Results 1-20 of 97 for garda speaker:Michael Collins

Recent Arson Attacks: Statements (27 Feb 2024)

Michael Collins: ...deliberate arson attack on property is condemnable, regardless of the rationale behind such acts. They are criminal and should be dealt with swiftly by the State's law enforcement authority, An Garda Síochána. The risk of someone being killed or injured in an arson attack is real and the act of burning buildings is deeply wrong and unhelpful to any cause. If this trend...

Digital Services Bill 2023: Second Stage (13 Dec 2023)

Michael Collins: ...inciting hatred and this has led to serious consequences. That is through media outlets no matter where they came from but it can be tackled. During the rioting in Dublin two weeks ago, sadly, gardaí were treated scandalously by certain individuals, including kicking them and holding cameras up to their faces as if to say, "We can do what we like to you but you cannot touch us."...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice: Motion (5 Dec 2023)

Michael Collins: Garda morale is at an all-time low. There is no Garda leadership in this country. Garda stations have been closed. Crime is on the rise in our cities and in the countryside and people are feeling in danger. This was the case well before the outbreak of this recent mindless crime in Dublin, when our capital city was in grave danger. I saw this situation for myself. There were shocking...

Policing, Protests and Public Order: Statements (28 Nov 2023)

Michael Collins: ...here in the Dáil. This surely needs controlling and will be dealt with by us. Everyone knows, however, where the Labour Party is going in this country. There have also been comments from the Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, who almost immediately said that it was the far right who were responsible for this carry on. He is totally wrong. The people who carried out this...

Final Report of the Independent Scoping Exercise into the Circumstances surrounding the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell: Statements (17 Oct 2023)

Michael Collins: ...a victim-blaming narrative and claiming no further inquiry was needed. The central question remains, why was Gridziuska not behind bars? This raises concerns about potential connections as a Garda informer. The Minister's assertion that no further inquiry is needed intensifies the family's resolve for justice. While we acknowledge improvements in the justice system as per Judge...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023: Second Stage (4 Oct 2023)

Michael Collins: ...be abolished without any objection or discussion. This may affect bringing criminals who carry out human trafficking to justice. Has there been any consultation with solicitors, barristers, gardaí or the Courts Service regarding what type of service they would like? The acting State solicitor, Jerry Healy, now has twice the volume of work that he had a year ago. It is also...

An Garda Síochána: Motion [Private Members] (4 Oct 2023)

Michael Collins: As we celebrate the centenary of An Garda Síochána, it is crucial to acknowledge the pressing challenges this revered institution. Morale within the force has plummeted to an all-time low and this crisis of confidence cannot be ignored. The GRA, which represents rank-and-file gardaí, recently registered an overwhelming vote of no confidence in the force's most senior officer,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2023)

Michael Collins: ...is now 97 and her mother is 92. They and Sophie's son Pierre Louis want justice immediately in this case in Ireland. The French courts convicted a murderer in absentia. On 29 June 2022, An Garda Síochána announced what it called a cold case review. In the month of Sophie's birthday, can the Government intervene with An Garda Síochána to speed up this review and...

Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2023)

Michael Collins: ...up against civil liberties, yet he persisted in bringing forward this Bill before this House. In the same intervention in the Seanad he publicly admitted that he was rejecting the advice of An Garda Síochána that a Bill such as this was unnecessary. In rejecting the advice of An Garda Síochána, he thanked the abortion-supporting group Together for Safety for informing...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Jul 2023)

Michael Collins: ...'s ground without his consent. The next thing he knew was that the might and power of RTÉ told him legally that it was going for squatter's rights. RTÉ threatened him with the might of its legal team and An Garda Síochána and, with the power it has, it wrongfully acquired squatter's rights on another man's registered ground. If this is not an abuse of power, what is?...

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motions (27 Jun 2023)

Michael Collins: .... We are talking about justice. I think of my parish, where there is a lady dead since 1996 and there has been no justice seen. I refer to Sophie Toscan du Plantier. A murderer walks free. The Garda is talking about a review and the case goes on and on. I plead with the Minister to intervene with the Garda to speed up the results of the review of the case that is going on and, I...

Youth Justice Strategy: Statements (21 Jun 2023)

Michael Collins: ...implications. We can produce all the documents we want on young people but we must look after the young people on the ground. They are trying their best, as I saw recently at the West Cork Garda Youth Awards in West Cork Hotel. I saw at first hand the great young people. They need to be commended for their efforts and what they are doing in their community. If we can encourage them,...

Courts Bill 2023: Second Stage (19 Apr 2023)

Michael Collins: .... This is not just an issue with this case but with other similar cases. I urge the Minister of State to look into this. Regarding the courts and the cases that come before them, gardaí play a huge role in preventing people from ending up before the courts. Community gardaí are very important but I see less and less activity by community gardaí throughout the...

Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Feb 2023)

Michael Collins: In the aftermath of the financial crash, as part of the Government's attempt to balance the books through wide-ranging austerity measures, a staggering 139 Garda stations were closed between 2012 and 2013. It was a Fine Gael-Labour Party Government that closed these stations. Five of those properties were sold between 2021 and 2022, which raised more than €1 million for the...

Garda Síochána (Compensation) Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 May 2022)

Michael Collins: I thank Deputy Connolly and her group for giving us this time to speak on such an important issue. Changes to the Garda compensation scheme have been proposed for a number of years and therefore this Bill is long overdue and welcome. For instance, the current scheme has a requirement to go to the High Court, which is leading to many instances where the legal costs incurred in the...

Accommodation Needs of Those Fleeing Ukraine: Statements (5 May 2022)

Michael Collins: ...have fabulous facilities such as community halls and beautiful playing pitches or whatever for all sports but they lack people. There are opportunities there. In my parish of Goleen there is a Garda station with seven rooms lying idle. The Garda station was closed. Why can it not be given to the community? Why is that being made impossible? There are plenty of community and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Hedgerows, Carbon and Biodiversity: Hedgerows Ireland (9 Feb 2022)

Michael Collins: ...totally opposed to out-of-control burning but there is also controlled burning and we should be very supportive of this. The IFA and the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association came together with the Garda to train farmers on controlled burning. We should encourage this in specific areas where it is needed at specific times. Sometimes we cannot burn in season because the season is...

National Ambulance Service: Motion [Private Members] (16 Nov 2021)

Michael Collins: .... There was no ambulance in Cork county so he lay on the ground for two hours and 45 minutes. Second, in late August, there was a car accident in Schull with three people injured. Fire and Garda personnel laid the three injured on the roadside and rang for an ambulance. There was no ambulance in west Cork. They waited two hours and 30 minutes before an ambulance came from another...

Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021: Motion (16 Nov 2021)

Michael Collins: ...allow outdoor drinking where seating areas will be permitted. This was a good move. I thank the local authorities and I am grateful for any Government funding that was put towards it. I thank An Garda Síochána for its co-operation in this matter. It meant that publicans could open their doors. I have to commend each and every publican in west Cork because all the pubs and...

The National Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027 and Supporting Community Safety: Statements (6 Oct 2021)

Michael Collins: ...people. There are great young people in west Cork. Obviously, young people go a little astray at times but there are great young people there. I have seen it down through the years with the Garda youth awards, an initiative that was started up by gardaí in west Cork. Young people have won awards for the great things they have done in working with the underprivileged, working with...