Results 10,161-10,180 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Other Questions: Youth Justice Strategy (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am interested to hear the Deputy's views on how to deal with young people. I am also happy to hear his support for the 25% decrease in the numbers of young people under 25 going into prison and his support for alternative initiatives. I agree with the Deputy that it is extremely important to give people a second chance by way of community diversion programmes. Good inter-agency work is...

Other Questions: Youth Justice Strategy (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank members of the committee and the chair of the committee, Deputy David Stanton, for the work done in this area. It is clear that it is a worthwhile initiative and I hope to progress it. I would also like to see the development of family courts and I hope to introduce legislation to establish family courts. During the passage of the recent Children and Family Relationships Bill, it...

Other Questions: Judicial Appointments (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I absolutely agree with the Deputy that it is vital. The Judiciary and the courts are at the heart of the justice system and are constitutionally independent in their operation. Under the Constitution, judges are appointed by the President on the advice of the Government. As the Deputy knows, the current process for the appointment of judges in Ireland is set out in Part IV of the Courts...

Other Questions: Judicial Appointments (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The courts are independent.

Other Questions: Judicial Appointments (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Separation of powers is very important. I am not going to comment here on the actions taken in a particular court in relation to repossessions or any other issue. Judges act as they see fit. They have full independence in doing that. I am interested in examining the judicial council. I will be moving ahead to establish a judicial council. That is an important Bill as well. Obviously,...

Other Questions: Judicial Appointments (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy is making very serious allegations.

Other Questions: Judicial Appointments (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: His allegations about judges and about behaviour in courts are very serious.

Other Questions: Judicial Appointments (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: In its current form, the judicial council Bill provides for the establishment of a judicial council and board that will promote excellence and high standards of conduct by judges. It will also provide a means of investigating allegations of judicial misconduct. In this context, a judicial conduct committee with lay representation will be established. It is an important Bill. It is...

Other Questions: Prison Staff (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Obviously, the primary role of the Irish Prison Service is to provide safe and secure custody for prisoners. The Deputy will be aware that I take the health and safety of Irish Prison Service staff very seriously, just as he does. I have met the representative association and the head of the Irish Prison Service. I have been assured by the director general of the Irish Prison Service that...

Other Questions: Prison Staff (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Prison management may make a request for an armed escort based on a risk assessment of a prisoner who is due to be escorted outside the prison. It is sent to the operations directive and then forwarded to An Garda Síochána where it is given careful consideration to determine if the escort is to be granted. Armed escorts are requested for prisoners who pose the highest security...

Other Questions: Prison Staff (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The director general of the Prison Service has established an implementation group, chaired by the governor of the Prison Service escort corps, to implement several actions including the purchase of personal protection equipment, provision of training and the identification of high-risk escorts. The transportation of high-risk escorts is to be reviewed and improved lines of communication are...

Other Questions: Garda Station Refurbishment (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is based on accommodation priorities established by the Garda Síochána. The programme is advanced in close co-operation with the Office of Public Works, which has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. Funding for such works is provided for in the Vote of the Office of Public...

Other Questions: Garda Station Refurbishment (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will raise that issue with the Garda Commissioner. Clearly, these are operational decisions. The fact, however, that there are 550 recruits going through Templemore training college will help in this matter, ensuring local community policing, including in Gaeltacht areas, which is necessary and essential for a proper policing service to protect the community and interrupt crime.

Other Questions: Garda Complaints Procedures (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I was not using the time as an excuse. I was pointing out these are complex cases that have been through many different procedures. The very point of the review mechanism is to establish if there has been, as the Deputy described it, a fault in the process used at the time such as if there were a miscarriage of justice, unacceptable behaviour, some issue not explored properly or the...

Other Questions: Garda Complaints Procedures (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: We are the first Government to take a group of cases like these about which people have had concerns and to put a process in place to examine them in good faith. It is an independent process. All of the information that is available on each of the cases can be made available to the panel and it can seek extra information if there is some stand-out issue that has not been addressed. In the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: At EU level, Member States, including Ireland, agreed back in 2008 that they would deal with regularisation only on a case by case basis and the Government continues to support this position. Ireland has shown itself to be a country that welcomes foreign nationals and this is abundantly clear from our census figures and from our citizenship ceremonies. More than 80,000 people have been...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Inspectorate Reports (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Inspectorate Report on Crime Investigation forms an important component in the overall justice reform programme which is currently underway and in respect of which significant progress has already been made. Implementation of this programme, including the reforms recommended by the Inspectorate, is being overseen by the Cabinet Committee on Justice...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Services Regulation (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, I am not in a position in my capacity as Minister for Justice and Equality to provide legal advice in answer to a Parliamentary Question. The general position is that the Property Services Regulatory Authority licences and regulates all Property Services Providers (i.e. Auctioneers, Estate Agents, Letting Agents and Management Agents) under the Property...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Policy Document on non-EEA Family Reunification was published on 31 December 2013 and provides a comprehensive statement of national immigration policy on the area of family reunification. The policies outlined in the document apply to all decision making in relation to family reunification cases where ministerial discretion applies, including long stay (join family) visa applications. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, earlier this week I published the report by Mr. Dominic McGinn, SC, who was appointed to carry out an independent examination of the report of the Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT) relating to the Garda investigation into the death of Fr. Niall Molloy. The report was published with a number of redactions which were made following consultation with the Attorney...