Results 10,461-10,480 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charities Regulation (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The aim of the Charities Regulatory Authority, established on a statutory basis on 16 October 2014, is to provide for better regulation of charitable organisations through a framework of registration, regulation and support. The initial focus of the Authority has been on the development of the statutory Register of Charities in accordance with the Charities Act 2009. Some 8,500 CHY charities...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Liquor Licensing Laws (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The current position is that all sections of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008 have been commenced apart from section 9. This section provides for the structural separation of alcohol products from other products in mixed trading premises such as supermarkets and convenience stores. Together with my colleague the Minister for Health, I have decided jointly to review, in the context of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Ownership (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 79 together. I can inform the Deputy that under the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006, the Property Registration Authority (PRA) was established as and from 4 November 2006. The PRA replaces the Registrar of Deeds and Titles as the registering authority in relation to property registration in Ireland and, subject to the above Act, is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Mediation Bill is currently being drafted in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. However, as the Deputy is aware, the Government has a demanding schedule of urgent legislation at present and for that reason it is not possible to give a specific date for publication of the Bill at this stage. However, it is my intention to proceed quickly with enactment of the Bill following its...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The difficulties experienced by property owners arising from trees and high hedges on neighbouring land were raised in both the Dáil and Seanad during passage of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009. At that time, my Department consulted on the matter with the Law Reform Commission, which had been involved in drafting the 2009 Act, and the Commission took the view that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service Data (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of information on the courts system. However, following...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Remuneration (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: To date no proposals have been agreed to change the process by which retired members of An Garda Síochána are paid their pension from the current method of payment in advance. I can, however, state that consideration of this matter is at an exploratory stage.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Council Meetings (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Questions 198 and 199 of 28 April 2015 giving the latest position on developments at EU level. Ireland is one of the Member States involved in refugee resettlement with the UNHCR, as we have been for several years. Ireland also ran its own Syrian Humanitarian Assistance Programme last year for persons who are considered by their sponsoring family...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Stardust Fire (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Following a meeting with the Stardust Victims Committee last year, I appointed an official in my Department to liaise with the Committee and they have engaged with representatives of the Committee in relation to these matters. A researcher associated with the Committee has submitted material relating to these events to my Department and a meeting was held with that Researcher, and another...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Garda Station Opening Hours (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can assure the Deputy that I am very conscious of the concerns which exist in relation to these sorts of crimes and their impact on householders and communities. The specific policing strategies which are deployed in relation to these of types of crimes are of course a matter for the Garda Commissioner to determine. In this regard I am advised that local Garda management closely monitor...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Court Procedures (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware, existing provisions under the Judicial Separation and Family Law Reform Act 1989 provide that Family Court proceedings in all courts shall be as informal as possible and that neither judges nor barristers or solicitors shall wear wigs or gowns; this applies generally to a range of child and family proceedings in the District Court. Similar provisions apply to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Garda Promotions (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Promotions up to and including Assistant Commissioner are covered by the Garda Síochána (Promotion) Regulations 2006. I have been informed by the Commissioner that the Code of Practice issued by the Commission for Public Service Appointments formally applies to all competitions within An Garda Síochána up to and including Inspector rank. Procedures that apply to more...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Investigations (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The incident referred to by the Deputy has been investigated by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. As the Deputy is aware the Ombudsman Commission is an independent body which was set up to receive complaints made by members of the public concerning the conduct of members of the Gardaí and I have no function in relation to the processing of individual complaints which are...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Garda Oversight (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that on 19 April, 2015, a Garda from Pearse Street Garda station participated in a photo-call with a retired Supreme Court Judge at the front of Pearse Street Garda Station to highlight the fact that people should register to vote for the upcoming referenda. While the event was held in good faith to promote the fact that people can register at...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Garda Equipment (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the deployment of Garda resources, including air support, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the context of her identified operational requirements. In that context I am advised by the Garda authorities that the Garda Air Support unit provides a 24 hour service in support of Garda specialist units and operational Gardaí on the ground. Personnel in the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Citizenship Applications (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that a valid application for a certificate of naturalisation has been received from the person referred to by the Deputy, who currently has permission to reside in the State until 24 November, 2015. As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ground Rents Payments (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that I am not in a position as Minister for Justice and Equality to comment on any specific case of payment of a ground rent by the holder of the leasehold interest to the owner of the freehold interest. The general position regarding ground rents is that section 2 of the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) Act 1978 introduced a prohibition on the creation of new...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: EU Directives (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: In June 2013 the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament adopted measures to complete the second phase of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). Included in the measures adopted were recasts of the Directives dealing with reception conditions, procedures for the processing of applications and the qualification and status of persons as refugees or as persons who otherwise...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Spent Convictions Legislation (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Before the Spent Convictions Bill 2014 could be enacted, a 2013 UK Court of Appeal judgment necessitated a review of the disclosure provisions in both the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 and the Spent Convictions Bill. That review has been completed and amendments to the Vetting Act and consequential amendments to the Spent Convictions Bill are currently...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Aircraft Landings (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I have indicated to the Deputy in my response to Question No. 110 of 23 April 2015 and in previous Questions, the Garda Authorities consider fully in accordance with the law information in respect of any request to search an aircraft. An Garda Síochána remains fully committed to investigate all alleged breaches of criminal law involving the use of aircraft at Shannon Airport. I...