Results 1-20 of 159 for garda speaker:Lisa Chambers

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó (Atógáil) - Order of Business (Resumed) (24 Apr 2024)

Lisa Chambers: ...'Loughlin spoke this morning about policing policy. I understand the challenges in dealing with these topics in terms of the demarcation between roles and responsibilities between the Minister, An Garda Síochána and the Commissioner. Certainly, however, there would be broad agreement in the House that the work of the Garda is so important to the functioning of our State and our...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Apr 2024)

Lisa Chambers: ...from a policy of purchasing or renting accommodation in the private sector for IPAS. It is going to breed more problems rather than solve the challenges we have. The Senator also referenced the Garda Representative Association, GRA, conference taking place today in Westport. I welcome the GRA to County Mayo for its annual conference. It is good to see that the theme and objective of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Apr 2024)

Lisa Chambers: ...in the Curragh. I wish them well in their new career. The Senator hit the nail on the head regarding the elephant in the room, namely, the pension issue. I recently spoke with two members of An Garda Síochána. I was chatting with them in Ballinrobe, County Mayo. There had been a spate of break-ins in the town the night before. The Garda car came from Castlebar because there...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2024)

Lisa Chambers: ...committed and sometimes the difficulty in gathering evidence. We rely on people with first-hand knowledge to come forward. People will often be aware of what happened and who is responsible. An Garda Síochána is doing everything it can to find the perpetrators of these events. We even see what happened in Kildare when the premises was not even being considered by the...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ...Minister will know from comments in this Chamber that there is much concern around how we might change how we do policing in this country. We have a human rights-based policing organisation. An Garda Síochána is human rights-based. It is policed with the consent of the community. It is not heavy-handed. There may be suggestions that at times maybe it was in the past, but it...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: This follows from comments yesterday when we had a discussion in the Chamber on security services. The section relates to determining the priorities for An Garda Síochána in performing its functions relating to security and security priorities. Understandably, the section is vague on what that might be because, of course, security services are sensitive. It is important that we...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ...can exclude from the copy laid before the House elements that may not be suitable to be in the public domain shows why it can be argued that the appropriate place for those services is not under An Garda Síochána. The Bill will progress and pass. Is there scope to consider at a policy level removing those elements from An Garda Síochána and setting up a national...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ..., as have others, not only in the context of the Bill but in prior debates in the House. I am concerned that issues of national security and the security services being under the remit of An Garda Síochána poses a number of challenges. There is a capacity issue in An Garda Síochána to deal with the large scale of the work involved in security services in the State....

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: It is. It is about security priorities in the Garda Síochána.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ...and how it is consulted upon, and I have a couple of questions on that. I agree with the timeline set down. It should be done within six months and it is then submitted to the Minister and the Garda for the period of three years, which is a reasonable amount of time and allows for change when it is required. Subsection (3) states: “A strategic plan shall... (b) specify in...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ...time be given or is a particular process employed after that point - almost an evaluation as to why objectives are not being met? My concern remains that the view in rural areas is that because Garda resources are at times constrained and a lot of overtime is being used, resources will be pulled from rural areas to the cities and bigger towns. Regarding a policy like this where...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ...in a particular location. How is it intended to publish that plan and will it be made available in a number of formats to take account of the fact that not everybody might be to get into the local Garda station or access a website? How would that feed into the public being able to link in with the plan in terms of its publication?

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ...it intended that there can be a debate on it, or is it just a matter of noting the content? It is just not clear the legislation. Section 64(4) provides that the board, in consultation with the Garda Commissioner, shall provide the Minister with reports on the implementation of the strategic plan. Although this is good, because we need an update on this, what will be the follow-up if...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: On section 65, I raise similar types of points. The annual service plan is obviously important. It sets out which services the Garda will provide, the volume of services, the objectives to be achieved through those services and performance targets. Similar points were raised by Senator Mark Daly. How would the objectives be established and how will performance be measured effectively?...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ...“What gets measured, gets done” is pertinent. If there is an incentive to get certain things done, other things may get missed. It is important that unnecessary pressure is not put on the Garda by particular targets being set. How will that evaluation take place and what is the process after that? Within a workplace evaluation, for example, if you have not met a...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: In relation to the capital plan, this is obviously extremely important and related to the Garda being able to deliver services. What is set out in this capital plan is crucial and vital in terms of An Garda Síochána being able to deliver its services across the country. Section 68(3) states that "In preparing a capital plan, the Garda Commissioner shall have regard to (a) the...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: It is on section 68(3)(a), and this concerns resources reasonably expected to be available. Regard must be had to resources when developing a capital plan. The key resource the Garda has is its members.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: It is difficult to make a point when there are constant interruptions. In any event, in preparing a capital plan, and regarding the resources reasonably expected to be available to An Garda Síochána, at times certainly, what we have seen in the recent past has been that additional resources are needed for certain periods but may not be needed throughout the year. This is something...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: ...Minister please expand on how the priorities will be established? Will they be done in consultation with anybody? Is it a matter for the Department or is it one for the Minister, working with the Garda Commissioner and the board, or A.N. Other. If we could get some details as to the priorities in terms of the relevance and how this would work in respect of section 68(3)(b) of the Bill,...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Lisa Chambers: On the appointment of the deputy Garda Commissioner role, an issue arose a month ago regarding the recruitment process for that role and this is an opportunity to raise it. I acknowledge we are talking about it in the context of a process but is information on the status of that recruitment process available? It speaks to a broader conversation about the role of deputy Garda Commissioner,...