Results 1-20 of 36 for gsoc speaker:Ivana Bacik

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (25 Apr 2023)

Ivana Bacik: ...devices should not have TikTok on them because of concerns around cybersecurity. With the extraordinary Hutch case and the latest revelations about the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, there are now valid concerns about links between policing and organised crime. Given that national security is a concern for all of us, could he commit to providing briefings to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Apr 2023)

Ivana Bacik: I wish to raise with the Taoiseach the very disturbing revelations that an investigator with the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, apparently attended a party with Gerard Hutch on the evening of the day that the latter was acquitted by the Special Criminal Court following the prosecution arising from the Regency Hotel murder, which casts such a long shadow on those...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (17 May 2022)

Ivana Bacik: ...experts such as Dr. Vicky Conway and Dr. Eddie Molloy. Indeed, questions have been raised by Ms Josephine Feehily and Mr. Conor Brady, a former member of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, as to how this would work and whether it might dilute the main plank of the previous reforms introduced when the Commissioner was made accountable to the Policing Authority. Is...

Seanad: Death of Shane O'Farrell: Statements (14 Jun 2018)

Ivana Bacik: ...such as Monaghan, Cavan and Donegal. The Minister is aware that there has been a whole sequence of findings that were highly critical of our practice of policing. In his own speech, the Minister referred to the GSOC report into Shane's death, that was finally produced in April this year. The end of that report summarises some of the issues arising from problems in the justice system. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: .... We went through the report they produced which confirmed the writing-off of penalty points, the issue raised by Maurice McCabe. Now that the Policing Authority is in place and we have strengthened the power of GSOC it is time to see whether these mechanisms are sufficient to ensure we do not have the widespread practices that Maurice McCabe and others exposed. I ask for that debate,...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: ...that we have a tight timeframe. It might be difficult to expand its remit and still expect a report within three months. Clearly, there are concerns that are broader than the issue of access by GSOC to journalists' phone records. I note the revelations in The Irish Timestoday that 62,000 requests or applications were made, mostly by members of the Garda, for access to phone and Internet...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: ...the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission's powers of phone surveillance. Serious issues have been raised in respect of the apparent surveillance of journalists' phones without any notification to them by GSOC. I am aware that the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, is presenting a review of the issue to Cabinet and we might have a debate on that, if time permits, when we know that...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (17 Nov 2015)

Ivana Bacik: ...about the Parish attacks. He shared Senator Norris's sentiments on the issue of the smear campaign in the media reportage. The investigations, in particular by Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, into this incident must run their course. Senator Naughton welcomed Senator Cahill and also spoke about the Paris attacks. Senator Barrett commented similarly. Senator...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Policing Authority and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Second Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Ivana Bacik: .... I am particularly delighted by her announcement of the appointment of a retired judge in the context of the independent review mechanism. This development is welcome. Recently in the House we debated the GSOC amending legislation which was welcomed. Many of us have also welcomed the new Garda recruits or the renewal of the Garda recruitment process and the fact that the freedom of...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Feb 2015)

Ivana Bacik: ...ombudsman and referred to the recommendation of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, which was that consideration be given to changing the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, from a three-person institution to a single Garda Síochána ombudsman. The committee unanimously recommended it because it would ensure greater accountability and no...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Feb 2015)

Ivana Bacik: ...that I raised on Second Stage and as the Senator noted, it also was recommended by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality that permission to access the PULSE system by GSOC be placed on a statutory footing. The joint committee considered that access to PULSE would be of integral importance to the operation of effective oversight of An Garda Síochána by...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Ivana Bacik: ...accountability of senior officers where junior gardaí are put in charge of investigations and has argued that better structures must be put in place. This is an important part of the reform process. I will now turn to GSOC and the reforms that have been suggested and recommended for that body. Again, the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality looked at this issue and...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2014)

Ivana Bacik: ...that debate in a couple of months. We are still working on this and the justice committee will be holding more hearings on policing. The committee has already made an interim set of recommendations on the GSOC reforms to be made and the Government has signed off on the heads of a Bill. It would be good to have a debate on policing in the autumn to examine what else must be done,...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jul 2014)

Ivana Bacik: ...O'Donovan paid tribute to the Minister for Justice and Equality in respect of the radical policing reforms being proposed by the justice committee which are reflected in the heads of the Bill on GSOC oversight she has seen approved by the Cabinet today. I agree absolutely with the Senator that these are important reforms for which I hope there will be cross-party support in the House, as...

Seanad: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Jun 2014)

Ivana Bacik: ...deal with this in more detail on Committee Stage - and I believe it is of particular significance now, in the wake of the report Judge John Cooke produced on the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, bugging allegations. Judge Cooke devoted a significant part of his recommendations to the public interest inquiry power of GSOC. He said that one of the problems, and this was...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jun 2014)

Ivana Bacik: ...the Government’s sexual offence Bill which is currently being drafted. Yesterday was a good day for the Seanad. Will the Leader organise a debate in due course into the Mr. Justice Cooke’s report into the GSOC, Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, bugging allegations? It is important we all have a chance to read and digest the report. It certainly contradicts...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (5 Jun 2014)

Ivana Bacik: ...on the Order of Business. I am glad that it is being taken up. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate in due course on the issue of policing oversight. The Government will publish legislation on GSOC, while the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality is examining mechanisms for policing oversight. It will undertake a fact-finding exercise in Belfast, Edinburgh and...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2014)

Ivana Bacik: ...less attention but it was very important. No doubt we will be able to have a debate here on the committee’s recommendations on policing oversight and the reform of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, in due course. Baroness Nuala O’Loan agreed with my proposition that we should consider deferring the appointment of a new Garda Commissioner until the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (Resumed) (28 May 2014)

Ivana Bacik: At our meeting with the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission two weeks ago, I asked members of GSOC whether the three-person structure in place here has any disadvantages when compared to the model for the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. Should we consider having a one-person Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission in the context of the overall reform of GSOC? As the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)

Ivana Bacik: To follow up on that with Mr. Olson, an extraordinary point that is made in his fuller submission to the committee is that although the 2005 Act provided for the establishment of both GSOC and the Garda Inspectorate, there is no statutory basis for collaboration between the two organisations. There is no information sharing provision, for example. It relies very much on informal processes....