Results 11,341-11,360 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Seanad: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Children First guidelines prescribe certain connectivities between various organisations but we still think there is a value in each particular organisation trying to ensure that the appropriate State bodies are directly informed by it. I would not see that as an enormous administrative burden for an organisation. It is a question of furnishing possibly identical information to two...

Seanad: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: That is soft information, which falls under the aegis of the Bill. The classic example of soft information is if there has been an investigation and a serious allegation was made about children but prosecution has not been taken. Such a case is provided for in legislation.

Seanad: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose the amendment to make it clear in the Bill that the chief bureau officer shall report to the Garda Commissioner on the performance and management of the bureau, and on any issues arising. I am mindful of the fact that section 23 already provides that the bureau will make an annual report via the Garda Commissioner to the Minister, which will be laid before the Houses of the...

Seanad: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: Yes. Under the general legislation that applies to the Garda Síochána, it is open to the Garda Commissioner to communicate to the Minister anything of concern or relevance. To take the very issue the Senator raised, a classic situation that could arise would be where the chief bureau officer is concerned about time delays that are developing in responding to vetting applications as a...

Seanad: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: Amendments Nos. 9, 11 and 12 have a similar purpose, namely, to ensure that persons working in accommodation centres for persons applying for asylum are vetted. While it may not be widely known, this is already a requirement of my Department's contracts with persons or organisations contracted to provide such accommodation. Children are accommodated in many such centres. I am proposing the...

Seanad: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am advised that amendment No. 9 covers the issues about which the Senators are concerned. It covers any individual who works in a centre and has direct contact with children. This could well include cooking staff. However, it does not cover what I would describe as visitors to a centre because one cannot vet a visitor. If, for example, a voluntary organisation is working in the area and...

Seanad: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I must switch personality from being Minister for Justice and Equality to being Minister for Defence to take questions at 2.30 p.m. I have seen a draft of the Senator's amendment and it is not very long. If we adjourn until 2.10 p.m., it might be possible to take it. Alternatively, I would have no difficulty if the House wanted to take it immediately after the conclusion of defence questions.

Seanad: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (12 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I must still oppose the amendment. I will draw some aspects of the amendments to the attention of Senators. Amendment No. 4 states: "to include work carried out by persons who engage in the provision of professional child-minding services for reward including work carried out by a nanny and/or au pair service...". First, with regard to an au pair service, an organisation or a service that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Parental Leave (13 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: There are no plans at present to amend the Maternity Leave system to allow fathers to take some of that leave. I intend to seek Government approval shortly for the General Scheme of the Family Leave Bill which will transpose Council Directive 2010/18/EU on Parental Leave. This new legislation will provide for an additional four weeks parental leave for both mothers and fathers. The Bill...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Correspondence (13 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: In relation to the Deputy's question, I will be responding to the correspondence sent to me. The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this time in relation to a family law matter which has been the subject of legal proceedings.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (13 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127, 128, 135 and 136 together. The implications of the judgement of the Supreme Court referred to by the Deputies are being considered in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and any revised procedures arising will be implemented without delay. The Deputies should note that although the Supreme Court in its judgement quashed the Minister's...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (13 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The stations selected for closure are those which are in areas that, in the professional opinion of the Garda Commissioner, could be better served by having Gardaí patrolling the areas rather than being confined to a specific premises. The Garda National Model of Community Policing plays a key part in responding to crime by taking into account and responding to local conditions and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (13 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together. The Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote and I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the annual financial saving estimated to arise in respect of the closure of the stations referred to by the Deputy is Euro 4,000 per station. To a large extent these estimates relate to heating and lighting costs...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (13 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 to 134, inclusive, together. I am advised by the Garda authorities that the examination surrounding the circumstances of the death of Father Niall Molloy 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid Service (13 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I wish to inform the Deputy that the Legal Aid Board is a statutory, independent body in accordance with the Civil Legal Aid Act, 1995. The issue he has raised is a matter for the Board. However, in order to be helpful to the Deputy I have had enquiries made with the Board on his behalf. I am advised that the Legal Aid Board has a full time Law Centre in Nenagh. The Centre is among a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (13 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that, following their examination of the report of the Moriarty Tribunal, the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions has been sought on the findings of that examination, with a view to determining whether or not a full Garda investigation should now be commenced.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Army Equitation School (13 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: At present there are no plans to close the equitation yard that is located at the Defence Forces Training Centre in the Curragh Camp. The transition year programme, referred to by the Deputy, provides an opportunity each year for approximately 200 students from the local area to work with horses and to learn about the Defence Forces.

Topical Issues: Garda Investigations (18 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He was doing very well until the last three sentences, which were really a contradiction of everything that preceded them. The reality is that the Garda has had an extraordinarily successful year in counteracting organised crime and in dealing with criminal subversion. As the Deputy rightly stated, even one murder is one murder too many, but there...

Topical Issues: Garda Investigations (18 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy must understand that I will not comment on what action the Garda did or did not take with regard to the possibility that it did or did not foil a particular attempt on the life of any individual. I will not comment on any arrests that took place because it is not appropriate to do so. It is unfortunate that the Deputy cannot confine himself to expressing support for the Garda...

Topical Issues: Garda Investigations (18 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I remind the Deputy that the current numbers within the Garda Síochána are 13,450. On average, some 300 to 350 gardaí retire every year. It is always the case that the number of gardaí in a given year who have completed 30 years of service and for whom the option is available to retire is larger than the number who actually retire in that year. The Deputy is hawking...