Results 6,921-6,940 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware, the Government published the draft General Scheme of the Children and Family Relationships Bill on 30 January 2014 and forwarded the Scheme to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality requesting that the Committee undertake a public consultation on the Scheme. The advice of the Ombudsman for Children was also sought on the proposals. I...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Marriage Equality (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: In accordance with its commitment in the Programme for Government, Government referred the issue of same-sex marriage to the Convention on the Constitution for consideration. The Convention recommended that a constitutional referendum be held on the issue of equal access to marriage. Government has accepted the recommendation and decided to hold the necessary referendum in the first half of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Equality Legislation (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Proposals to amend section 37 of the Employment Equality Act are contained in the Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2013 which is currently before the Seanad at Committee Stage. The objective of the Bill is to better balance the right of religious freedom and the right of employees to protection from discrimination. The Government, as announced previously, has accepted the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: At present the procedure applied to applications for international protection in Ireland is sequential. An application is first examined in order to determine if the applicant is eligible for refugee status. If the applicant is found not to be a refugee a second application can be examined in order to determine if the applicant is eligible for subsidiary protection. By contrast, under a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. I have requested the CSO to provide statistics directly to the Deputy. With respect to the Deputy's query concerning Garda response times, I...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Traffic Regulations (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the matter referred to by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy directly as soon as the report is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the matter referred to by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy directly as soon as the report is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda authorities that a total of 21,142 drivers were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol from November 2011 to 9 May 2014. I am also advised that, insofar as the administrative procedures provided by the Road Traffic Act, 2010 for dealing with certain drink driving offences under prescribed limits by way of payment of a fixed charge and the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Accidents Data (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have received an updated report from the Garda authorities who have informed me there were a total of 30 fatal collisions from 2011 to 2013 involving drivers who held a learner permit. I am further informed that a total of 31 learner drivers were involved as in one collision both drivers were holders of learner permits. Tragically, a total of 34 people died arising from these collisions,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Accidents Data (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have received a report from the Garda authorities and am informed that there was a total of 98 single vehicle fatal collisions in 2012, and 118 in 2013. The number of those cases involving learner drivers is set out in the table. Number of Single Vehicle Fatal Collisions involving Learner Drivers 2012 - 2013 - 2012 2013 Learner Driver Accompanied 1 0 Learner Driver Unaccompanied 5 2...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Accidents Data (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda authorities that Table 1 sets out the number of learner drivers involved in fatal collisions in 2012 and 2013 and whether they were accompanied by a qualified driver. I am advised that the information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of learner drivers involved in serious injury collisions during that period is not readily available and I will...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department is in ongoing contact with the Garda authorities regarding the statistical information requested by the Deputy and I will contact him directly as soon as these details are to hand. Insofar as the question of enforcement of warrants generally in the Dublin area is concerned, I am informed by the Garda authorities that local Garda Management is satisfied that every effort is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The deployment of resources including access to the Garda Wide Area Network and the services it carries, including PULSE and other Garda Information Systems are a matter for the Garda Commissioner to decide upon based on operational considerations. In this context I am informed by the Garda Authorities that there are currently 430 networked locations having access to PULSE, the Fixed Charge...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I regret to inform the Deputy that I am not in a position to provide the information he is seeking as it is unclear as to what Garda station he is referring. Should the Deputy provide further details I will be happy to provide a reply.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources. Generally speaking, I understand that a competition...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Liquor Licensing Laws (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The position is that statutory provisions governing the liquor licensing system, including the arrangements for annual renewal of restaurant licences, are set out in the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2011. The Government Legislation Programme provides for future publication of a Sale of Alcohol Bill which will update the Licensing Acts, as well as the Registration of Clubs Acts 1904 to 2008, and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation Refurbishment (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and have been informed that the court building in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The question of residency status or entitlement to naturalisation does not arise at this time in the case of the person whose details were supplied. As the Deputy is aware, if the person has made an application for asylum or subsidiary protection, the position is that it is not the practice to comment on such applications for so long as they remain in the protection process.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources. I have however been informed by the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drugs Crime (24 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can assure the Deputy that tackling the illegal drug trade and the organised crime groups involved in such activities remain a key priority for this Government. The Policing Plan 2014 of An Garda Síochána sets out the continued commitment to pro-actively target groups and individuals engaged in such criminal activity, including multi-disciplinary approaches which are utilised to...