Kenny, Enda

Leaders' Questions (Continued)

The Ceann Comhairle has made a decision in respect of the Minister answering questions in the House today. She will address the Topical Issue matter put forward by several Deputies.

Questions will apply under the Topical Issue debate.

Deputy Martin does not attend for the Topical Issue debate. Questions are asked by Deputies at the end of their first contribution.

Deputy Martin raised the issue of why the Policing Authority was not informed. However, the Government was not informed either.

The Minister for Justice and Equality received a letter in June 2016. The audit was ongoing. The Department was back to the Garda Síochána on several occasions. The deputy commissioner, Mr. Twom...

I am very unhappy about this situation. We now know that systems are in place to deal with these kinds of circumstances from now on.

How do we deal with a situation where we have 153% over-estimation in figures in terms of breathalysers and so on? That issue, no more than the issue of people not receiving a letter, should be th...

The Deputy's last comment was the subject of a sworn inquiry, which determined the outcome there. In respect of these issues here, it was pointed out at the press conference held by the senior mem...

-----reformation of ongoing issues is undertaken. That is why the Government today reflected very seriously, despite Deputy McDonald's shaking of her head, on the structure and nature of the Garda...

We need to get this right and the Deputy and her party will have a part to play in this. The authorities will talk to the Deputy about it and to her leader, as with the leaders on this side. I ho...

-----will have pride in the uniform.

Deputy Howlin and I agreed on several issues relating to this previously and he has been clear on that. It is not acceptable that people were wrongly convicted. It is not acceptable that people d...

When the law was changed to allow for that option to apply, that should have been known and understood by every garda throughout the country. It was common sense that if somebody was caught for ...

I am talking about a system that will restore integrity, as well as public confidence and trust in An Garda Síochána. It is not just about a cultural analysis but about a perception of the peopl...

The systems have been put in place, as was evidenced by gardaí in the past few days, to deal with that for next year and beyond. We need to find out what happened in this case? That can only be d...

The Deputies opposite may well shake their heads. Somebody has to find it out, however, and that is what the Government decided this morning. It is not good enough that nobody is answerable here....

The Deputy made the point that these are facts.

That is true but we need to find out how those figures were accumulated because if breath tests were carried out on the roadside, there was a process involved and there is clearly a major differenc...

If these figures are accurate in every region of the country-----

-----then we need to know how that happened and on whose instructions that happened. I think that is a fundamental issue that goes to the heart of confidence-----

-----and integrity in An Garda Síochána and I am sure Deputy Howlin would think likewise.

While the figures in terms of discrepancy speak for themselves, the question that needs to be answered is how those figures were accumulated. In what circumstances were those figures put down? In...

These are the issues that need to be addressed not internally but externally.

That is an issue that the Government decided should be done today and for the future. It is not a question of bringing in legislation for the Policing Authority. It has its oversight role by law-...

-----and the inspectorate's report and the other reports are being overseen and implemented by the Policing Authority.

My understanding is that the Policing Authority chairperson will meet the Garda Commissioner later this week and I am sure that is a matter that will be discussed by the two of them.

It is important to note that the trade unions and the management of Bus Éireann - both sides - have publicly acknowledged that there are efficiency issues in Bus Éireann. This is precisely why the...

I understand Deputy Smith's legitimate comment about the drivers and those who work for Bus Éireann. Last year, the taxpayer provided €230 million to Bus Éireann across the public service obliga...

-----by increasing PSO funding. The Minister, Deputy Varadkar, is doing his by examining the funding of the free travel scheme.

Where the Minister, Deputy Ross, can act and where it is appropriate to do so, he has done so.

Realistic negotiations between management and the unions are required to solve these internal issues, and that opportunity is available to them at the WRC. Very many people are inconvenienced by...

The Minister will be before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport tomorrow at the time the protest is taking place. The Government has increased the public service obligat...

Today is 28 March-----

-----the fifth day of all out strike at Bus Éireann. The biggest impact is on Bus Éireann's PSO network because on the Expressway network, which is the root cause of this particular problem, there...

The Expressway service, which is the root cause of this problem-----

-----is least affected by this.

The Expressway service is least affected because there are other buses travelling on that route. Apart from some spillover strike action on Friday which impacted on Iarnród Éireann, the other CIE ...

SIPTU announced on Monday that it will ballot its members on Dublin Bus and Iarnród Éireann for industrial action.

No date for balloting has been set but people are perfectly entitled to protest and protest can send powerful signals, when it is legitimate of course.

The solution and resolution of this strike does not lie outside the gates of Leinster House but around the WRC table. Both sides have admitted that there are issues that need to be discussed. Tha...

The Deputy knows that a Minister cannot sit at that table because everybody else would then say the Government is stepping in for all of these issues. The Deputy knows that very well.

The Minister is doing his duty with the PSO by increasing it. The Minister for Social Protection is doing it in terms of the rural transport scheme. The unions and management say there are effici...

Order of Business (Continued)

A Cheann Comhairle, we changed the rules in this House so that business could be conducted in a more open way. The Ceann Comhairle has made a decision here that the Minister should answer two Topi...

That is a decision of the Ceann Comhairle, and the Minister is quite willing to attend.

Gabh mo leithscéal, I understand there was an attempt to submit a special notice question by the Fianna Fáil Party spokesperson. The Ceann Comhairle made a ruling, and his decision was that the Mi...

At the invitation of Deputy Ó Caoláin, the justice committee will meet at 9 a.m. on Thursday morning with the Garda Commissioner to answer a range of questions.

We have the Garda Commissioner meeting with the Policing Authority. I have said the Government made a decision to have an independent analysis of all these figures and to examine a broader issue a...

I say to Deputy Howlin that she will be very happy to give the same briefing to the House that she gave to the Cabinet this morning.

This afternoon in the Topical Issue debate.

Perhaps the Deputy should let the Minister answer. She has already been invited by the Ceann Comhairle to answer questions in the Dáil and give a briefing to the House. She is prepared to do that...

Government-Church Dialogue

Was asked: if he will report on his meetings with religious leaders.

Was asked: if he will report on any recent meetings he has held with church leaders and faith communities.

Was asked: if he will report on his meetings with church leaders and faith communities.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1, 2 and 3 together.

  Like public representatives generally, I meet church leaders informally from time to time in the course of attending offic...

Constitutional Convention Recommendations

Was asked: if he will report on outstanding recommendations arising from the Constitutional Convention.

Was asked: his plans to hold referendums that arise from the outstanding recommendations of the Constitutional Convention.

Was asked: his plans for referendums on constitutional amendments; and the issues that may be dealt with.

Was asked: if he will report on recommendations arising from the Constitutional Convention that have not yet been implemented or that are still awaiting a plan for implementation.

Constitutional Convention Recommendations (Continued)

I do not have an answer for Deputy Ó Snodaigh in respect of-----

-----when we will have the wording on blasphemy. As I said to Deputy Micheál Martin, the Government has not actually decided whether to hold a referendum this year. We are waiting for the report ...

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Was asked: if he and his departmental officials have carried out an assessment of the legislative changes that will have to be made following the British Government triggering Article 50.

Was asked: when the Cabinet committee on Brexit will next meet.

Was asked: if he will report on his recent meeting with the Welsh First Minister, Mr. Carwyn Jones, in Cardiff on 10 March 2017.

Was asked: if he or his departmental officials have had contact with the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, or officials in her office since 20 March 2017.

Was asked: if he has met party leaders from Northern Ireland since the Assembly election on 2 March 2017.

Was asked: if he will report on his conversation with the Prime Minister, Theresa May, in the aftermath of the events in London on 22 March 2017.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 13, inclusive, together. I spoke with Prime Minister May on Wednesday evening, 23 March 2017, following the horrific attack in London the previous day. I off...

Departmental Contracts Data

Was asked: the number of private investigation firms hired by his Department in the past five years and to date in 2017; the names of the firms; the amount they were paid; if they supplied his Department with...

Brexit Issues

Was asked: the position regarding the establishment of an all-island dialogue to deal with issues arising from Brexit.

Departmental Expenditure

Was asked: the details of payments made by his Departments, their agencies or bodies under his aegis to broadcasters here in the years 2014, 2015 and 2016, inclusive; the broadcaster to which the funds were p...

Protected Disclosures Data

Was asked: the process within his Department for dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other tha...

Was asked: the process within his Department for dealing with protected disclosures under the 2014 Act; if the examinations of such disclosures are carried out by an independent authority or persons other tha...

Insurance Costs

Was asked: the cost of insurance under different insurance headings such as public liability, buildings cover, employer liability and so on for his Department and each body under its aegis; the name of the in...

Was asked: the cost of insurance under different insurance headings such as public liability, buildings cover, employer liability and so on for his Department and each body under its aegis; the name of the in...

Defence Forces Representative Organisations

Was asked: if there has been a review of the industrial relations process for Defence Forces representative associations, in view of the new arrangements being explored for Garda associations.

Was asked: if he has initiated a review of the parallel process and internal sectoral conciliation and arbitration scheme of the Defence Forces, in view of recent Government policy with respect to similar arr...

Military Medals

Was asked: if the State will officially recognise the involvement of a person (details supplied) in actions in Easter Week 1916; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Defence Forces Recruitment

Was asked: the extent to which promotional vacancies remain to be filled in the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps; the steps he is taking for recruitment throughout Ireland and especially in counties Sligo an...

Defence Forces Reserve Training

Was asked: the degree to which all members of the Reserve Defence Force have access to training on an annual basis throughout the country and particularly in counties Sligo and Leitrim; and if he will make a ...

Defence Forces Personnel Data

Was asked: the number of women currently serving in the Defence Forces; the number who have been promoted over the past five years throughout Ireland and particularly in counties Sligo and Leitrim; and if he ...

Was asked: if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Army units are inadequately staffed by commissioned officers, with less than 50% actual strength in station.

White Paper on Defence

Was asked: the 88 actions to be progressed in the Government’s White Paper on Defence.

Defence Forces Remuneration

Was asked: if arrears of pay due to members of the Army Ranger Wing, owed since 2010, will now be paid; the total amount due to persons and the numbers involved; the reason the payment due was not paid on tim...

Defence Forces Strength

Was asked: the measures he has taken to resolve critical resourcing since being notified of restricted outputs due to manpower shortages in June 2016 in view of recent reports that confirm the inadequate reso...

Was asked: the short, medium and long-term Defence Forces strategic human resource measures that are being considered to address the manning crisis in order to deliver the critical State outputs that are desi...

Defence Forces Funding

Was asked: if the failure to address the manning crisis in the Defence Forces since 2013 is a planned measure to create the necessary payroll savings to purchase essential equipment platforms.

Naval Service Vessels

Was asked: if Naval Service vessels are equipped to detect submerged submarines; and if they have the means to force submarines to surface when necessary.

Was asked: when the LE Aisling was retired from service and the reason it took a year to put it up for sale.

Defence Forces Properties

Was asked: the level of consultation he had with the Department of Education and Skills or the Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board, ETB, regarding the future use of the Dún Uí Neill Army barracks ...

Defence Forces Training

Was asked: the details of the new employment support scheme with the direct involvement of the Defence Forces; if social protection recipients have a choice of whether to join the scheme or not; the role his ...