Results 1-20 of 69 for garda speaker:Sharon Keogan

Seanad: EU Regulations (Police Co-operation on Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings): Motion (11 Apr 2024)

Sharon Keogan: ...to this issue is of critical importance in tackling human trafficking. By its nature, human trafficking is dependent on well organised, international criminal networks. One challenge faced by An Garda Síochána in this area is the difficulty in prosecuting human traffickers due to the international nature of the enterprise, so enhancing policing powers and co-operation with...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2024)

Sharon Keogan: ...minors at bed and breakfast accommodation or rented properties. One of the largest special emergency arrangement providers, Ideal Care Services, had stopped receiving child placements from Tusla after Garda vetting records had been altered and prospective employees' checks had been fabricated.Another concern surrounds children entering Ireland from war zones. The Irish Times, on 10 May...

Seanad: Community Safety and Investment: Motion [Private Members] (28 Feb 2024)

Sharon Keogan: ...and the amendment tabled by my colleague, Senator Craughwell. Community safety and investment is of paramount importance to ensure a thriving, safe and healthy society. The Trojan work done by An Garda Síochána has never been of more vital importance than in recent years. Community unrest is palpable in our country. The recruitment and retention of gardaí is at crisis...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Feb 2024)

Sharon Keogan: ...no wonder that a Government led by a party of law and order wants to avoid transparency and accountability at all costs when its own leader issued false statutory donation statements to the Standards in Public Office Commission and has since been referred to An Garda Síochána. Transparency cheats cheat us all.

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (27 Feb 2024)

Sharon Keogan: ...Mullen for putting it so eloquently.As far as I can see, this section is a bit like the tail wagging the dog because the Minister has provided no evidence. There is no evidence whatsoever from the Garda Commissioner regarding allegations that have been made by a certain lobby group. The Minister has produced no evidence in respect of any hospital to indicate that inappropriate protests...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Second Stage (31 Jan 2024)

Sharon Keogan: ...the hate speech Bill. By design, no one will know where the line in the sand lies and so all will be forced to self-police and self-censor. The legislation is not intended to be enforced by An Garda Síochána or the courts, but by fear. This legislation will create an atmosphere of legal uncertainty both for online platforms and their users. It heavily incentivises online...

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

Sharon Keogan: ...were taken from, Tusla accommodation. We do not know where they are. We do not know who they are with and what is being done to them, and no one seems to care. Three quarters of the time, the Garda does not even put out an appeal for information on missing children. Had these children remained in Tusla care, they might not have fared out much better. We learned last year that Tusla...

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

Sharon Keogan: ...she has had to listen to here for almost three and a half hours. I thank her for her patience. On the capital plan, will that include the building of prisons, as well as building or improving Garda stations? Does it include a provision for building prisons?

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

Sharon Keogan: I thank Senator Chambers for poking us all on this particular issue. The Garda Reserve is a very valuable resource in this country that is absolutely not tapped into. I thank Senator Boyhan for his contribution. This is an issue that Senator McDowell has been raising for the last number of years and nothing has been done - absolutely nothing has been done on this. The Garda Commissioner...

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

Sharon Keogan: I appreciate the difficulty the Minister has had in getting trainees on board. It is hard. When it comes to trainees, we must make being a garda a job worth applying for. In this regard, the remuneration is very important, but so is having a proper pension. These new gardaí are on the post-2013 pension provision. Those joining the Garda now, compared with those who joined the force...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...and join with him in welcoming the children here this morning. I hope you enjoy your visit to your House today. I am calling for a debate with the Minister for Justice on the exchanges between An Garda Síochána, X and Coimisiún na Meán regarding the protests and riots in Dublin city centre on Thursday, 23 November. Addressing the Dáil on 29 November, the Minister...

Seanad: Recent Violence in Dublin City Centre: Motion (29 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...should be summoned to court to have the results of their applications for the right to remain handed down to them. If they are accepted, all good. If permission is denied, they should be taken to a Garda station, put in custody and on the first plane home. No more self-service deportation orders. The Minister is in charge of the Department of Justice, not Tesco. There should be massive...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...the place. Many of them simply got into their cars to help their colleagues in need at the time. How will this issue be addressed in the long term? Recruitment and retention are issues within An Garda Síochána. Community policing is at the heart of what the Garda does. I am a great advocate of community policing. I do it in my community and area. It is an important...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages [Resumed] (15 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...against a watchlist of number plates of vehicles of interest. The Bill proposes the processing of all number plate data and then the provision of access to the number plate data in which the Garda is interested. The ECJ has repeatedly warned that accessing targeted data out of vast pools of data must happen only subject to judicial approval. The Dwyer judgment is an example of...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: The current definition of "recording device" in the Bill is very broad, so all types of recording devices or systems used by An Garda Síochána should, at the very least, be specified in a relevant code of practice. Ideally, there should be a list of all the approved devices. In the absence of that, we should have a proper code of practice regarding the use of such devices. That...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: As Minister, can she not instruct the Garda Commissioner to facilitate the training of personnel who will be in charge of the data?

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (8 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...amendment No. 11: In page 11, to delete lines 21 and 22 and substitute the following: “(a) is worn in a location and manner that maximises the camera’s ability to capture video footage of the Garda member’s activities, and”

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me in. The Commissioner is very welcome. In regard to the Garda station in Meath east, around the Laytown and Bettystown area, is a vital piece of infrastructure that we need there on the coast. The current one is in the middle of a housing estate and is totally unsuitable for the needs of the growing population on the east coast. In regard to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: Can I just finish with automatic number plate recognition, ANPR? ANPR is probably one of the most vital tools that An Garda Síochána can use. We had it on a system in Duleek as part of a community CCTV programme but had to take it off because of the regulations. The Commissioner asked us to take it off. It was a shame because it is a quick way to solve crime. It is easy to get...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...in Meath will miss him equally greatly. My sympathies go to his mother; his fiancée; Carly; and Kyle. I am calling for a debate with the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, on the issue of crime, An Garda Síochána and national security. This month saw a 99% vote by rank-and-file gardaí to express no confidence in Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, with record turnout,...