Results 681-700 of 1,102,747 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Brendan Griffin OR speaker:James Lawless OR speaker:Claire Kerrane OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae OR speaker:Micheál Martin OR speaker:Frank Feighan OR speaker:Michael McGrath OR speaker:Mark Ward OR speaker:Alan Dillon OR speaker:Michael Ring OR speaker:Norma Foley OR speaker:Joan Collins OR speaker:Mick Barry OR speaker:Martin Browne OR speaker:Brendan Howlin OR speaker:Steven Matthews OR speaker:Emer Higgins OR speaker:John Brady OR speaker:Mattie McGrath OR speaker:Chris Andrews OR speaker:Darragh O'Brien OR speaker:Fergus O'Dowd OR speaker:John Lahart OR speaker:Chris Andrews7 OR speaker:Rose Conway-Walsh OR speaker:Neasa Hourigan OR speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl) in 'Committee meetings'

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: Yes, of course. To be honest, my question was not just what the number is but whether we are recording the data. When I ask a question about health, I am often told it is not recorded. As a result, I was wondering whether we have a sense of the data.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: Why is that?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: I thank our witnesses for their opening statements. It was very interesting to listen to them. I am from Clondalkin and over the past few years, we have been lucky enough to have some very progressive community gardaí, particularly with regard to people in the throes of addiction. They see these people as people and not as a burden on society. Once that relationship changed, we could...

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: That daily interaction with people, when done humanely, trickles back into the community, families and the organisations the people may be engaged with. Community policing, especially at that level, really works.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: Are conversations taking place with members of the force in relation to potential changes in drug policy? For example, if we move from decriminalising the person but not the drug, how would that affect gardaí on a daily basis? What are their thoughts on that?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: I am sorry to cut across Mr. Kelly. He referred to the organisational change the Garda has to make and there could be more organisational change if some of the recommendations are carried into legislation. Does the Garda get support on that? Does it get resources to implement that change or it is doing that out of existing resources?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: I welcome the witnesses. I congratulate Mr. Kelly on his new appointment. We might stick with that matter for a moment. I often ask a question about data and not just data but its relevance. As somebody knocking on doors at the moment, I do not disagree that people feel we need another 1,000 officers or so. I imagine we also need ICT resources. It is not just about data, which is a...

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: Mr. Kelly is describing highly specialised work. I imagine for practical reasons that much of that is centralised. What is the experience of the average garda dealing with it on the street? How does that work? Do they feed into those systems?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: Then, there is the more national service. Do I have time for one more question, Chair?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: I am trying to get a sense of what that international piece looks like in a practical way. Mr. Kelly spoke about linking up with international counterparts. When I did some reading for today, many of the stories that came up about Irish drug gangs were in The New York Times or on BBC News. We have graduated to a new era. How does that work? How often do they meet? What bodies does the...

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: Is it that when something happens, the Garda contacts Interpol and Europol or do they meet quarterly?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: On the ground.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: When EMPACT sets the goals for the year, how many times during that year does it meet as a group?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: It is completely integrated.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: Effectively, gang activity is the same whether there is decriminalisation or not.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: It is interesting that the slight variations do not act as a barrier to prosecuting or dealing with gangs.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: I thank Mr. Kelly.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023 - Charities Regulatory Authority (17 Oct 2024)

John Brady: I welcome the witnesses and wish them a happy anniversary yesterday - ten years. I congratulate them on that. How many staff are employed with the Charities Regulator?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023 - Charities Regulatory Authority (17 Oct 2024)

John Brady: In June, there were media reports of a funding shortfall. Is that accurate? I refer to funding shortfalls and budgetary constraints. The funding was to ensure the work the Charities Regulator needs to do was carried out.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023 - Charities Regulatory Authority (17 Oct 2024)

John Brady: The funding that was requested was not forthcoming for the year. It was suggested a draft letter was to be circulated. I think this is from within the minutes of the board of the Charities Regulator. Could Ms Delaney outline some of the services that were impacted by that funding shortfall?