Results 2,881-2,900 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service Data (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: To ensure that information is made available to the widest possible range of stakeholders, the Irish Prison Service collates and publishes the prisoner population breakdown on a daily basis. This information is available on the website of the Irish Prison Service website www.irishprisons.ie  (in the Information Centre, under Statistics & Information...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Promotions (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Garda Commissioner is responsible for management of An Garda Síochána and for the allocation and efficient use of Garda resources, including deployment of personnel.  As Minister, I have no direct role in the matter. I am assured however that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The policy of my Department is, in accordance with best practice and the principles of sustainability, to reduce, reuse and recycle. Further, as the Deputy may be aware, a decision of Government in January 2019 instructed Government Departments to avoid the direct or indirect purchase of single-use plastic beverage cups, cutlery or drinking straws. Accordingly, as a matter of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Freedom of Information Data (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Freedom of Information Act 2014 requires public bodies to have a Publication Scheme.  My Department’s Publication Scheme is available at . The information published in the scheme is, where possible, made available on the Department’s website or through links to other websites and individual elements are reviewed periodically as changes...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service Administration (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As outlined in responses to previous parliamentary questions, my Department became aware in September 2018 of customers experiencing difficulties booking registration appointments. Some of these difficulties had arisen because third party agents had been able to secure multiple appointments through the use of automatic software. A set of software fixes was introduced in mid-September...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the information sought cannot be provided in the time allowed. As soon as the information has been collated I will write to the Deputy on the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Alcohol Sales Legislation (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: It is proposed that the Sale of Alcohol Bill will contain proposals to update the law relating to the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol in licensed premises and registered clubs, by replacing both the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2018 and the Registration of Clubs Acts 1904 to 2008 with streamlined provisions more suited to modern conditions. These legislative proposals are among a large...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drug and Alcohol Testing (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I have asked An Garda Síochána to provide information in relation to the matter raised by the Deputy. The information requested is detailed and it was not possible to complete the task in the time available. I have requested the Commissioner to provide me with this information and I will provide it directly to the Deputy once it is received.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I acknowledge the Chairman and the committee's accommodation of this small but not unimportant legislative item. Before I speak to the three technical amendments I intend to move in respect of the Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019, I will briefly summarise the Government’s position in respect of the Bill. As this committee is aware, the Bill is transposing two...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I move amendment No. 1: In page 8, line 22, to delete “by or under any enactment or rule of law for”. Amendment No. 1 removes text that might have operated as an unintended restriction on our central authority requesting information from other member states for the purposes of criminal proceedings here. It might not always be the case that such criminal record information...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: With regard to the European criminal records information system that has been operational for a number of years, going back to April 2012, and which is operated on an administrative basis by An Garda Síochána, what we are now doing underpins this system in statutory legislation that sets out the requirements of the framework decision. The fact that it has been operating on a...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: No. Operating this on an administrative basis was accepted throughout the European Union. A timeframe for the formal transposition of the framework directive was given. There are no circumstances in which any of the information sought by way of exchange of criminal records was given in a way that was less than legal because the directive was agreed by EU member states.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I accept there has been a delay here. I point to legislative priorities within the Department during that time. This is why I am very keen to now proceed to finalise matters.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I have already said that there was something of a delay as a result of competing domestic legislation in the criminal justice area. We approved the drafting of the Bill in 2012. We also had to take account of the European Commission's proposals in the form of a 2016 directive and a regulation in 2019. These were designed to change and further adapt the records information system. As I...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I do not have information on the number of other European countries doing so to hand. I can say, however, that in the normal course of events, a particular period of time is given within which appropriate domestic legislation is to be enacted. From our perspective, it is important that we proceed with our own domestic legislation, which we are now doing. Since our central authority, the...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am not.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: Not that I know of, no. I will make a more general point on an issue that was before the committee in the past and which continues to come up. It is important that all Departments, and particularly the Department of Justice and Equality, continue to carry out assessments on legislation required to ensure full compliance with our international obligations. All Departments, not only the...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: It has done so.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I will do two things in that regard. I will inform the committee of the position regarding our EU colleagues and, perhaps more importantly, I am keen to provide the Chair of the committee with a table laying out our position in respect of other directives in the area of criminal law for distribution to members.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (20 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: This will also include a proposed timeframe for their transposition and will ensure that the committee is fully aware of the work the Department is doing on these issues.