Results 21-40 of 88 for garda speaker:Barry Ward

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2023)

Barry Ward: ...my Bill for that purpose. They are rules that essentially must be exercised with regard to persons in custody, and they are reasonable rules. Rule No. 9 is something from a bygone era. It essentially requires a written note to be taken by the Garda in the course of an interview with a suspect. It essentially means that a garda - usually there would be two gardaí with one...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2023)

Barry Ward: ...Second Stage but it is a positive measure. I acknowledge the work done by my colleague, Senator Gallagher, in bringing forward Private Members' legislation, although it is not specifically about gardaí alone. This is an important step. With regard to the existing section 19 offence, I welcome the fact that the penalty is being increased, just as it has been increased for assault....

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Barry Ward: ...scams and things of that nature, which have become increasingly prevalent. We are also looking at technological solutions to improve the operation of the Courts Service and the functions of An Garda Síochána. As part of that, we have arranged a special meeting to deal with the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022 on 5 July in the hope of moving it on. ...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022: Second Stage (13 Jun 2023)

Barry Ward: ...Minister gave one example, the Misuse of Drugs Act, but one could also have given the examples of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 or the firearms legislation. If I am walking down the street with a knife in my pocket and get arrested by the Garda, for whatever reason, it is reasonable to require that I explain why I have a knife in my pocket. There would be a...

Seanad: Garda Reserve: Statements (31 May 2023)

Barry Ward: Go raibh maith agar a Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, cuirim fáilte roimh an Áire ar an obair seo go háirithe. I echo what the Minister said about recognising the contribution members of the Garda Reserve make. As a society, we can be very proud that there are so many individuals who are willing to do work that is unpaid and monetarily unrewarded, albeit that it comes with its...

Seanad: Non-Fatal Offences against the Person (Amendment) (Spiking) Bill 2023: Second Stage (31 May 2023)

Barry Ward: ...part in addressing these issues. I still think that having this as a stand-alone offence will help and equip them to do so. It is also very important for us to put out the message that reporting is important. I agree with the Minister that when we hear the number of these offences that are being reported to the Garda, we all suspect it nowhere near reflects the number of actual...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Courts Service (25 May 2023)

Barry Ward: ...said about the progress made in the Department on streamlining courts processes through investment in technology. Every user of the court, whoever it may be, whether a lawyer, litigant, witness or garda, welcomes the opportunity to have a more efficient and effective Courts Service. I note the Minister of State made no specific mention of the creation of additional physical spaces....

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (23 May 2023)

Barry Ward: ...the physicality of the assault because the psychological effect is very severe. I, therefore, welcome the fact that there is a stand-alone offence of non-fatal strangulation. That is very important. I welcome what the Minister said about attacks on members of the Garda. I wonder whether there is room in this Bill for provisions relating to the judge's rules. In terms of simple...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Coroners Service (29 Mar 2023)

Barry Ward: ...as possible have to deal with it but when unexpected deaths occur, it falls to the coroner to step in. That could be a death in hospital or in custody, be it a mental health institution, prison or Garda station, a death from an accident or a death at home in unexplained circumstances. It is great we have a service that is independent and inquisitorial rather than adversarial, which helps...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Antisocial Behaviour (23 Mar 2023)

Barry Ward: ...has conducted surveys with its own members showing that 95% of them have been the victims of crime and 93% of them have been the victims of shoplifting. I know the Minister of State is part of the retail theft forum also involving the Garda. The Garda's own figures have shown a 41% increase in this kind of behaviour. Shopkeepers have said this grew during the pandemic and has not abated...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Antisocial Behaviour (23 Mar 2023)

Barry Ward: ...really appreciate the fact that he has made clear the Government's view that everybody should feel safe in their workplace and that is at the heart of this. I also recognise what was said about An Garda Síochána and the work being done by the Minister, Deputy Harris, by the Minister, Deputy McEntee. and the future work that will be done to build up the numbers in An Garda...

Seanad: Moving Towards Zero Tolerance of Violence against Women: Statements (9 Feb 2023)

Barry Ward: .... This is such a serious problem that some of them now do not want to go to work, as if we did not have enough difficulty trying to provide healthcare for all sectors of society. That is something the Garda needs to address. Earlier this week I appeared on an RTÉ television programme with Katie Hannon at which a brave young woman in the audience, called Varsha, raised what she...

Seanad: Transport Police Service: Motion (25 Jan 2023)

Barry Ward: ...to deal with antisocial behaviour and worse on public transport routes, not only on Dublin Bus, but also on other routes. It is important that there is a clear response from the Government and An Garda Síochána to deal with that and to send out the message that it will not be tolerated. It cannot be tolerated. As the motion correctly points out, it is negating the significant...

Seanad: Public Order and Safe Streets: Statements (23 Nov 2022)

Barry Ward: ...It fundamentally disturbs a person's right to peaceably enjoy where they live. It is wrong and we must make it a priority to tackle. That is evident in what the Government has done in relation to the gardaí and the laws on public order. I welcome the initiatives that are already in place. I do not propose to go through them all. The Minister of State mentioned some already. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Enforcement of Road Traffic Offences: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Barry Ward: ...negative experiences they have had with all types of motorists and even other cyclists. In that regard, the portal is tremendously interesting but it comes with evidential challenges, of which the Garda will have to take stock. Extra instructions may need to be given to members of the Garda on how quickly they must act on this information, how they will preserve it and make it ready for...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Barry Ward: ...very well with it. The notion that we would now turnaround and remove the word "preventing", in the context of preventing crime, from the legislation, to my mind, is a totally unwarranted tying of Garda hands or at least the tying of one hand behind the back, which is unnecessary. The safeguards the Minister has already spoken about, in terms of applications having to be made, are...

Seanad: Night-time Economy: Motion (13 Jul 2022)

Barry Ward: ...to businesses and the communities in which they operate; codifying alcohol licensing law into a single Act will make it more accessible and user-friendly for the general public, the licensed trade, courts, and An Garda Síochána; - extensive public consultation has taken place in relation to the modernisation of Ireland’s licencing laws and also in relation to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Barry Ward: ...amount of money we spend fighting the kind of cases the witnesses are talking about and what could be done with that money, even if never left the criminal justice system and was reinvested in An Garda Síochána, in particular in diversion programmes or programmes to deal with crime in other areas outside of drugs, we would do a huge service to the country. That said, it is not...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Barry Ward: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Is é cothromaíocht atá i gceist ag an mBille seo idir, ar lámh amháin, An Garda Síochána, an Stát, agus an Stiúrthóir Ionchúiseamh Poiblí a gcuid oibre a dhéanamh agus, ar an lámh eile, an duine pearsanta agus an pobal. The issues in this Bill have been aired extensively in the Oireachtas...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (29 Jun 2022)

Barry Ward: ...it. There is a value in coming back to the Oireachtas, as the Houses that represent the people, and getting the imprimatur of the elected representatives of the people and more importantly perhaps, forcing An Garda Síochána and by extension the State to justify each year the basis upon which the continuation of this court is necessary. I welcome all that, notwithstanding my...