Public petitions on rights, treaties, citizenship and legislation to be considered by Committee

The Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions will meet tomorrow to consider a further grouping of public petitions received.

1 December 2015

Petitions to be considered include:

1.    [P00026/14] Civil Rights for Civil Servants
2.    [P00006/15] Ireland should join the Antarctic Treaty  
3.    [P00017/15] Citizenship Matter
4.    [P00019/15] Amendment to Garda Síochána Act 2005
5.    [P00024/15] Ireland to join the EU Schengen Area

Committee Chairman, Pádraig MacLochlainn TD, said “Our meeting tomorrow will see the Committee consider and action petitions in another broad selection of areas. We will cover matters that include; the restrictions placed on civil servants in relation to running for election to public office and membership of a political party, a petition calling for Ireland to join the Antarctic Treaty in order to ensure that Antarctica shall continue to be used exclusively for peaceful reasons and a petition relating to the citizenship application process.”

“We will also look at a petition seeking an amendment to sections of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 in order to change the way in which cases by the Garda Commissioner are referred to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. Lastly, we will discuss a petition that calls for an enhanced participation in the Schengen agreement. This meeting is further proof of the effectiveness of the petitions system in giving members of the public direct access to the work of their Parliament.”

The meeting takes place tomorrow Wednesday 2nd December at 4 pm in Committee Room 3, Leinster House 2000.

Public proceedings can be followed live here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.

Media enquiries to:

Liam O’Brien
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 86 189 5098
liam.obrien@oireachtas.ie 

Committee Membership:

Chairman: Pádraig MacLochlainn, Sinn Féin

Deputies:

Richard Boyd-Barrett, Independent
Paul J Connaughton, Fine Gael
Pat Deering, Fine Gael
Michael Healy-Rae, Independent
Seamus Kirk, Fianna Fáil
Michael P. Kitt, Fianna Fáil
Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Fine Gael
Michelle Mulherin, Fine Gael
Derek Nolan (Vice-Chair), Labour
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Sinn Féin
Sean Kenny, Labour
Anthony Lawlor, Fine Gael
John Halligan, Independent
Jack Wall, Labour

Senators:

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, Sinn Féin
Tony Mulcahy, Fine Gael
Susan O’Keeffe, Labour
Ned O'Sullivan, Fianna Fáil