Results 2,221-2,240 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 411 to 413, inclusive, together. As the Deputy will appreciate, an outbreak of Covid-19 in a prison setting would present significant challenges for prison management in terms of controlling the spread of the virus amongst staff and prisoners, the provision of appropriate medical treatment to affected persons and the maintenance of staffing levels....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: I appreciate the concerns that the public health emergency is causing for many families in relation to court orders for matters such as access, maintenance and guardianship and I issued a statement on these issues on 4 April 2020. I believe it is important to point out first and foremost however that court orders in relation to access remain in place. Everyone should understand that the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Sector Pensions (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: The retirement of members of An Garda Síochána is governed by law, which sets the mandatory retirement age for all members at 60 years of age. Members of An Garda Síochána who joined prior to 1 April 2004 may retire on full pension at 50 years of age once they have served at least 30 years and those who joined on or after 1 April 2004 may retire on full pension at 55 years...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service Remit (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 416 and 417 together. MyDepartment is aware of the issues around the securing of appointments for Registration and having identified the problem, introduced a set of software fixes in mid-September 2018 designed to prevent such abuses of the system. I can advise that the new measures have been successful to date in preventing the block booking of appointments...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: The Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 prohibits threatening, abusive or insulting conduct that is intended or likely to stir up hatred against a group of persons on account of their sexual orientation, race, colour, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origins, or membership of the travelling community. In addition, a hate motive may be considered by sentencing judges as an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Staff (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will appreciate that it is the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, rather than my Department, which has overall responsibility for public service pension matters. With regard to the particular question posed, I can inform the Deputy that the retiring age of 60 years for prison officers to whom the Superannuation (Prison Officers) Act, 1919 applies is set out at section...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Protected Disclosures (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 came into operation on 15 July 2014 and my Department has since put a Protected Disclosure Policy in place. The Policy was reviewed during 2019 and a revised Policy is due to be published in 2020. The Irish Prison Service, Legal Aid Board, National Disability Authority, the Courts Service, An Garda Síochána and the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: On foot of a request from my Department, the Law Reform Commission is to carry out a comprehensive review of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme; this work had been due to begin this year. This project is very welcome as it will provide for a thorough and independent examination of all aspects of this long-established Scheme. This review will help ensure that the State’s...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Work Permits (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: I can inform the Deputy that there are no plans to introduce such a new scheme at this time. In March 2019, together with my colleague, the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, I announced revised immigration arrangements for spouses and de facto partners of Critical Skills Employment Permit holders and Non EEA Researchers on a hosting agreement. Under those new arrangements,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Reports (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy refers to the review examining the adequacy of measures available to protect vulnerable witnesses during the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences, to help ensure the best quality evidence is available to the jury in making their decision, while respecting the dignity of the victim and their right not to be re-victimised by the investigation or trial process itself. It...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Civil Service (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: The annual leave entitlement for Immigration Control Officers of the Border Management Unit in Dublin Airport is calculated in accordance with the Clerical Officer grade on the basis of the equivalent number of hours worked and to take account of requirements for shift workers mandated in the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. The recruitment and contract documentation for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: Recruitment to An Garda Síochána is governed by the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013. The Public Appointments Service (PAS), on behalf of the Garda Commissioner, manages the initial recruitment stages for selection of Garda Trainees with the final stages of the recruitment process in which candidates are vetted, complete a physical competency...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commencement of Legislation (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: The Parole Act 2019 provides for the establishment of an independent, statutory Parole Board, which will make decisions in relation to parole for all eligible prisoners. The Deputy will be aware that under the 2019 Act, prisoners serving a life sentence will be eligible to be considered only after they have served 12 years of that sentence. As soon as the Parole Act is commenced, all...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Offices (13 May 2020)

Charles Flanagan: There are currently no Clerical Officer vacancies in the Department of Justice and Equality at the locations mentioned. The organisations under the remit of my Department fill roles at this level through the Civil Service Mobility portal and open recruitment competitions. The Public Appointments Service (PAS), the centralised provider of recruitment and selection services for the civil...

An Bille um Bearta Éigeandála ar mhaithe le Leas an Phobail (Covid-19), 2020: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Mar 2020)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the Acting Chair for her assistance and apologise to Deputies if there is a lack of clarity on my part. My contribution will relate to Parts 4 and 5, which will amend the Health Acts that make reference to health and social care professions, as well as the Mental Health Act 2001. In this emergency, additional healthcare staff will be required to cope with staff illness and an...

Gnó na Dála - Business of Dáil (26 Mar 2020)

Charles Flanagan: I can let matters stand for the moment if Members have other contributions to make.

Gnó na Dála - Business of Dáil (26 Mar 2020)

Charles Flanagan: For the information of Members, I have an opening statement on a series of amendments with particular reference to health and social care professionals.

Coronavirus: Statements (5 Mar 2020)

Charles Flanagan: I wish merely to take the opportunity to update the House and set out to procedures in place across a number of key agencies and services under the remit of my Department, namely, the immigration services, An Garda Síochána, the Courts Service, and the Irish Prison Service, IPS, some of which were referred to earlier. One essential characteristic that all the services have in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (5 Mar 2020)

Charles Flanagan: Decisions regarding the grant or refusal of employment visas are made in a number of Immigration Service Delivery Visa Offices overseas; in the Immigration Service Delivery Visa Office in Dublin; and at Embassies of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which process certain visa applications under delegated sanction from my Department. The processing times for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (5 Mar 2020)

Charles Flanagan: I can inform the Deputy an application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person concerned on 24 January 2018. This application is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. If...