Integration Strategy: Motion (1 Apr 2015)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...and receive State welfare transfers. Asylum seekers should be allowed to work while awaiting a decision on their application for leave to remain. In light of the appalling waste and tragedy that is direct provision and in light of the additional factor of 30,000 undocumented people living in the Therefore, let us at least have the basic decency not to pretend that some fancy integration...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2015)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...could be kicked to touch. The stakeholders have asked whether the Seanad might debate the Minister's plans over the next year for facilitating people to vote in presidential elections at the least. I wish to raise a major concern. The House has often debated the direct provision system, asylum seekers, etc. This morning, the CEO of the Irish Refugee Council, Ms Sue Conlan, made it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Remit: Office of the Ombudsman for Children (11 Mar 2015)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...;rsaí oideachais. An mbeadh sé in ann tuilleadh a rá linn faoi na cineálacha gearáin a thagann isteach? An bhfuil siad ar fad mar a chéile? An bhfuil go leor ceisteanna nó fadhbanna difriúla a thagann chun cinn? Tá mé thar a bheith sásta leis an ráiteas atá déanta ag an ombudsman faoin gcóiriú díreach,...

Seanad: Direct Provision: Statements (22 Jan 2015)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: .... Tá mo thacaíocht iomlán aige á dhéanamh sin agus beidh mé ag cur tuilleadh brú air. I take issue with some of the points that have been made up to now, although it is true that we are all fundamentally in agreement that the system of direct provision is a very serious issue. I take issue with the idea of an amnesty, because to give somebody an...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Dec 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: We welcome the rumblings that have been coming from Ministers, particularly the Minister of State, Deputy Aodhán Ó Riordáin, on direct provision. I have asked a number of times for information on the Fine Gael stance on direct provision. It seems to me there is a difference of opinion between the Government parties on this issue. The Minister of State, Deputy Ó...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Dec 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...are turning to Christmas, and some people are hoping for a merry Christmas while others are not. One group who will probably have a very merry Christmas are those people who own companies that run direct provision centres in this country. Anybody who read the article today in The Irish Timesshould be astounded by the figures that have been quoted about the companies and the absolutely...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Discussion (22 Oct 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: Is there any reason NGOs did not tender to provide direct provision centres? Mr. Straton outlined the example of the Red Cross in Sweden.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Discussion (22 Oct 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ..., should it constitute random access for NGOs or something else? We as elected representatives can be in the same position as Doras Luimní, in that we must ask permission to visit people in direct provision centres. Should the oversight mechanism allow for random access by elected representatives? We should be able to visit constituents in those centres when we wish and not at the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Direct Provision: Discussion (22 Oct 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...that we get that input today. Could they outline some of the basic issues that come up? They might put them on the record for us here. If an independent person were to go into any of the direct provision centres, what would be the top four or five issues that would come up around direct provision? Ms Conlan mentioned the "convenience changes". She might clarify what she means by...

Seanad: Immigration (Reform) (Regularisation of Residency Status) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (22 Oct 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...not in a position to support the Bill, although I believe there are fundamental issues. I certainly support and applaud any efforts that are being made to change the system and I have serious issues with the direct provision system, as the House knows. I ask the Minister to clarify once and for all the Government’s position on direct provision. We hear one thing from the Minister...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (15 Oct 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...budget decreasing from €22 million to €15 million. Is there a specific reason for it and how will it affect the equality and integration issues which we have raised with the Minister so often here? Most of my colleagues in the Seanad have supported the recent statements by the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Ríordáin, on direct provision. As the senior Minister...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (7 Oct 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...House and take part in a fruitful debate. Anybody who would like to vote for her can still consider that. Senator Norris raised a serious issue relating to the potential visit of the President to a direct provision centre. Will the Leader seek clarification from the Minister for Justice and Equality as to why the President was not allowed to visit the Athlone centre and whether that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Functions: Office of the Ombudsman (1 Oct 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...thank Mr. Tyndall for attending. The casebook is very welcome and gives a very good oversight of the work being done and will be very useful in future. I wish to update Mr. Tyndall on our work on direct provision. We will have a number of hearings on that issue about extending the remit of the Ombudsman and I hope they will have it sooner rather than later. It is something we have...

Seanad: Direct Provision System: Motion (17 Sep 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...present in the Gallery for this debate. I have met astrophysicists, doctors, nurses, scientists, musicians, hairdressers - not that I need one - mechanics, carpenters, bakers, teachers, businesspeople, lawyers, etc. A few red herrings have been thrown into the debate. The direct provision system is not acceptable for anyone. The Minister of State is a former school principal. Imagine...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Report on “A Good Death”: Office of the Ombudsman (16 Jul 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...of the Ombudsman has instigated a report on a good death. Is Mr. Tyndall thinking of producing similar reports on issues about which he has received a number of complaints on a theme? We have mentioned the issue of direct provision accommodaton and prison services which are not necessarily under the ambit of the Ombudsman; therefore, he cannot conduct a specific investigation, but would...

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (15 Jul 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...value judgments that have not been subjected to public debate or consideration. The potential for racial profiling is very significant. While we were speaking about foreign nationals who might be affected by this Bill, what struck me was the question of how people living in direct provision would be affected by this. These are people who were seeking asylum; who had to flee persecution...

Seanad: Regulation (EU) No. 603/2013 on the Establishment of Eurodac: Motion (3 Jul 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: ...of asylum seekers. The Irish system involves adopting a guilty-until-proven-innocent approach to the consideration of asylum claims. Asylum seekers are stigmatised and our system makes them feel like criminals. Having spoken to people in direct provision asylum centres here, I note that they are very critical of the approach taken by the State, as are the NGOs that work with them. This...

Seanad: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: The Minister will be aware that I and many other Senators have continually raised the issue of direct provision in the House. There are many who feel that the human rights of those in direct provision have been transgressed. A former holder of the position of Ombudsman raised the issue of the oversight of the direct provision system and stated that she wanted the Ombudsman (Amendment) Act...

Seanad: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2014)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I would beg to differ but I will not discuss the matter in detail now. There are inherent difficulties with the system of direct provision as it is set up. I refer to the fact that it is a privatised system and that there is lack of oversight in respect of it. There are many issues which arise in the context of direct provision but we will not discuss them now because they are not...