Results 6,661-6,680 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Personal Insolvency Practitioners (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI) has overseen the introduction of the new alternatives to bankruptcy introduced by the Personal Insolvency Act 2012 - the Debt Relief Notice (DRN), the Debt Settlement Arrangement (DSA) and the Personal Insolvency Arrangement (PIA), as well as a reformed bankruptcy regime. As a result, insolvent debtors now have a suite of options available to them to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: State Pathology Laboratory (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Office of Public Works (OPW) has agreed to make the former Whitehall Garda station available for the relocation of the State Pathology Office and to carry out the necessary refurbishment work. The project is being actively pursued in conjunction with the OPW and in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Transfers (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that an application by a prisoner (details supplied) for a transfer to a prison in this jurisdiction, under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, was received in May 2014. Requests for the reports necessary to make a decision on the application were subsequently issued and upon receipt of same, the application will be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are no plans to grant an amnesty to asylum seekers based on the length of time spent in the asylum system. The Deputy might wish to note that at EU Level, the Member States, in agreeing the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum at the European Council in October 2008 made specific commitments "to use only case-by-case regularisation, rather than generalised regularisation, under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Anti-Social Behaviour (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda authorities that local Garda management became aware of a group of approximately 500 young people arriving in the Howth area on Saturday, 31 May 2014 and gathering around the East Pier, Claremont Beach and Harbour Road areas. Gardaí from Howth, Raheny and Clontarf Garda Stations, assisted by a Public Order Unit, attended the scene and directed the group which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the provision and allocation of Garda resources, including mountain bikes, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the context of her identified operational requirements. I am advised by the Garda authorities that the number of mountain bikes allocated to the Garda R and J Districts in 2012 and 2013 is as set out in the following table: Garda District 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Firearms Certificates (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 435 and 436 together. I have been informed by An Garda Síochána that the information sought is not available. The previous database maintained by them prior to the introduction of a new system of firearms licensing in 2009 did not record applications or categorise certificates under the status of refused.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Adoption Data (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Department of Justice & Equality has not received any report from Adoption Rights Now.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am of course aware of the recent reports about the conduct of white collar crime investigations and have received a report from the Garda Commissioner on the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation's functions, which I will be discussing with her in the near future. While the detailed allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner, I am concerned to ensure that there are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Legislation (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the examination of the substantial technical and administrative arrangements required to effectively implement section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 is ongoing. An outline implementation plan, with costings, is being prepared by An Garda Síochána, and will be considered as part of the work of the Criminal Justice (Fixed Charge...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Fixed Charge Processing System (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the Criminal Justice (Fixed Charge Processing System) Working Group was established to oversee and facilitate the implementation of the recommendations of the Report of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate into the Fixed Charge Processing System. The Working Group is due to report to myself and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in the coming...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is important not to confuse legislation to combat incitement to hatred and the wider legislative framework to combat racist crimes. The Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 cannot and was never intended to deal with the entirety of racist crime. It only addresses incitement to hatred. The word "hatred" is defined in the Act as "hatred against a group of persons in the State or...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Data Protection (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The article referred to in the Deputy's question is another manifestation of allegations about certain surveillance programmes operated by foreign intelligence services. While I, of course, fully understand the concerns which these revelations have given rise to, there is no information available to me to support the contention referred to. We have, in this country, robust data protection...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Responsibilities (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: While there is no formal Delegation of Functions Order in place, the Minister of State's role relates particularly to the equality and integration areas of the Department. Staff of the Equality Divisions of the Department (with responsibility for Traveller policy; disability legislation and coordination; gender equality; and employment equality, equal status and human rights legislation)...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The issue of a residence permit by the Garda National Immigration Bureau does not arise at present in the case of the person whose details were supplied. If the person has made an application for asylum or subsidiary protection, the Deputy may be aware that it is not the practice to comment on such cases for so long as they are in the protection process.The Deputy should be aware, however,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill 2012 has passed Committee Stage in the Dáil, having passed all stages in the Seanad. However, before the Bill could be taken at Report Stage, a 2013 UK Court of Appeal judgment necessitated a review of the disclosure provisions in both the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 and the Spent Convictions Bill....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by officials in the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to by the Deputy was issued with temporary permission to reside on 27 March 2014, valid until 10 August 2014, pending final determination of her application for a permanent residence card. The Garda National Immigration Bureau have however advised that the person...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders Re-examination (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to the Reply given to his Parliamentary Question No. 182 on 6 March 2014. The status of the person concerned is as set out in that reply:I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned is the subject of a Deportation Order following a comprehensive and thorough examination of her asylum claim. The effect...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Firearms Theft (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 448 to 452, inclusive, together. I have asked the Garda Commissioner for a report in relation to these matters and will write to the Deputy when I have further information.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Firearms Licences (10 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 453 to 455, inclusive, together. As the Deputy is aware, in light of public safety concerns highlighted by the Garda Síochána and difficulties in the interpretation of the legislation expressed by members of the Judiciary, my Department is currently examining key policy, legislative, administrative and other issues relating to firearms licensing...