Results 3,721-3,740 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Twenty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (No. 3) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: It is a very good thing that Private Members' Bills are published from the Opposition side of the House. I hope we will come to a point where Private Members' Bills can be accepted and developed on Committee Stage. I regret that is not possible with this Bill. I do not want Deputy McConalogue to take personally any criticism I now make of the Bill because I am conscious that he was not a...

Irish Red Cross (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. As the Deputy mentioned, the Irish Red Cross Society is the recipient of an annual grant-in-aid allocated from the Department of Defence Vote. The following are details of the grants paid to the society from the Defence Vote over the past ten years. In 2002 the grant was €809,000; in 2003 it was €821,000; in 2004 it was €866,000;...

Written Answers — Legal Employment: Legal Employment (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I share the Deputy's concern that access to the solicitor's profession is limited because of the way in which apprenticeships operate. This long-standing difficulty is particularly exacerbated by the recession in the economy at present. I have recently been in touch with the Law Society to ascertain its views on how matters can be improved and I am looking forward to its response.

Written Answers — Legal Aid Service: Legal Aid Service (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I can inform the Deputy that, while it is difficult to quantify average waiting times for access to free civil legal aid services, the information below provides a breakdown of the waiting time for a non-prioritised matter in each County for 2009 and 2010. On the matter of the Legal Aid Board's plans to address the waiting times the Deputy might wish to review the detailed information...

Written Answers — Legal Aid Service: Legal Aid Service (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I can inform the Deputy that as of 1 June 2011 there were 3,806 persons awaiting a first appointment with a solicitor under the civil legal aid scheme. A breakdown of this figure by county is provided in the following table. The Legal Aid Board does not maintain management information in relation to the nature of the problem for which applicants seek legal services. However, I understand...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: The position is that under section 24 of the Registration of Title Act 1964 compulsory first registration of title has been extended to all sales of freehold land and assignments of leases of more than 21 years' duration with effect from 1 June 2011. This means that where any such unregistered land is sold or assigned after that date, the title must be registered in the Property Registration...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service that the person in question has both permission to remain and work in the State. I should remind the Deputy that queries in relation to the status of individual Immigration cases may be made direct to INIS by Email using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. The service...

Written Answers — Small Claims Court: Small Claims Court (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: The current maximum value of cases that can be taken under the small claims procedure of the District Court is €2,000. This limit was set in 2006 and was last reviewed in 2009 in advance of the expansion of the scheme to cater for business to business claims of the same nature which came into effect on 5 January 2010. I am informed that the review found that the existing limit was...

Written Answers — Small Claims Court: Small Claims Court (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: The small claims procedure of the District Court is an alternative method of dealing with a civil proceeding in respect of a small claim. The majority of claims are dealt with by administrative staff in the local District Court offices. Typical claims are: a claim in respect of goods or services purchased from somebody selling them in the course of a business minor damage to property...

Written Answers — Prison Service Recruitment: Prison Service Recruitment (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that a panel of suitable candidates for the position of Prison Officer was created following a recruitment process in 2008 and this remains in place. A total of 480 candidates have so far been called for interview, and 179 have been recruited. Any further recruitment will be considered in the context of discussions which are ongoing in relation to...

Written Answers — Garda Equipment: Garda Equipment (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that 1,350 helmets were purchased in 2008, 350 in 2009 and 150 in 2010. The contract for supply of helmets was awarded to Helmet Integrated Systems Ltd., Stranraer, Scotland. No riot shields were purchased in the period referred to by the Deputy. I am further advised that, for commercial competition reasons, it would not be appropriate to provide details...

Written Answers — Juvenile Liaison Service: Juvenile Liaison Service (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the number of Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers by rank in the Dublin Region on 31 May 2011, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was as set out in the table hereunder: Division/Station Sergeants Garda Total DMR South Central 1 4 5 DMR North Central 0 3 3 DMR North 1 10 11 DMR East 1 5 6 DMR South 1 8 9 DMR West 1 8...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that within each Garda Division in the Dublin Metropolitan Region there are specialist Crime Prevention Officers who are of Sergeant Rank. They are trained to encourage, promote and advise on crime prevention to both private and business communities. There are 10 Crime Prevention Officers in the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR), 6 of which are...

Written Answers — Ministerial Transport: Ministerial Transport (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. I will be in contact with the Deputy when this information is to hand.

Written Answers — Garda Transport: Garda Transport (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. I will be in contact with the Deputy when this information is to hand.

Written Answers — Magdalene Laundries: Magdalene Laundries (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy can be assured that I am considering the appointment of an appropriate independent person to chair the inter-departmental Committee and hope to make an announcement next week. As I said in the House last week, this will be a person of stature whose independence will not be open to question. All relevant Departments which retain information that gives an insight into the level of...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I intend to bring proposals before Government in the near future to address the commitment in the Programme for Government to abolish upwards only rent reviews in existing business leases. No decision has yet been taken as to when any legislative proposals will be published.

Written Answers — Refugee Status: Refugee Status (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that the person referred to by the Deputy was granted refugee status in April 2005 and became eligible to apply for family reunification. He subsequently made a Family Reunification application in respect of his wife and daughter in October 2005. I am advised that the file relating to this application is not lost and...

Written Answers — Garda Vetting of Personnel: Garda Vetting of Personnel (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that applications for Garda vetting received from registered organisations are recorded by name and date of birth of the person for whom a vetting request is being made and not by reference to geographical origin. Accordingly, it is not possible to provide the information sought by the Deputy. I recognise that it is important to process these...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (29 Jun 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that all incidents where a person has been reported missing remain under investigation until such times as the person is located. The District Officer (Superintendent) in the area where a person has gone missing takes direct responsibility for all investigations and searches carried out. Local investigation teams are appointed by the District Officer,...