Results 561-580 of 1,014,562 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' speaker:Tom Kitt

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (23 Apr 2024)

Alan Farrell: My question relates to the Minister's and the Department's engagement with local authorities regarding the CCTV scheme that was rolled out recently, following the passage of legislation which enabled local authorities to actually get these schemes up and running. They are a long-required benefit to communities up and down the country to make people safer in their own communities.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: Community safety is a top priority for me and my Department. Everyone has the right to be safe and feel safe in their communities. Community CCTV can play a vital role in achieving this goal. I think we will have all heard not just from community groups but from local representatives and gardaí as well just how important CCTV is. As the Deputy is aware, since 2017 my Department has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (23 Apr 2024)

Alan Farrell: I thank the Minister. I alluded to the fact that these schemes are just so important. They provide people with peace of mind that if there is an incident, it can be looked back at. If there is an event, for instance, like the concerts that take place in Malahide Castle every summer, it is important that there is the opportunity for An Garda Síochána to engage with the local...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: People are free to apply to the scheme now. This part of it is applicable to those who are applying. To outline how people can apply, the details are available on my Department's website at gov.ie. There are technical specifications, application forms and guidance notes. For any community group that has an interest in this, it is a matter of contacting local Garda management, their local...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: It is my intention to progress the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill to enactment to protect those who are most vulnerable and who, sadly as we have seen, are attacked simply because of who they are, where they came from or because of some other part of their identity that is, quite frankly, nobody else's business. I am determined to enact strong,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (23 Apr 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I am reassured by that and I thank the Minister for her response. A Croatian man was beaten to death a couple of weeks ago because he did not speak English. We have had 23 arson attacks on accommodation centres over the last number of years. Members of the LGBTQ+ community and their families know what it is like to feel afraid that they will be assaulted for who they are. We are behind...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy is right. It is not just a case of people feeling unsafe; they are unsafe simply because of who they are. We have had quite sinister attacks. While I do not want to get into particular cases, very serious incidents have taken place. We do not have to look too far to find somebody who has been the victim of some form of hate crime, motivated simply because of the colour of their...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (23 Apr 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Again, I am encouraged by the Minister's words but I want to be sure that this legislation can be enacted before a general election. This is the type of legislation that can define a Minister and a Government; indeed, it can define the body politic. How much are we going to risk to enact legislation to protect those who are powerless? To my mind, this is an indication of how serious we are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: I had outlined that it was my intention to bring forward amendments after Easter but, obviously, we have had a lot of things going on. While there has been a slight delay, it is still my intention to bring forward amendments in the coming weeks. It is really important that we say what this legislation does, as well as what it does not do. This is about protecting those who are most...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (23 Apr 2024)

An Garda Síochána

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (23 Apr 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: 7. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality what measures have been put in place to address the unprecedented number of members resigning from An Garda Síochána. [17751/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (23 Apr 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I have won the oral questions lottery this week. This question relates to the issue of Garda resignations, which I have raised a number of times. There were 147 resignations from An Garda Síochána last year, which was unprecedented. The Minister decided not to attend the Garda Representative Association, GRA, conference. That was an unsurprising move in the absence of an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am absolutely committed to working with all members of An Garda Síochána at all ranks and levels to address the issues of concern to them. That will continue, irrespective of any meetings this week or otherwise. I have made that very clear to the representative organisations. I am committed to working with the Garda Commissioner as well to make sure gardaí have the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (23 Apr 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: What gardaí are telling me is that it is not the job it used to be and that it is harder to do the job. There are people doing it now who want to leave and clearly the statistics back up what I am saying. There are also people who, in previous generations, would have wanted to enter the profession but do not want to do so now. We can see that in the difficulties we have had with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: It is important to note that policing is a career that people are choosing. Across the recruitment campaigns this year and last year, we had 11,500 people apply to join An Garda Síochána. At a time of full employment, that is a significant number of people who still want to join. Obviously, that does not negate the fact that people are leaving on the other side. As well as...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Agreements (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Attorney General's advice is never published. In voting for the Lisbon treaty, we did so in the full knowledge that migration is an EU competence and that we can choose to opt into measures. We cannot opt out but we choose to opt in to these measures. There is nothing being forced upon us, so there is no need for a referendum. With the figures we have for the distribution, if we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions (23 Apr 2024)

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Crime Prevention (23 Apr 2024)

Crime Prevention

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Crime Prevention (23 Apr 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: 5. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she has considered the establishment of a knife amnesty to help address the problem of knife crime. [17752/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Crime Prevention (23 Apr 2024)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Minister made a move towards addressing knife crime last week. Has she considered introducing an amnesty in this regard?