Results 1-20 of 55 for garda speaker:Richard O'Donoghue

Road Safety: Statements (17 Apr 2024)

Richard O'Donoghue: ...the speed limits on roads where there are no accidents. Looking at the statistics, how many of these accidents have been caused by drink, drugs, drink and drugs or speed? If we have more gardaí on the roads to police them, we might have fewer accidents but the Government depleted the Garda service. More people are retiring from the Garda now than are coming in. The Government...

Road Traffic Bill 2024: Second Stage (13 Feb 2024)

Richard O'Donoghue: ...done to improve them bar a sign being put up to say it is an accident black spot. We have a lack of policing on our roads due to the Commissioner and the Minister not listening to 97.8% of the gardaí that police this country. That is a statistic of which the Government should be aware. Another statistic relates to the lack of Garda services. I and councillors around the country...

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

Richard O'Donoghue: ...and the carer who were at the heart of a situation where a person tried to and did stab them. My heart also goes out to the people who intervened to save those lives. Some 98.7% of the gardaí voted against Drew Harris as their representative. The Minister is the protector of the people through the Garda service. Some 98.7% of the Garda service voted against Drew Harris and the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Nov 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: ...of Justice. At the present time, Tusla is only offering one third of the cost for 2024. In the first half of 2023, there were 4,000 cases of suspected child physical abuse referred to An Garda Síochána and Tusla. In 2022, there were over 1,800 reports of child sex abuse. For 34 years, CARI has supplied supports for children from 3 to 18 years of age, and have only now been...

Financial Resolutions 2023 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (11 Oct 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: ...has taken the increase from them; and it has taken extra tax from them because of the increase in their wages. The Government has actually given them nothing and all it has done is driven inflation, and the Government is the only one that is going to get extra tax. We then come to the Garda. The Government talks about 1,000 extra gardaí. Gardaí are leaving in their droves...

Financial Resolutions 2023 - Budget Statement 2024 (10 Oct 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: ...for machinery. Contractors in this country do about 70% of the work for the farmers but it gave nothing to the contractors for machinery, which could reduce costs for farmers getting work done. Let us look then at the Garda. We are going to have 1,000 extra gardaí. The Garda cannot keep the ones it has. They are counting the days and hours to get out because 98.7% have no...

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

Richard O'Donoghue: If we are honest here and 98.7% of the House had no confidence in the Minister, she would not be here. If 51% had no confidence, she would not be here. However, 98.7% of the members of An Garda Síochána have no confidence in Commissioner Harris and he is still here. He has single-handedly destroyed the Garda service in Ireland. Gardaí are no longer counting the years to...

Central Statistics Office Sexual Violence Survey 2022: Statements (Resumed) (17 May 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: I thank all the rape crisis centres that deal with these people who are sexually abused, the Garda Síochána and all the other entities that assist. Looking at the statistics from the CSO figures, they show that 53% of women come forward and only 34% of men. Child sexual violence affects one in four children. That is huge. It is beyond belief to me. I see that 8% of people over...

Abuse at Certain Educational Institutions: Statements (24 Nov 2022)

Richard O'Donoghue: ...acknowledged and that the facts are put on record so that such things cannot happen again. Whatever investigation takes place, it is essential that it does not impede inquiries being carried out by An Garda Síochána. This hits home for everyone in this room, across the House and in all parties. It hits home when you see people who entrusted their children to a school only for...

Extension of Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021: Motion (16 Nov 2022)

Richard O'Donoghue: ...their diversity in helping people outdoors. A worrying aspect is that we must protect people and staff. In case there are any alterations within those areas, we have to look at the role of the Garda. How do we introduce the Garda into this? Some 800 gardaí have promised, but only 23 graduated recently. Some 284 gardaí retired, were off sick or off duty due to disciplinary...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (27 Oct 2022)

Richard O'Donoghue: Is the Tánaiste in favour of the new Garda roster that has been proposed in which they are looking for members of the Garda to work seven days on-two days off, seven days on-three days off and then six days on-three days off, after which they return to the seven-day cycle again? I met Garda representatives during the week who said that no one will be joining the force after 87% of them...

Financial Resolutions 2022 - Financial Resolution No. 1: Mineral Oil Tax (27 Sep 2022)

Richard O'Donoghue: ...taking children to such events, the carbon tax is an unjust tax. If we look at any of the services that are within the Government's remit currently, such as the ambulance service, fire service and the Garda, none of them have electric vehicles, because they would not be able to do their jobs. In the middle of a chase, gardaí would have to stop for a few minutes to plug in the car...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Investigations (28 Jun 2022)

Richard O'Donoghue: ...and corruption. It has not been made accountable. What will the Minister for Health do to prevent future harm to the public in this hospital in the meantime? Will the Minister for Health ask the Garda to conduct a criminal investigation into the situation? The people of the mid-west have the right to attend a hospital where patient safety comes first.

Energy Security: Motion [Private Members] (15 Jun 2022)

Richard O'Donoghue: ...ambulance run on fossil fuel. If there is a fire in a house, what comes to put out the fire? It is vehicles with fossil fuel engines. Our schools and most of our hospitals run on fossil fuels. Garda cars driving around the country are run on fossil fuel. People all want to make a difference, yet the Government cannot see that. The Minister of State needs to wake up. Deputy Collins...

Garda Síochána (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Richard O'Donoghue: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I agree with most of what is contained in it except for the provision whereby a trainee garda may be called on to present in court. I do not agree with that. Any garda who does so must have experience in that field. That is my one concern. I welcome anything that will free up Garda resources. There are many areas around the country in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (24 May 2022)

Richard O'Donoghue: In order to get extra people on the ground, we need to tackle the issue where, if a garda is on a shift and if there is an arrest, for example, for antisocial behaviour, a car accident or whatever it is he or she has to do, approximately three hours of that garda's day then turns into paperwork. Those three hours are spent behind doors where he or she is not visible. To counteract that we...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (24 May 2022)

Richard O'Donoghue: I thank the Minister. I appreciate everything done by An Garda Síochána. I see how dangerous the job is, in that 4,000 members of An Garda Síochána were assaulted in the past five years and some 243 members were injured after having been assaulted. For us in Limerick to have a good Garda service but we need a headquarters. I informed the Minister last week that...

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

Richard O'Donoghue: ..., the legal bill was €9.96 million. I understand that in some cases the legal fees exceeded the amount in damages actually awarded. I am sure that this could not continue. Unquestionably, any gardaí who have been injured in the line of duty would agree that it is not in their best interests to experience extensive delays in settling their claims. Another important aspect...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (12 May 2022)

Richard O'Donoghue: 296. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number and location of the Garda stations in Limerick city and county that are open to the public 24/7 with a Garda present; and the details of same. [23886/22]

Committee on Public Petitions: Engagement with the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Apr 2022)

Richard O'Donoghue: I thank all the witnesses for coming in. The first issue relates to the staffing of An Garda Síochána and where gardaí are being deployed. That is a big concern for me when I look at the county of Limerick. One station could cover 40 square miles with only two Garda cars and three gardaí, whereas in a city base there might be ten vehicles and 40 or 50 gardaí...