Results 3,341-3,360 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Parental Rights (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I thank my colleague, Deputy Walsh, for raising this important issue. As he will be aware, the key legislation relating to parental responsibility is the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964, which was amended extensively in 1987 and 1997 to strengthen the position of non-marital fathers with regard to their children. Some of the legislative changes that have been made in this area were...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Charities Act 2009, which was enacted in February 2009, provides for an integrated system of mandatory registration and proportionate regulation and supervision of the charities sector for the first time in Ireland. While the Charities Act 2009 is designed to regulate the charities sector, it is not prescriptive in terms of issues such as remuneration of charity employees, which will...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: The programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation around the country is progressed by the Garda Authorities working in close co-operation with the Office of Public Works (OPW), who have the responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Office of Public Works is currently examining options for the...

Written Answers — House Prices: House Prices (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 262 and 263 together. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to improve the quality of information available on the Irish housing market by requiring that the selling price of all dwellings is recorded in a publicly available national housing price database. I intend to give effect to this commitment by assigning statutory responsibility for...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: A valid application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Division of my Department in July, 2008. The application is at an advanced stage of processing and will be finalised as expeditiously as possible. As I outlined in response to Parliamentary Question Number 69 of 7 April last, I can inform the Deputy...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 266 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of gardaí who retired in 2007-2010 and the number of gardaí who have retired or indicated that they will retire by the end of 2011 is as set out in the table hereunder: 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 184 259 722 362 147 A breakdown of retirees on a divisional basis is not readily...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 267 to 270, inclusive, together. Responsibility for the allocation of resources, including personnel, within the Force rests with the Garda Commissioner, in consultation with his senior management team. Resource levels are constantly monitored, in conjunction with crime trends, other demands made on An Garda Síochána and of course the fluctuation in numbers...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that an application was received in the Department from the person referred to by the Deputy. However, the person concerned subsequently attended the Immigration Office on the 1 June 2011 and requested and was granted a Stamp 2 permission for six months as a timed out student. Full details of this scheme can be found on...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: Foreign national children under the age of 16 are not required to register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau. Prior to 1 January 2005 a child born on the island of Ireland was automatically entitled to Irish citizenship. Since January 2005 the status of a child born to non-Irish parents is dependent on the residency status of the parents. Section 6A of the Irish Nationality and...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: A valid application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Division of my Department in July, 2008. The application is at an advanced stage of processing and will be finalised as expeditiously as possible. As I outlined in response to Parliamentary Question Number 69 of 7 April last, I can inform the Deputy...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Programme of the Government for National Recovery 2011-2016 undertakes to "establish independent regulation of the legal profession to improve access and competition, make legal costs more transparent and ensure adequate procedures for addressing consumer complaints". These undertakings complement those structural reforms in the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland aimed at...

Written Answers — Garda Reserve: Garda Reserve (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: As I am awaiting a ruling from the Equality Tribunal related to this matter, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on it at this time.

Written Answers — Courthouse Refurbishments: Courthouse Refurbishments (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Courts Service is not in a position to allocate funding for the extensive remedial works necessary for the courthouse in Tipperary. However, in view of the historic nature of the building, my Department has agreed to fund some limited repair work by the Office of Public Works in order to prevent further deterioration.

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: The programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation around the country is based on agreed priorities established by An Garda Síochána and it is progressed in close co-operation with the Office of Public Works, which has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. I have been informed by the Garda authorities that, due to its condition, it is...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am informed that the telephone number to which the Deputy refers has been reserved by the European Commission as a common missing children telephone hotline for the entire EU. It is made available by national telecoms regulators to organisations capable of providing such a service. The allocation of the number in Ireland is therefore a matter in the first instance for the Commission for...

Written Answers — Garda Reserve: Garda Reserve (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of the Garda Reserve in Donegal Garda Division, broken down by station on 30 April 2011, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was as set out in the table hereunder: Station Strength Letterkenny 11 Buncrana 4 Donegal 1 Ballybofey 6 Total 22 The target strength of the Garda Reserve remains at...

Written Answers — Naturalisation Certificates: Naturalisation Certificates (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 114 of 2 June 2011. The position is unchanged since then.

Written Answers — Mine Disaster: Mine Disaster (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy is referring to a tragic incident that occurred on Ballymanus Strand, Donegal, on 10 May 1943, in which 18 people tragically lost their lives when a wartime mine floated ashore and exploded. This tragic incident was previously raised in this House in Parliamentary Question No. 512 of 13 May 2008. In an adjournment debate in the Seanad on 23 April 2008, the details of the incident...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: The visa application referred to by the Deputy was received in the Visa Office, Dublin, on 15 December 2010. Following consideration by a visa officer, it was refused on the 21 January 2011 for the following reasons: 1. The evidence of finances provided was deemed insufficient; specifically, the documentation provided was of poor quality, lump-sum lodgments were evident and the finances were...

Written Answers — Litter Pollution: Litter Pollution (7 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: The position is that adoption of a policy of naming and shaming those convicted of littering offences under the Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2009 is in the first instance a policy matter for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. Subject to Government approval to proceed with such a policy, the required statutory provisions could be enacted by means of an...