Results 21-40 of 215 for garda speaker:Martin Conway

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2021)

Martin Conway: ..., they need to be able to travel around our country and our towns and cities safely, whether by day or by night. That debate is necessary and, like others, I welcome the announcement of 800 extra gardaí in the budget. That will certainly help increase the complement of gardaí to a figure in excess of 15,000. That is where we want it. We never want to go under 15,000...

Joint Committee On Health: Impact of Covid-19 on Children: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Martin Conway: However, the ISPCC would not initiate the contact with the Garda on behalf of the child.

Seanad: Offences against the State Act 1998 and Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motions (22 Jun 2021)

Martin Conway: I welcome the Minister to the House. I take her observations and those of An Garda Síochána on the need to continue the Special Criminal Court in its current form very seriously. This court is there to protect Ireland and its citizens from organised terrorism from criminal gangs and dissident republicans. Unfortunately, until such time as these issues are dealt with and these...

Seanad: Counterfeiting Bill 2020: Second Stage (14 Jun 2021)

Martin Conway: ...ways of infiltrating it and scamming people. Therefore, we need to ensure that we have the armoury, in terms of the legislation, that is necessary to deal with it. We must ensure that we equip An Garda Síochána, the Revenue Commissioners and the other arms of the State with the necessary legislation so that they are in a position to deal swiftly with this type of crime when...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Nov 2020)

Martin Conway: ...particular conman, but the failure of the institutions of our State to deal with him. The Revenue Commissioners have questions to answer about how it was allowed to escalate to the degree it did. An Garda Síochána also has questions to answer as to why this particular gentleman had not been convicted prior to recently, given the fact that many complaints were made and plenty of...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Sep 2020)

Martin Conway: ...to him as we would hope. It is a pity that Senator Bacik feels it necessary to press her amendment to a vote.The consensus in the Chamber is striking. The powers that will be vested in An Garda Síochána are appropriate. We are living in difficult, challenging and strange times during which we must protect the majority. We must give powers to An Garda Síochána...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Jul 2020)

Martin Conway: ...correctly. All Senators could identify pubs in their local area to which people are going with the excuse of eating dinner, but then staying and drinking for hours. That is not right. I commend An Garda Síochána, which is doing its best to deal with this situation. I understand that many pubs of that nature have been closed. They are closed down, but they reopen the...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motions (29 Jun 2020)

Martin Conway: ...terrorism, which we have not really seen yet in this country and we hope we never will. However, we must have legislation in place to ensure that if and when such activity presents itself, An Garda Síochána is equipped to react quickly to it. In terms of the legislation itself, there is a commitment as part of the future of policing report recommendations that we would review...

Seanad: Crime: Statements (5 Dec 2019)

Martin Conway: ...take a line of cocaine need to realise that cocaine in this country is illegal and must be sourced through back channels in an illegal way. That is done, by and large, by organised crime gangs. Garda Commissioner Harris and the Minister, Deputy Flanagan - the two people in this country who lead the whole area of law and order, and justice - get this issue and have done a significant...

Seanad: Illegal Drugs: Motion (13 Nov 2019)

Martin Conway: ...for Clare. I refer to the drugs unit being reduced. That is not what has happened. A core group works full time in the drugs unit and then rotates. That is a far better system. A number of gardaí go into that unit for six months and work there exclusively for that time. They will then be redeployed and replaced by another group of gardaí. I discussed this issue and sought...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Departmental Transformation Programme: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Nov 2019)

Martin Conway: ...is worthy of escalation to ministerial level? That is the first element of the question. Second, has the Department developed new protocols or management systems in its communication with the Garda Commissioner? That appears to have been an issue as well. I ask Mr. O'Driscoll to comment on those two specific areas, namely, escalating issues to ministerial level and the Department's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Departmental Transformation Programme: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Nov 2019)

Martin Conway: That is very positive. Most people would agree that much transformation taking place within An Garda Síochána as well. I have a question about a current issue. Is Mr. O'Driscoll happy with his Department's recent handling of emergency accommodation and direct provision facilities for asylum seekers? Has the Department learned lessons from this ongoing issue? Will changes be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Departmental Transformation Programme: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Nov 2019)

Martin Conway: Has the Department engaged with the Garda in respect of protecting the safety of the people in question on Achill Island? It is shocking that the hotel rooms are available but the Department is not in a position to transfer the 13 women to the facility and accommodate them because of fears for their safety. Has it had discussions with the Garda to try to eliminate or deal with those fears?...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2019)

Martin Conway: ...Square gate because of protests last week. According to the law, Members of the Oireachtas should be able to freely come to work in the Dáil and the Seanad and go from work. Last week, An Garda Síochána was not in a position to uphold that, and that is not good enough. There have been protests in this area with thousands of people outside the gates of Leinster House, and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Online Harassment and Harmful Communications: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Oct 2019)

Martin Conway: ...the delegates for their engaging and informative presentations. Dr. Aiken has noted that if even 0.1% of Irish customers of a particular social media company were to make a complaint to the Garda, it would amount to some 2,500 complaints and gardaí would not have the resources to deal with them. However, every jurisdiction in the world is in the same boat. Dr. Aiken referred to the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Oct 2019)

Martin Conway: We do not get as much of it as we would like. One thing I want to particularly welcome is the increase in funding for An Garda Síochána and the whole area of justice. We spend a lot of time in this House dealing with justice legislation such as the Judicial Council Bill and the various other components of the justice portfolio, on which I have had the privilege to lead on behalf...

Seanad: Crime Policy: Motion (2 Oct 2019)

Martin Conway: I move amendment No. 1:To delete all words after "Seanad Éireann" and substitute the following:"notes: - that tackling organised crime is a key priority for the Government and An Garda Síochána; - that An Garda Síochána has the necessary resources, intelligence and determination to successfully combat organised criminal activity in the State; - that An Garda...

Seanad: Crime Policy: Motion (2 Oct 2019)

Martin Conway: ...to enlighten people as to the damage they are doing by purchasing recreational drugs. Such a campaign should be rolled out on a national basis. Safer Blanchardstown is arranging to meet the Garda Commissioner in the coming weeks. Perhaps when the Minister gets an opportunity, he might also sit down with the organisation to hear about the research and work it is doing, and what an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Reform and Related Issues: Discussion (18 Sep 2019)

Martin Conway: I welcome the Garda Commissioner and his team, Mr. John Twomey, Mr. Michael Finn and Mr. Joseph Nugent, as well as their colleagues. The Commissioner has just completed his first year in the job which I sincerely hope he is enjoying. He has taken the organisation in a professional direction and instilled confidence. The vast majority of the public are on his side and public confidence in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Reform and Related Issues: Discussion (18 Sep 2019)

Martin Conway: ...an international airport at Shannon where there is an ongoing security threat as a result of the use of the airport for refuelling and stopovers by the United States military. There is a constant Garda presence. Many of the Commissioner's colleagues were based in County Clare in the last three or four months when President Trump and Vice President Pence passed through the airport. We...