Matt Carthy

There can be variation in the numbers going into each intake but the one thing that is very clear is that in no intake at the Garda College was there as many trainees as the college had capacity to train. At no stage did 200 or even close to 200 attest. In some cases, the figures were far below that. The difficulty is that the Government has been talking for quite some time now about 1,000 gardaí …

Will there be five intakes this year or next year in the Garda College? The Minister might also indicate if there are plans to increase the capacity to allow intakes of 250 trainees. Has the Minister examined the impact of the rate of payment of the Garda training allowance? We know there was an increase but where the very changes he has referred to in the age profile of those joining the gardaí …

3. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the annual percentage of those who received a final negative decision on their international protection application who left Ireland within 30 days and who provided authorities with documentary evidence that they had left within three days of arrival in their home country, for each of the past five years, in tabular f…

The Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, will know there is a sense that the enforcement of negative decisions within the international protection system is not working. I would appreciate it if he could outline to the House the percentage of those who received final negative decisions who voluntarily left Ireland within the 30-day period and subsequently provided authorities with evidence that they …

I am just not sure whether the Minister of State has actually answered the question. In respect of the numbers he provided on voluntary returns - 934 and 885, if I noted them correctly - can he confirm that the people notified the authorities with the appropriate documentation within three days of having voluntarily left? Could he give a breakdown differentiating between those who made their own a…

It would be useful if the Minister of State explained to the House the process for tracking and monitoring those who receive a final negative decision to ensure they leave Ireland as required. How many people are now in the State who have received a final negative decision but who have not left voluntarily, even if they have indicated an intention to do so? It is important to know how many are now…

10. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an outline of the findings of the report of the civil legal aid review group, which has indicated that he has received the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36599/25]

The Minister will know there is significant concern in the legal profession and elsewhere on the time it has taken for the civil legal aid review group to complete its work. I understand he has now received the report from that group. Can the Minister give us an outline of the findings of the report which he previously cited in response to me and could he give an indication of when that report wil…

As the Minister may recall, my interest in this matter comes from several different angles but particularly as a result of work I have done with women, predominantly, who have sought protection or barring orders and have tried to secure legal representation under the civil legal aid entitlements but cannot get legal representation. The Minister told me this would be considered in the context of th…

What the Minister has described to me sounds like many further delays. For these women in particular, I want to know if this is going to be addressed.

I understand there are processes involved but this is three years in the making and now the Minister is talking about consultation processes. He must put himself in the shoes of those who want to secure a barring order or a civil protection order but currently cannot get legal representation. If they were listening to two politicians talk about process, the Minister can imagine the frustration tha…

The Minister's Government is all over the place on student fees. We have had the Minister for higher education, Deputy Lawless, clearly state on Sunday that without a cost-of-living package in the budget, college fees will go up by €1,000 in September. His position was then backed up by the Taoiseach. Let us clear up this mess today. I have just one simple question for the Minister and it is the s…

One question. One answer.

The Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for higher education, the Minister for public expenditure and now the Minister for Finance cannot answer the simplest question that will have a life-defining impact on many students who are having conversations today, which will impact the rest of their lives, on whether they can travel to university or college or whether they must find somewhere more loca…

Answer the question, please, Minister.

Answer the question. What is your solution?

The answer was given by the Minister for higher education, who said fees are going up.

They are going to college in September. The budget is not until October.

Major research conducted jointly by Dublin City University and Ulster University published this morning highlights how the reunification of Ireland is a huge opportunity for us all. It finds that the costs of unity would be far lower than had previously been put forward by opponents of Irish unity. In my view the research has delivered a fatal blow to any economic arguments that might have been pr…

We are being asked to debate three distinct motions as part of one debate to facilitate an early opt-in to proposed EU regulations. Until yesterday afternoon, we were due to be dealing with four motions. The withdrawal of the motion on the returns regulation reinforces everything Sinn Féin has been saying, and which I will address here, about why we should not opt in to these regulations under Art…

It is like an episode of "Love Island".

It is scandalous that there are children with special needs today whose parents do not know whether they will be able to start school in the new term because the necessary SNA support is not yet in place. To give one example, there is a rural school in County Monaghan which has one SNA and one pupil who depends full time on this support. Another pupil is due to start at the school next month, who …

Yes.

That is no comfort to this family.

I move amendment No. 4: In page 6, to delete lines 18 to 35, and in page 7, to delete lines 1 to 9. I will also speak to amendment No. 6. Amendment No. 4 is a simple but substantive amendment. We have spoken about this previously. Our principal objection to this legislation is the abolition of juries in all cases. I believe the Minister would privately accept that this is a bad, dangerous and no…