Results 9,301-9,320 of 14,127 for speaker:David Stanton

Topical Issue Debate: Child Protection (7 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: I will certainly pass on that particular comment to my colleague, the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. I am sure she will be interested in taking it on board. Obviously it is important that any information we can get out there should be put out there. In general terms, the processing system as we know it is working well. The vetting system is working well and the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (7 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: My Department was made aware of complaints in relation to the accommodation centre in question. These complaints were forwarded onto the contractor and the response has been received. It is worth noting that not all of the accommodation centre in question is used for accommodation and the unused section is blocked off to residents. The contractor has confirmed that 12 of the 20...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Deployment (8 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: I thank the Deputies for raising this important matter. They are passionate and serious about it, which I appreciate. I am taking the issue on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, who cannot be here this evening and who sends his apologies. The distribution of gardaí is exclusively the statutory responsibility of the Garda Commissioner. That said, I am aware that the Minister...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Deployment (8 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: Even though the Deputy does not like me saying that, I will say it anyway. It was closed by the then-Government because of the severe and catastrophic economic crisis that the country was plunged into. The closure of the college and the moratorium imposed at that time has obviously had an impact on numbers in An Garda Síochána and it would be disingenuous to attribute the decline...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Deployment (8 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: The Deputies opposite do not like hearing this, but it is a fact.

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Deployment (8 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: I thank the Acting Chairman for his protection. When the last Government came into office, the initial focus was on stabilising the public finances and returning the country to growth. Once that had been achieved, one of the Government's first actions was to reopen the Garda College in Templemore.

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Deployment (8 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: Since the reopening in September 2014, just under 1,600 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide. Of these, 719, or 45%, have been assigned to the Dublin metropolitan region. I am aware that while Garda strength in the DMR east, north and north central divisions shows an increase, albeit slight, between 2015 and...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Deployment (8 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: I am not sure if I detected an apology there for the closure of Templemore in 2010 and congratulations that we managed to get it open and that we are recruiting these extra numbers.

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Deployment (8 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: I will wait for that. I would expect that every time Fianna Fáil speaks here, its members would apologise first for the mess they made of the country and the catastrophic disaster they made.

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Deployment (8 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: They forget that and they wipe it out. I assure the Deputies that Garda management keeps the distribution of the resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities and that the needs of all divisions are taken into account. They have made significant progress in tackling the threat of organised crime, particularly in Dublin's north inner city....

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Deployment (8 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: I take into account the genuine concerns of colleagues here and across the country. We have to fight this together. The Deputies are right to bring it up and to keep arguing about it. We are listening and we are working to increase the numbers and to maximise the turnout from Templemore. That is the essential point. I thank Deputies for their time.

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Vetting (8 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, I thank Deputy Deering for raising this important issue. As the House will be aware, Garda vetting for employment purposes is carried out by An Garda Síochána primarily in accordance with the provisions of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012. In this regard, the primary focus of the Garda national...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Vetting (8 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: The investment in the vetting system in recent years is a clear indication that the Government is taking this matter very seriously. There has been a very significant expansion in the capacity of the vetting bureau, especially since the introduction of the e-vetting system. In 2017, the vetting bureau received 497,026 applications, that is almost half a million, which is an increase from...

Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: I am very happy to have the opportunity to join the debate on the Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017. This is a significant Bill, and it is regrettable that we do not have pre-legislative scrutiny of Private Members' Bills. I have said this here previously and I will say it again. When I was Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, we dealt with many topics...

Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: This has been a very interesting debate. Deputy Róisín Shortall commenced by stating the Government paid scant attention to the issue of family leave. However, that claim does not stand up because the Government brought forward the Paternity Leave and Benefit Act which provided for extra leave from 1 October 2017 in respect of premature babies, the programme for Government...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Data (13 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: A number of persons are temporarily accommodated in the Emergency Reception and Orientation Centre (EROC) located in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, under the relocation strand of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP).  As the name suggests, an EROC is largely about reception and orientation for those who are to be subsequently resettled and the majority of persons being relocated...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Resettlement Programme (13 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: The Emergency Reception and Orientation Centre in Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon is contracted to provide accommodation, catering, housekeeping, general maintenance, security and other services for persons who have been relocated to Ireland under the EU relocation programme. The contractor is required to keep the Department informed about staffing details. There are currently 36 persons...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Resettlement Programme (13 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: All ancillary services including laundry, cleaning, catering supplies etc., provided in accommodation centres under contract to the Department of Justice and Equality are included in the contract agreed following negotiations with the principal contractor. The Department only holds details of this primary contract for the provision of services to the residents in Ballaghaderreen...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Equality Issues (13 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: Ireland has comprehensive and robust equality legislation in place – namely the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 and the Equal Status Acts 2000-2015 – which prohibits discrimination on ten specific grounds – Age; Gender; Sexual orientation; Civil status; Family status; Religious belief; Disability; Race, colour nationality, ethnic or national origins; Membership of the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Feb 2018)

David Stanton: A lot of work has been done on the Bill in the past 12 months. The legislation is with the Attorney General to provide for a number of specific changes to the current antiquated Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 and I expect it will be published soon. On the broader issue of gambling, this is a complex and evolving area of policy. We have carried out a lot of research in this area. On 10...