Results 4,161-4,180 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: My Department is finalising a report on the "Cash for Gold" trade and as soon as the report is submitted to me I will make an assessment as to what, if any, further action, legislative or otherwise, may be required. The Deputy can be assured that following this assessment I will make the report's findings and any proposals which I may have known in due course. I can inform the Deputy that my...

Written Answers — Court Sittings: Court Sittings (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The management and administration of the courts, as the Deputy will be aware, is a matter for the Courts Service. The allocation of the business of the courts, scheduling of court cases and the management of court lists are matters for the judiciary and the Presidents of the courts. The sittings and vacations of the courts are currently provided for in Rules of Court. The Presidents of the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: In its report to the Minister for Social Protection, published last week, the Gender Recognition Advisory Group concluded that the existing equality legislation and investigative machinery are adequate to discourage and prevent discrimination against persons who are making the transition from one gender to the other – both during and after the transition phase. As already announced, my...

Written Answers — Travel Documentation: Travel Documentation (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Irish Immigration and Naturalisation Service (INIS) that the person concerned applied for a temporary travel document on three occasions, twice in September 2009 and once in March 2010 and was refused on each occasion. He was advised to contact his own consular authorities to renew his passport or obtain an equivalent document. There is no current application from the...

Written Answers — Courts Service: Courts Service (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy will appreciate that a Referendum will be necessary to establish a Court of Appeal. And while it is not one of the three Referendums proposed to be held later this year it is my intention to finalise examination of the detail and to progress the matter at the earliest suitable opportunity.

Written Answers — Courts Service: Courts Service (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: My Department has commenced consideration of the measures necessary to establish a Commercial Court at Circuit Court level in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government. This is a complex issue and detailed consideration will be necessary. It is, however, my intention to progress the matter as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Legal Services: Legal Services (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: Under our law as it stands sections 77 and 78 of the Succession Act 1965 deal with the requirements for a valid will. A will need not be in any special form but it must comply with the provisions of those sections. There is no legal requirement for a will to be drawn up by a solicitor but in practice, given the importance of the matter, many persons making a will consult a solicitor. ...

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: Part 11 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which provides for civil proceedings in relation to anti-social behaviour by adults, was commenced on 1 January, 2007. Part 13 of the Act, which relates to anti-social behaviour by children, was commenced on 1 March, 2007. These provisions set out an incremental procedure for addressing anti-social behaviour by adults and children. With regard to...

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: Legislation currently in place relating to anti-social behaviour, including the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which provides inter alia for behaviour warnings and criminal proceedings in respect of anti-social behaviour, applies to private residences as well as public places and is utilised as necessary by An Garda Síochána. Such legislation is kept under ongoing review by my Department. I am...

Written Answers — Prison Sentencing: Prison Sentencing (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The traditional approach to sentencing is for the Oireachtas to lay down the maximum penalty and for a court having considered all the circumstances of the case to impose an appropriate penalty up to that maximum. There are a small number of situations, however, where statute has created important exceptions to this approach. There is a strictly mandatory sentencing requirement for murder...

Written Answers — Recidivism Rates: Recidivism Rates (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy will be aware that the Irish Prison Service facilitated a major study of prisoner re-offending by the UCD Institute of Criminology, the findings of which were published in the May 2008 edition of the academic journal, Criminology & Criminal Justice. The recidivism rate was found by this study to be under 50% after 4 years which is in the mid to lower range of recidivism rates when...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The commitment referred to by the Deputy is being examined in the context of the development in my Department of proposals for the Family Law Bill that is referred to in the Government Legislation Programme announced on 5 April 2011. The details will be announced by way of publication of the proposals as soon as possible, taking into account necessary consultations.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I wish to inform the Deputy that the information requested is not readily available. Given the period of time concerned and amount of detail sought the information requested could only be compiled by the use of a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and effort. However, to be of assistance I can inform the Deputy that in the period since I took up office, that is from 9 March...

Written Answers — UN Conventions: UN Conventions (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: Legislative proposals to enhance the protection of children against sexual abuse and exploitation, including exploitation through prostitution and child pornography, are at an advanced stage of preparation in my Department. These measures will facilitate full compliance with the criminal law provisions of a number of international legal instruments, including outstanding requirements in the...

Written Answers — Human Trafficking: Human Trafficking (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Human Beings in Ireland 2009 to 2012 was published in June 2009. The Plan contains a commitment to a mid term review involving a consultation process with relevant stakeholders. This process is underway in my Department. Submissions were received from a number of non-governmental organisations in May, June and July....

Written Answers — Prisoner Numbers: Prisoner Numbers (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I have been informed by the Irish Prison Service that the number of persons in custody on 1 July 2011 was 4,402.

Written Answers — Prisoner Numbers: Prisoner Numbers (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: It may be helpful to explain that the only court that would record a conviction in a summary trial is the District Court, where there is no jury. The Special Criminal Court operates without a jury but its jurisdiction is not restricted to summary offences. Unfortunately, it is not feasible to identify the exact number of persons in prison on a specific date on a conviction recorded in a...

Written Answers — Criminal Convictions: Criminal Convictions (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: Following the submission in 2004 of a report and recommendations by an expert group on crime statistics, it was decided that the compilation and publication of crime statistics should be taken over by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, from An Garda Síochána. The Garda Síochána Act 2005 consequently makes provision for this and the CSO has established a...

Written Answers — Criminal Convictions: Criminal Convictions (21 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The management and administration of the courts including responsibility for maintaining court statistics is a matter for the Courts Service. However, I have had enquiries made and the Service has informed me that 498, 672 criminal offences were disposed of in the District Court in 2010. Of those, 70,200 were indictable offences that were dealt with summarily. The outcomes in relation to...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (21 Jul 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 responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the OPW is currently examining options for the provision of a new Garda...