Results 9,061-9,080 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Scheme the women are eligible for a lump sum payment of between €11,500 and €100,000 depending on length of stay in a relevant institution. Of the 498 applicants who have received their lump sums paid so far, 72 will receive the maximum amount of €100,000. As recommended by Judge Quirke, these women receive a maximum initial lump...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 86 together. If an applicant receives a lump sum payment she has agreed with the assessment made by my officials and has signed an acceptance form to that effect. I can also advise the deputy that in the vast majority of cases the applicants are availing of independent legal advice with regard to accepting the offer and my department is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 88 together. Some 94 applications have been refused as they were not in one of the 12 specified institutions. If there is a discrepancy with regard to a record, or in cases where the religious congregations have incomplete or no record for an applicant my officials must carry out a thorough examination, checking whatever records are available...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 90 together. The Deputy will be aware that the Scheme attracted world wide media coverage. In addition, at my request the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade circulated an information note on the Scheme through their embassies around the world to the local Irish communities in late October 2014. My officials contacted the Ireland's Own...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: It will be a matter, for the Health Service Executive to decide on the practical arrangements, such as a type of card, to be put in place in order to ensure that the women can easily demonstrate their eligibility for services under this legislation. One operational possibility is that an RWRCI card, based on the name of the legislation, may be issued to the qualifying women. Final decisions...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Alcohol Sales (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The statutory provisions restricting the sale of alcohol on Good Friday, which have historical origins, will be examined in the context of the forthcoming Sale of Alcohol Bill. This Bill will update the law relating to the sale, supply and consumption of alcohol in licensed premises and will provide an opportunity for reviewing statutory restrictions on alcohol sales. The Bill will repeal the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probation and Welfare Service (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Employment Control Framework or ECF is a tool used to monitor staff numbers across the Civil Service. The ECF is set for each Vote. The Probation Service is part of the Department's Vote. I am advised the current serving staff by grade in the Probation Service in full time equivalent terms at the end of November 2014 is outlined in the table. Grade Full Time Equivalent Director...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As part of the measures which are coordinated under Operation Fiacla, burglary related operations have been put in place in each Garda region. Operation Acer is the regional operation applying to the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) and is an intelligence driven operation which includes analysis led checkpoints and patrols to target specific areas and case manage targeted offenders. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources 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: Garda Transport Data (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda vehicles are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of her identified operational demands and the availability of resources. In that context, I am advised by the Garda authorities that information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the table. YEAR CARS CARS VANS VANS MOTORCYCLES -...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Correspondence (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The correspondence supplied by the Deputy contains a request by a third party to have the particular case reviewed under the Independent Review Mechanism set up to consider allegations of Garda misconduct and inadequacies in the investigation of such allegations. As the Deputy is aware, the Independent Review Mechanism was set up for the specific purpose of considering matters of, or...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to move some amendments on Report Stage and will indicate the areas they cover. They arise from some points brought up in the course of discussion in the Dáil. Several Deputies were concerned that the Bill was trying to restrict the health benefits recommended by Mr. Justice Quirke, in particular concerns were expressed that we were trying to restrict the choice of general...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the opportunity to meet the committee as it considers the 2015 Revised Estimates for my Department's group of Votes, which were published in December. Before going into some of the detail of the Estimate provision across the six Votes which come under the Department of Justice and Equality, I want to make a number of headline points at the outset. The gross Estimate provision...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There were a number of technical adjustments to the Estimate, including the transfer of more than €6 million to the new Vote for the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. There was a further transfer of €2.5 million from the Department of Justice and Equality to the Vote for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for the migration of payroll services to its new...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The exceptions are GSOC which received an increase and the Garda Inspectorate.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am in regular contact with GSOC. I have regular meetings with it and keep its budget under review. When it was asked to do extra work on penalty points there were budgetary implications in terms of recruiting extra staff and that is why we gave the increase. Let me go into detail with the Deputy. A sum of €1 million has been allowed for in this Estimate. I said I would keep the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will, yes.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The 300 recruits will make a difference and the first lot of recruits will pass out in May. I was delighted to open the recruitment programme again because it had not been opened since 2009. We have a very enthusiastic group of trainees and a huge number of people applied to join the Garda. As I have said, I want ongoing seamless recruitment because that is the best way of ensuring we...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Gardaí are paid a number of allowances on top of their basic salary, as the Deputy will know. The allowances amount to between 25% and 33% of gross pay and for the most part they have been in existence for a number of years. I shall give the background to the issue. In September 2012, following the review of public service allowances and premium payments, the Government decided to...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are currently 1,100 attested reserve gardaí, with a further 46 at various stages of training. The Deputy posed an interesting question regarding the process. He asked whether it would be possible to stream the entry of members of the Garda Reserve into An Garda Síochána. I am sure their work in the reserve will be deemed good experience to have on their CV during the...