Results 11,061-11,080 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Topical Issue Debate: Road Traffic Offences (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: That is the way the allegation is framed. The Deputies know that. It is the story they are trying to put out. If there has been wrongdoing and fixed charges have been improperly set aside, of course I would want to know about it and there should be transparency about it. If some kind of corrupt culture exists, we would want to know about that too. I do not know that to be the case. It...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Courts Service that the primary objective in the current economic climate is to maintain the delivery of front line court sittings and, in this context, over the past few years the Service has radically altered the way in which they manage the resources available to them. Measures introduced to date include the creation of multi-jurisdictional court offices (14 such...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Joint Policing Committees (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The functions and powers of Joint Policing Committees (JPCs) are set out in the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which provides for a Committee in each local authority area. The Act provides that JPCs operate under guidelines issued by the Minister for Justice and Equality after consultation with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. The current guidelines were...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 321 together. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce a Bill that is in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Bill is at an advanced stage of drafting and work is ongoing to properly align the provisions of the Bill with the principles contained in the UN Convention on supporting people...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am advised by the Garda authorities that the examination referred to by the Deputy is ongoing. The Commissioner has assured me that each and every line of inquiry is being or will be pursued. Upon receipt of a final report from the Commissioner I will review the situation. I am fully aware of course of the many issues of concern which have been raised in the public domain surrounding the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: European Court of Human Rights Rulings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: My Department is aware of the decision of 13 November 2012 in the European Court of Human Rights in regard to the case of MM V United Kingdom. The decision relates to a caution issued in Northern Ireland in the year 2000. The Court highlighted the absence of a clear legislative framework for the collection and storage of data, and the lack of clarity as to the scope, extent and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I must presume that the Deputy’s question is about the Diversion Programme which relates to youth crime. The Diversion Programme operates in accordance with Part 4 of the Children Act 2001, as amended, and under the general superintendence and control of the Garda Commissioner. The aim of the Diversion Programme is to deal with juveniles who offend, by way of administering a formal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy is aware, the Courts Service Act 1998 provides that management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions, which include the provision of accommodation for court sittings. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and have been informed that the Courts Service has been reviewing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to amend the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 to address any anomalies or omissions, including those relating to children. In this regard, the Law Reform Commission has made detailed recommendations in its Report on the Legal Aspects of Family Relationships. In particular, the Commission recommends...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Visiting Regulations (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Irish Prison Service endeavours to help prisoners, where possible and appropriate, to maintain relationships with their families. Every effort is made to ensure that prisoners are located as close to their home as possible to facilitate visits from family and friends. However, this is not always possible for operational and security reasons. I am aware that maintaining family...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probation and Welfare Service (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Probation Service has restructured the delivery of community service nationally under the governance of a dedicated Community Service Unit. Besides the 9 dedicated administrative and probation staff of the Unit, there are 78 Probation Officers nation-wide whose range of duties include community service. Community Service Supervisors are also employed to manage offenders undertaking...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Safety Authority Campaigns (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy may be aware, the Road Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána launched their Christmas and New Year Road Safety Campaign yesterday. As part of this campaign, significant Garda resources will be dedicated to preventing and addressing unsafe road behaviour over the holiday period through targeted enforcement and road safety operations, including the operation of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 333 together. The Commissioner's Policing Plan for 2013, which I laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on 5th December 2012, sets out details of the closure of 100 Garda stations throughout the country, the future opening hours of other stations in Cork and Dublin and a number of District amalgamations. It is important to remember that while some...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Compensation (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I presume this Deputy is referring to the proposals for a revised Garda compensation scheme for deaths or injuries which are maliciously inflicted upon a member of the Garda Síochána while on duty or in connection with their duties. The details of the revised scheme, which were approved by the Government in July, are set out in the Draft General Scheme of the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service that in this case M.M. instituted judicial review proceedings in respect of a negative decision on his application for subsidiary protection. When the case was heard in the High Court, the presiding Judge decided to refer a question of law for clarification to the European Court of Justice. On 22 November 2012, the European...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Spent Convictions (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill 2012 was published on 2 May 2012 and passed Second Stage in the Seanad on 13 June 2012. The Bill, which builds on the recommendations in the Law Reform Commission Report on Spent Convictions (LRC 84-2007) provides for the non-disclosure of certain convictions in certain circumstances. Convictions resulting in sentences of one year or less, as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Youth Services (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I wish to inform the Deputy that on the 1st October 2012, the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy noted the report of the National Youth Justice Oversight Group on the implementation of the National Youth Justice Strategy 2008-2010. I can now confirm that, in collaboration with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, arising from our respective responsibilities under the Children Act...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The personnel strength of An Garda Síochána on 30 November 2012, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 13,459. There are also approximately 1,000 Garda Reservists and 2,000 civilians. The previous Government committed to reducing Garda strength to 13,000 as part of their undertaking to the Troika to reduce public service numbers, and introduced a moratorium...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child Protection (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: There are currently 4,839 persons seeking international protection residing in 35 Direct Provision accommodation centres across 17 counties under contract to the Reception & Integration Agency (RIA), an operational unit of the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department. Of these residents, approximately a third are children under the age of 18. RIA takes its...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to strengthen the powers of the Criminal Assets Bureau in relation to the forfeiture of the proceeds of crime. An Expert Group, established under the auspices of my Department, is currently engaged in a comprehensive review of the Proceeds of Crime legislation with a view to identifying possible improvements which would serve to strengthen...