Results 1-20 of 45 for garda speaker:James O'Connor

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (18 Apr 2024)

James O'Connor: ...Is it something Mr.. McCarthy accepts is now at a tipping point where we have arson attacks on IPA centres, where incredibly unsavoury protests are taking place in many locations, which have put An Garda Síochána and local services under huge pressure? We have reached a point where this is bordering on a crisis. I start with that question. Were did it all go wrong?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

James O'Connor: I thank the Chairman and welcome everybody. The particular of facet of interest for me with GSOC rotates around the increase in the number of disciplinary investigations into members of An Garda Síochána. There are two facets to this and some of this has been discussed this morning. The first element is that some of these are handled by An Garda Síochána internally....

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

James O'Connor: The digital forensics unit is interesting. Is it a unit within the special detective unit, SDU, in the Garda?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

James O'Connor: In terms of the vetting process, what is involved in that? Is it a case of getting a simple Garda clearance certificate? Are there more forensic checks in the background in terms of the personnel that are coming in, in light of what was raised by Deputy Devlin?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

James O'Connor: ...perspective, a genuinely interesting question which is worth asking. Those working in GSOC are dealing with critically sensitive information involving a range of issues around enforcement in the Garda. Do the witnesses believe the current system as it stands is fit for purpose? Does it need to be improved, in terms of whether we do background checks on people occupying incredibly...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

James O'Connor: It is not palatable for members of the Garda for these backlogs to be as high as they are. Members who are under investigation are put under strain and stress. As I said, it is about differentiating between right and wrong and I accept the need for the work GSOC does. However, when a considerable number of gardaí are leaving the force, for financial and other reasons, delays should be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

James O'Connor: .... In the past, I have asked whether there could be some system to improve on security alerts, because it is hard for anyone to make a decision to withdraw services without direct advice from An Garda Síochána. The State agencies present should not have to make that call. That should lie with An Garda Síochána. That needs to be tightened up to keep everyone safe, to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (26 Oct 2023)

James O'Connor: ...the utter devastation that has been caused by flash flooding in the area. Many communities have experienced colossal damages that will require many millions of euro in repair work. The hospital, the Garda station, road infrastructure, homes and businesses have been affected. I ask the Minister of State what he intends to do in terms of releasing additional capital to help our community.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Flood Risk Management (24 Oct 2023)

James O'Connor: ...Deputy O’Sullivan, in their words on the devastation in east Cork and the Minister of State’s area of west Waterford. It caused hundreds of millions worth of damage. We have a hospital and a Garda station destroyed. Hundreds of homes are flooded. Midleton Main Street is devastated. In Mogeely, Killeagh, my home parish and community, Inch, Castlemartyr, Ladysbridge,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

James O'Connor: I certainly will. I will try to be quicker than Deputy Healy-Rae anyway. I thank all the delegates for attending. Their contribution to road safety is very welcome. I am aware that An Garda Síochána is very stretched. I thank ordinary members of the force in barracks across the country for the work they do. I want to follow on from what happened here last week. Mr. Waide's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

James O'Connor: ...to be accusatory at all but we are now living with the consequences. It is profoundly frustrating this has gone on for so long and we must go back to the consequences and the difficulties it causes a garda at a checkpoint where he or she stops a member of the public with a car without a valid NCT. There could be someone messing around with the NCT, cancelling appointments and trying to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: 62. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will outline the provision of further resources to An Garda Síochána to provide a safer system of policing public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18134/23]

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development
Report of the Accounts of the Public Services 2021
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (30 Mar 2023)

James O'Connor: On that point, did the Secretary General make a decision or did anyone in the Department come to a point of considering that this was at a level where An Garda Síochána might be contacted?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: It is a Garda issue and it does not concern the RSA.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

James O'Connor: Has the RSA communicated with An Garda Síochána that it has a concern this issue is not being followed up? The figures show clearly that of 11,000 drivers who have been disqualified, only 722 have surrendered their permits. Have the witnesses followed up on that matter with An Garda Síochána? Mr. Waide stated the primary purpose of them appearing before the committee...

Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (31 Jan 2023)

James O'Connor: ..., as it has been for a very long time. We have seen a gradual decline in the level of active personnel in the Defence Forces and it is also spilling over into other facets of the State, whether the Garda or other areas. I do not think we are being serious enough about this. We need to tackle the problem. Another issue that has to be dealt with at European level, which I encourage...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (6 Dec 2022)

James O'Connor: 42. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the ongoing efforts to enable the rollout of CCTV systems for An Garda Síochána in urban areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60619/22]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drug Dealing (8 Nov 2022)

James O'Connor: ...for Justice and Equality her plans to expand the role of drug detection dogs operated by private security contractors in co-operation with day-to-day policing by Customs, the Prison Service and An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55554/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Provision of Bus Services in Dublin: Discussion (8 Nov 2022)

James O'Connor: ...for Dublin Bus. Is Ms Keane concerned about the current method of security provision on bus services in the context of antisocial behaviour? Does she feel this could be improved upon by way of Garda operations? My Fianna Fáil colleagues are very much stressing the requirement for a Garda division to police public transport. What is Ms Keane's view on that? We have seen some...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Engagement with Road Safety Authority (12 Oct 2022)

James O'Connor: ...law. I know we saw deferrals around the time of Covid but there is a Catch-22 here. If we do not get this thing sorted, it is going to put a lot of people at risk of being stopped. Ultimately, the Garda Síochána has to and should do its job and, unfortunately, fines will be applied and people may be given penalty point notices as a consequence of these backlogs. I do not know...