Results 10,181-10,200 of 14,127 for speaker:David Stanton

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (18 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: My Department currently has two separate ongoing procurement processes to identify and contract with privately owned properties for the provision of accommodation and ancillary services to persons seeking international protection – an expressions of interest process to meet immediate short-term demand and a full tender process to meet medium to long-term demand. The expressions of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (18 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: As the Deputy will be aware, the State has a legal obligation to offer accommodation, food, a range of other services (including utilities, healthcare etc.) and a weekly allowance to any person who claims a right to international protection in Ireland while their legal claim is being examined. The number of applications for international protection has been steadily...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (18 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: I can inform the Deputy that the specifications detailed in my Department's regional procurement processes, done through the eTenders online system, require that all bids must provide for independent living, i.e. that all residents are able to cook meals of their own choosing as well as providing designated living room space for families. Any bidder that is successful in being...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gender Equality (24 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: Tackling the gender pay gap is an important element in the Programme for a Partnership Government and is included as a key commitment in the Government's National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020. The Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019 was published on 8 April 2019 and the Bill completed Dáil Committee Stage in June. Report Stage is currently awaited. The aim of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision Data (24 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: As the Deputy will be aware, while a claim for International Protection is being examined, the State is legally obliged to offer accommodation and related services to anyone without means - which includes all meals, medical care and utilities. A weekly personal allowance is paid to each person in a centre and exceptional needs are covered by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision Data (24 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: I can advise the Deputy that there are currently 38 accommodation centres in the State. The occupancy, as of 15 September, is set out in the following table along with the breakdown of the number of dependent children, requested by the Deputy. There are also 1,363 people currently in emergency accommodation in hotels and guest houses located throughout the State. My Department does not...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (24 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: The State offers accommodation, food and a range of other services (including healthcare, utilities, a weekly personal allowance etc.) to any person who arrives in the State seeking international protection. No one is obliged to accept this offer and applicants can choose to stay with friends or family living in the community or to source and provide for their own accommodation if they have...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision Data (24 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: As the Deputy will be aware, the State has a legal obligation to offer accommodation, food and a range of other services (including meals, utilities, healthcare etc.) and allowances to any person who claims a right to international protection in Ireland while their legal claim is being examined. The number of applicants has been steadily increasing (up 36% since the start of the year) and to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (24 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: As the Deputy will be aware, while a claim for International Protection is being examined, the State is legally obliged to offer accommodation and related services to anyone without means - which includes all meals, medical care and utilities. A weekly personal allowance is paid to each person in a centre and exceptional needs are covered by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (24 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: As the Deputy will appreciate, my Department is experiencing significant upward pressure on its accommodation portfolio due to an increase in the number of people claiming international protection and an associated demand for accommodation and related services. In the first half of this year alone, we have seen a 36% increase in the number of applications received. Our 38 existing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (24 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department does not use a preferred supplier list in procuring accommodation centres for people seeking international protection. My Department is currently engaged in a number of regional procurement processes. A Request for Tender (RFT) is issued through the Government’s procurement portal E-tenders for the provision of accommodation centres,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Accommodation Provision (25 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the issues raised by the Deputies. I speak on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, who cannot be here and sends his apologies. He acknowledges the distress overcrowded emergency departments cause for patients, their families and front-line staff working in very challenging conditions in hospitals throughout the country. The...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Accommodation Provision (25 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: I thank the Deputies for raising this important matter and acknowledge their knowledge and expertise in the area. The Minister for Health acknowledges that attendances at emergency departments are growing year on year and that the health service capacity review indicates that Ireland has among the highest acute bed occupancy rates in the developed world. Deputy Harty is correct that it...

Special Needs Education Places: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: The Minister, Deputy McHugh, was present for most of the debate, but he had to leave to go to the Seanad for another debate and asked me to respond in his stead. I started teaching over 40 years ago. I know - I do not look it. At the time many of the conditions of which we are aware today were not recognised or known. Dyspraxia, dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism, ADD, ADHD, various forms...

Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Order for Second Stage (25 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Second Stage (25 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: I am pleased to present the Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019 to the House. The purpose of this Bill is to provide for the exchange of criminal record information between Ireland and other EU member states. The Bill will transpose Framework Decision 2009/315/JHA on the organisation and content of the exchange of information extracted from the criminal records between...

Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Second Stage (25 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: I thank Deputies O'Callaghan and Martin Kenny for their involvement in the debate on this very important matter and for raising questions. I may not have all the answers to questions raised by Deputy Martin Kenny this evening. I thank him for all the work he has done on this and the consideration he has given it. I will ask for the questions he raised to be considered seriously and will...

Criminal Records (Exchange of Information) Bill 2019: Referral to Select Committee (25 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Justice and Equality subject to Standing Orders 84A(3)(a) and 149(1).

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (25 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: The establishment of a “Friends of the Centre” group in each centre providing accommodation to persons seeking international protection was a key recommendation of the Report of the Working Group on Improvements to the Protection Process, including Direct Provision and Supports to Asylum Seekers (known as The McMahon Report). All 38 accommodation centres plus the reception...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (25 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: I can inform the Deputy that my Department advertised a tender competition in September 2018 for suitable premises within 40km of Newbridge, Co. Kildare for accommodation and ancillary services for international protection applicants. Successful bidders were required to undertake mobilisation works to provide for cooking facilities for residents, a foodhall (where residents can procure...