Results 8,641-8,660 of 14,127 for speaker:David Stanton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: Yes. On the Calais situation, when the decision was taken in the Dáil, the French authorities had already moved people from Calais to accommodation located across France. The officials from my Department and that of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs have engaged with the NGOs who raised this matter with us. I have met some of the NGO representatives as well. We have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: We have been engaging with the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland on this issue and it has amended some of its original suggestions on that basis. We will continue to engage with it. If there are undocumented people of whom colleagues are aware, they can draw our attention to them on a case-by-case basis and we will examine them. If members have the names of anyone in Calais, which the Deputy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: A number of issues arise. There were many questions and comments and I will probably need an hour, or perhaps more, to answer all of them. On direct provision, most countries in the world face policy challenges posed by undocumented migrants. There is no doubt about that. We must try to do what is best for our country and for Irish citizens abroad. As I stated, there have been a number...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: Deputy Clare Daly mentioned fostering. Where a vulnerable child is brought to Ireland, it is important that he or she be placed appropriately. This committee would be really cross with us if we did not vet families properly and if they did not receive some training. We are talking about children from a different culture, not just about fostering an Irish child, so training, orientation and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: The Chairman has raised a lot of issues. With respect to the first point about the time spent in direct provision, I do not want to see persons residing in the State-provided accommodation for long periods. The McMahon working group did recognise that length of stay is a key challenge to be addressed in the asylum process. The implementation of the International Protection Act 2015 will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: It depends on what definition is used.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: The definition used by Ireland is five, from Greece.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: Yes. We are hoping, and trying, to up that number all the time. Tusla has gone to Athens on a number of occasions to interview them. An unaccompanied minor is a child who is totally on his or her own. Tusla has gone to the area to assess the situation and will continue to do so. We have committed to taking in 20 unaccompanied minors and we will continue to work on that. As I have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: I thank the Chairman and the members of the committee for the constructive interaction. I reciprocate by wishing all the members the compliments of the season, a happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous new year. Officials in the Department work very hard and ceaselessly to try to do the best they can with regard to the issues raised. I look forward to further engagements with the...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: At the outset, on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, I thank the House for facilitating early discussion of this short and rather technical Bill. The original intention of the Bill was to address the implications of a Court of Appeal ruling in July last. In that case, the court ruled that where property such as domestic dwellings or agricultural land is...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: I thank the Senators for their brevity and their words on the Bill. On behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, I thank the House for facilitating an early discussion of this short rather technical Bill. As I stated, the Bill now before the House contains important provisions relating to court jurisdiction and the rateable valuation system. Moreover, a number of important...

Other Questions: Gambling Legislation (16 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: The general scheme of the gambling control Bill was published in July 2013 following approval by the Government and is currently being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. The Bill, as proposed, will update all existing laws on the regulation of gambling, including betting and gaming but excluding the national lottery. It will provide for the licensing of all forms of online...

Other Questions: Gambling Legislation (16 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: Advertising will only be permitted where the service or product is available to persons in the State where the operator has a licence for the service or product in question. If the service or product is not available to persons in the State but is available in another state, including an EU member state, advertising will only be permitted where the operator holds a licence in that other...

Other Questions: Gambling Legislation (16 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: The Deputy is correct on this matter. That is why we commissioned research in the area which will be available at the end of the month. Since the initial publication of the general scheme, technology has moved on. I have come across issues of grooming of children for gambling at a young age. Fantasy gambling and other things like that are going on and it is a very complex issue. The Bill...

Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: That has nothing to do with this amendment. That is an abuse of this House.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (16 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: Persons who arrive in Ireland seeking international protection are offered shelter and accommodation in State provided accommodation to meet their immediate needs. This includes mainstream access to health, education and social protection services. While the operation of this system is kept under continual review, there are no plans to replace it with any other system at present. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (16 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: While the operation of the system of State provided accommodation and the direct delivery of services such as education and health to residents therein is kept under continual review, there are no plans to replace it with any other system at present. This is a system which facilitates the State in providing the essential and necessary accommodation and related services to all in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Resettlement Programme (16 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was established by Government Decision on 10 September 2015 as a direct response to the humanitarian crisis that developed in Southern Europe as a consequence of mass migration from areas of conflict in the Middle East and Africa. Under this programme, the Government pledged to accept a total of 4,000 persons into the State by the end of 2017,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (16 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: My Department is in discussion with the Office of the Attorney General and the Offices of the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman for Children with a view to extending their remit to allow them to receive complaints from persons residing in State provided accommodation. The extension of the remit of these Offices will require legislative amendment and full and detailed consideration is being given...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gambling Legislation (16 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: The General Scheme of the Gambling Control Bill was published in July 2013 following approval by the Government and is currently in drafting by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. The Bill, as proposed, will update all existing laws on the regulation of gambling, including betting and gaming but excluding the National Lottery. The new legislation will have consumer protection...