Results 21-40 of 44 for garda speaker:Frances Black

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Online Harassment and Harmful Communications: Discussion (2 Oct 2019)

Frances Black: ...committee next week. What does Professor Carthy think they will say about this? What will be their protests? He mentioned that they will protest against it so what will they say? I hear what An Garda Síochána is saying but at the end of the day, it is like road safety. What will the companies protest about? What are their arguments against it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Online Harassment and Harmful Communications: Discussion (2 Oct 2019)

Frances Black: That is great. I thank our guests for their presentations. Deputy Connolly spoke about what An Garda Síochána is working on at this time and it sounds as if there is a lack of resources. This should be one of the top priorities going forward. It is a minefield and it is difficult but people being bullied online is one of the most worrying trends we must face. I sometimes see it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Spent Convictions: Discussion (10 Jul 2019)

Frances Black: ...spent convictions? What concerns must the committee address? Could Senator Ruane give us a little more detail on the offences that are excluded from the general spent conviction scheme and the Garda vetting scheme? She might expand a little on that. References have been made to murder and things like that and that is not what this is all about. I ask those questions of Senator Ruane...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision and the International Protection Application Process: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2019)

Frances Black: ..., which is that the direct provision system is a patchwork, with cracks all over the place with human beings slipping through them. In this case four or five agencies were involved, including the Garda, the Department, the Reception and Integration Agency, the coroner and centre management but nobody really took responsibility. It is not good enough to state that there was a breakdown in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Frances Black: A report covering mental health within Garda Síochána was published earlier this year. The reality is that gardaí at the coalface have to deal with major issues. I imagine that have to deal with very traumatic issues.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Future Direction of An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (24 Oct 2018)

Frances Black: Sometimes prevention can be better than cure. It would be a good idea to train up many gardaí to deal with people on a compassionate level, which is not easy to do. I understand it is hard to do but if they learned to treat people in general, whatever crime they may have committed, and some crimes are more serious than others, when it comes to addiction issues with dignity and respect,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Community Policing and Rural Crime: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Frances Black: ...respect and the policing service. The policing service deal with huge trauma every day. It works on the front line all the time. A report was done recently on trauma and the mental health of gardaí. There are no supports provided for gardaí in that respect. All of that trauma comes back to addiction and the role it plays. I work with families who have somebody they love...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Frances Black: .... The ombudsman in the North is able to get information and documentation very quickly. It must be very frustrating when GSOC does not get such information. Why does Ms Justice Ring think the Garda delay in giving her the information she needs? What is her experience of that? When GSOC approaches the Garda for information and documentation and it does not get it, what supports does it...

Seanad: Garda Overtime Budget: Statements (29 Nov 2017)

Frances Black: I thank the Minister for coming in today. I appreciate his coming in personally because this has been a tough week. While the credibility of An Garda Síochána as an organisation has been repeatedly called into question in recent years, I believe that Irish people still have a lot of trust and belief in their local community Garda. This trust has been fought for and won over...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Recent Issues Relating to An Garda Síochána: Acting Garda Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin (4 Oct 2017)

Frances Black: .... I will speak from my experience of working in another area. Regarding Dr. Geoffrey Shannon's report, I worked with a family who had a child about who they were very concerned and the way the Garda members treated the family was fantastic. One garda in particular gave them unbelievably good support, more than Tusla, social services or any of the other organisations. In my own...

Seanad: Report on Use of Section 12 of Child Care Act by An Garda Síochána: Statements (31 May 2017)

Frances Black: ...effect on children. The failure by society to address alcohol is a fundamental problem and places insurmountable problems on the child protection system. It is not just about Tusla or the Garda; it is about society and our ambivalence to alcohol and substance misuse. I totally agree with Dr. Shannon. Sadly, it is no real surprise to me, given my own background in working with people...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 May 2017)

Frances Black: ...very damaging effect on children. Society's failure to address alcohol is a fundamental issue and places insurmountable problems on the child-protection system. It is not just about Tusla or the Garda; it is about society and our ambivalence to alcohol and substance misuse. Sadly, this is no surprise to me as I have worked with people suffering from alcohol abuse and addiction for many...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 May 2017)

Frances Black: I express sadness on the death of the late journalist, Dara Quigley, who took her life on 12 April, five days after she had been detained by gardaí under the Mental Health Act. We all know that a Garda video of her detention was posted on Facebook shortly before Ms Quigley's death. Her family recently said their distress had been compounded by the publication of her name on many...

Seanad: Adult Safeguarding Bill: Second Stage (5 Apr 2017)

Frances Black: ...and to ensure any large cash withdrawals for this type of work are replaced by bank drafts payable to the contractor. With all the questions that have recently come to light about the integrity of the Garda Síochána and its inaccurate reporting of issues, I think it is necessary to examine the practice of Garda questioning of vulnerable adults. The appointment of an independent...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Recent Controversies Concerning An Garda Síochána (30 Mar 2017)

Frances Black: ...earlier. Why has all of this happened? What was the thinking behind it? It is awful that the number of breathalyser tests was overstated by 1 million. Has this been used as a justification for Garda overtime? I know we spoke about bonuses earlier. Were gardaí getting overtime for this and, if so, can we put a value on it? What was their thinking in doing so many breath tests?...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2017)

Frances Black: I wish to raise an issue that I discussed on 7 March when we debated the Grace case. I asked how many similar cases there were and whether there were other cases in which the HSE, Tusla or the Garda had been made aware of sexual or physical abuse allegations against a foster parent but the child had not been removed from the home. It is important that we know that no other children are...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Black: ...will be widened to include the other 46 service users who spent time in the foster home in question. How many similar cases are there? Are there other cases where the HSE, Tusla or the Garda were made aware of sexual or physical abuse allegations against a foster parent and the child was not removed from the foster home? It is important that we know that no other children are living in...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (2 Mar 2017)

Frances Black: ...property on the Grand Canal, the Royal Canal and the River Barrow. In the Republic of Ireland, search and seizure acts are limited to a number of specially trained and professional groups such as gardaí, health and safety inspectors and Customs officers. The boats affected by this new Bill include residential barges, hire boats and barges, restaurant barges, motor cruisers and...

Seanad: Clarification on Statements made by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs: Statements (15 Feb 2017)

Frances Black: ...The real issue, however, is the effect on the lives of Maurice McCabe, an innocent man, his wife and his family. I ask the Minister if she believes there was collusion between some members of An Garda Síochána and some people in Tusla? It is very worrying that, despite no evidence of any child abuse being produced, both Sergeant Maurice McCabe and Garda Keith Harrison were...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2017)

Frances Black: ...children. It is an absolute nightmare. The treatment of Maurice McCabe by the organisation he continues to serve and by Tusla has been shameful. I read this morning in the Irish Examinerthat a garda who has made complaints of malpractice is saying he has been subjected to intimidation and harassment. For example, a minor incident between this garda and his wife was referred to Tusla....