Results 101-120 of 987 for garda speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: An Garda Síochána (8 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...governance and accountability framework will be introduced following enactment of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill in 2024. Major reforms to date include progressing the operating model for An Garda Síochána, designed to streamline Garda administration and to provide a more visible, responsive and localised policing service to communities nationwide. They...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Government is committed to building safer and stronger communities across Ireland. For that reason, we allocated funding in the budget to recruit 1,000 gardaí this year. We believe this will be more than enough to cover retirements and resignations. The deployment of gardaí and the location of senior gardaí is a matter for the Garda Commissioner rather than the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (7 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputies for their questions. Last week or the previous week, the Minister for Justice, Deputy Harris, and I had a meeting with the Garda National Immigration Bureau and the border management unit of the Department of Justice to discuss some of the issues raised by Deputy Mattie McGrath and to examine how we can improve border security and make sure that people who should not get...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Kenny. It is important we have appropriate and modern Garda rosters. We need gardaí to be available when people need them. Often this is at night-time and weekends. We also need rosters that respect the need for work-life balance and ensure we continue to be able to recruit and retain gardaí. There is a balance to be struck in this regard. There was a long...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...by the Tánaiste and the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. It does not just relate to the Defence Forces. There are other professions, such as the Garda, where the issue of a mandatory retirement age is in question. The matter is currently being considered by Ministers. In respect of the lapsing of the eviction moratorium, we are...

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Security Committee (1 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...European Union, the UK, the US and other countries to share information and monitor the impacts of possible threats. The NCSC continues to work particularly closely with the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána and is in frequent contact with operators of critical infrastructure and services to monitor potential malicious and cyber activities. The NCSC provides regular advice...

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Security Committee (1 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...and comprises representatives at the highest level from the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Defence, Environment, Climate and Communications, including the National Cyber Security Centre, NCSC, An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. The committee is concerned with ensuring that the Government and myself are advised of high-level security issues and the responses...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Griffin for raising this issue. Attacks on the Garda or any of our uniformed services are unacceptable. They are not just attacks on an individual; they are also attacks on the wider community and on our State. The Minister, Deputy Harris, had a meeting with the Garda representative bodies very recently and assured them that we are taking this extremely seriously. Among the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I have discussed this matter with the Minister for Justice and the Garda Commissioner, who was one of the first people I met when I was reappointed to the office of Taoiseach. They have plans in place to ramp up recruitment dramatically this year. Funding has been provided for an additional 1,000 gardaí. If successfully recruited, this will mean more new gardaí than retirements...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I understand the bundle comprises Clonmel Garda station, Macroom Garda station and the Hammond Lane court complex. I know this issue is also of great concern to Senator Ahearn and Deputy Cahill.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...Donohoe, the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Deputy O'Donovan, and the Minister for Justice, Deputy Harris. We are now examining the option of splitting the Garda station projects from the courts project.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (21 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...such views would not just move onto the next issue. The strongest anti-racism movement is one that is non-ideological, non-partisan and inclusive of everyone in society. I am not aware of the Garda actions Deputy Barry referred to. I suspect there may be more to the matter than he has described but, not having heard the other side of the story, I cannot know for sure. I am sure the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (21 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...is to build safer communities and streets and to improve our national security. We will build on the work under way to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour. We will provide additional resources to An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, the Prison Service and the court system, as well as passing new laws to ensure we apprehend criminals and deal with them appropriately. ...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: .... This is also an issue. We must weigh up the pros and cons of a further extension. I join all Members of the House in condemning unreservedly the attack that occurred on a member of An Garda Síochána in west Dublin. There is no excuse for it. It is disgraceful to see any member of An Garda Síochána, the people who protect us and keep our streets safe, coming...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...has changed, people change careers and travel and, just to stand still, we need to train and recruit more than we did in the past. We are adjusting our policies to do exactly that. The issue of Garda recruitment is linked to that. We have funding for 1,000 additional gardaí this year and that should be more than enough to cover retirements and resignations. We hope to see a net...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is the objective of the Government to build safer and stronger communities. In order to do so, we need more gardaí and we need to properly train and support them. We also need to invest in our Defence Forces, the Courts Service and the Irish Prison Service. I appreciate that gardaí are working hard, they are under a lot of pressure and their jobs are much more challenging than...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I assure the Deputy that I will take it in hand and it is a priority for me as Taoiseach and for this Government to build safer and stronger communities. That involves increasing the number of gardaí and investing in our Defence Forces, the Courts Service and the Irish Prison Service. It also involves dealing with the underlying causes of crime which are very much linked to poverty and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...company and a respected public body. I would not like to believe these things are true but they may well be true, and if they are true, it is a very serious matter. I have been briefed that the Garda is involved now, that a Garda investigation is under way and that a confidential phoneline is available for people to make reports. I encourage anybody, whether home builders,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate that gardaí all over the country are under a lot of pressure. As our population increases, we need to increase the number of gardaí as well. The number of gardaí is now over 14,000, up from 12,800 back in 2015 when it was at its lowest in recent years. Funding is available to recruit 1,000 new gardaí this year. There will also be additional Garda staff....

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: An Garda Síochána is made up of sworn gardaí and Garda staff. We anticipate that both will increase in number this year. We have provided funding for more than 1,000 gardaí to be recruited this year. This will be enough to cover retirements and resignations, and will result in an increase in the total number of gardaí. While training was disrupted as a consequence...