Results 11,741-11,760 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested the information sought from the Garda Commissioner and I will write directly to the Deputy on receipt of same.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Numbers (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 428 to 431, inclusive, and 436 together. I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that Stamp 0 has been in operation since 2011 and that it is a low level immigration status. I understand that it is mainly granted to persons who have been approved by INIS for a limited and specific stay in Ireland. An...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Controls (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Early last week the Garda Síochána National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), with the assistance of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS), put in place a series of measures to address queues at the GNIB Registration Office in Burgh Quay, Dublin 2. Since their introduction on Wednesday last (28th September, 2015), the following arrangements are now in place to improve...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Controls (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The purpose of non EEA nationals attending at the Registration Office, Garda National Immigration Bureau is to obtain or renew permission to be in the State and to furnish particulars as required as part of the registration process pursuant to Section 9 of the Immigration Act, 2004. On completion of the registration process, the non national is issued with a registration certificate. In...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that an 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 21 July 2016. The application is being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: On 23 September, I published the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015, as approved by Government. The Bill provides for two new offences of purchasing sexual services, in the context of prostitution. The purpose of these offences is to target the demand for prostitution. The first is a general offence of paying to engage in sexual activity with a prostitute which carries a penalty of a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the number of persons naturalised each year from 2010 to 2014 inclusive is 6,200, 10,700, 25,100, 24,200, 21,100 respectively. The table below shows the breakdown by age of persons naturalised in each of these years. Statistics are not compiled in such a manner as to provide the additional...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Levels (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am of course concerned about any level of racist crime and can assure the Deputy that An Garda Síochána monitors this type of crime very carefully. My Department is also continuing to keep the existing criminal law provisions against racism and xenophobia under review. The Garda Racial Intercultural and Diversity Office (GRIDO) has responsibility for coordinating, monitoring...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 440 and 441 together. A panel consisting of two senior and five junior counsel was established for the purpose of conducting the Review to which the Deputy refers. All were selected on the basis of their experience of the criminal justice system. The Panel has provided recommendations to me in all 320 cases submitted to them and has therefore largely...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Independent Review Mechanism (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy is referring to the mechanism established for the independent review of certain allegations of Garda misconduct, or inadequacies in the investigation of certain allegations, which have been made to me as Minister for Justice and Equality, or the Taoiseach. A panel consisting of two Senior and five Junior Counsel was established for the purpose, all selected on the basis of their...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Independent Review Mechanism (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy is referring to the mechanism established for the independent review of certain allegations of Garda misconduct, or inadequacies in the investigation of certain allegations, which have been made to me as Minister for Justice and Equality, or the Taoiseach. A panel consisting of two Senior and five Junior Counsel was established for the purpose, all selected on the basis of their...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Investigations (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 to 447, inclusive, together. As the Deputy is aware the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) was established as a statutorily independent body, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, to investigate complaints made against members of the Garda Síochána. GSOC directly investigates complaints involving allegations of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Transport (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: In keeping with the Government’s commitment under the Programme for National Recovery 2011-2016, revised arrangements for Ministerial transport were implemented in May and June 2011. The annual cost of the Garda Ministerial Pool from 2013 to September 2015 is as follows: Year Annual Cost 2013 €2.160m 2014 €2.142m 2015 (to September) €1.580mA ministerial car...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána have 27 Garda Town Centre CCTV Systems. I have been advised by the Garda authorities that 17 of the 27 CCTV systems have Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in place with contractors for the maintenance and repair of the CCTV systems and regular maintenance checks are carried out as part of these SLAs. Maintenance and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Water Unit (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Water Unit is a national resource based at Santry Garda Station, Dublin Metropolitan Region and Athlone Garda Station, Co. Westmeath and is under the direction and control of Assistant Commissioner, National Support Services. I am advised by the Garda Commissioner who has responsibility for the allocation of resources within the Force that the Garda Water Unit presently has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Training (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested the information sought from the Garda Commissioner and I will write directly to the Deputy on receipt of same.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Second Stage (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am very pleased to present this Bill to the House. This Bill is the most comprehensive and wide ranging piece of sexual offences legislation to be introduced in almost a decade. It strengthens existing law to combat child pornography, the sexual grooming of children, incest, exposure and other offensive conduct of a sexual nature. Not only will the provisions in this Bill target those...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Second Stage (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As well as implementing the recommendations of a number of Oireachtas committees, the Bill brings Irish law more closely into line with our international obligations.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Second Stage (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: For example, in terms of EU directives on child sexual exploitation and abuse and other international obligations which we have. There are, however, and I want to clearly acknowledge at the outset, provisions absent from the Bill which were approved for inclusion - most notably provisions to replace section 5 of the Criminal Justice Act 1993 in relation to the protection of mentally impaired...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Second Stage (6 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The committee received 800 submissions. In deciding to put forward these provisions I have considered all sides of the debate. I have considered the experience of those states which have introduced similar measures and those states which have addressed prostitution in a different way. First, let me be clear as to what these provisions do. It will be an offence for a person to pay, offer...