Results 11,921-11,940 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Closures (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 34 together. The Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote and I have been informed by the Garda authorities that financial cost statements are maintained at District Headquarters level rather than at Garda station level. In the circumstances the Deputies will appreciate that the specific financial information they have sought...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy will be aware, the Medical Bureau of Road Safety (MBRS), which is under the aegis of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, has statutory responsibility for the testing, approval and supply of evidential testing machines and roadside breath testing screening devices to An Garda Síochána. I am informed by the Garda authorities that there are currently 64...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: As stated in my reply to parliamentary question no. 740 answered on 16 January, I expect to bring legislative proposals to Government shortly. Subject to Government approval, I intend to publish these proposals when they have been considered by the Cabinet. It is not possible to specify a precise date for publication.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Status Applications (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: The person concerned applied for asylum on 14th August, 2007. In accordance with Section 9 of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended), the person concerned was entitled to remain in the State until his application for asylum was decided. His asylum application was refused following the consideration of his case by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, the Refugee...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Law Reform Commission Recommendations (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: I presume that the Deputies are referring to the Report of the Law Reform Commission on Civil Law of Missing Persons. Since the Report only came to our attention on 30 January 2013, you will appreciate that I am not in a position to comment on its recommendations at this stage. However, as normally happens with Reports of the Law Reform Commission, the recommendations are being examined in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Judicial Council Legislation (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Programme for Government undertakes to “legislate to establish a Judicial Council, with lay representation, to provide an effective mechanism for dealing with complaints against judges” and this commitment is being given expression in the form of the proposed Judicial Council Bill. As well as providing for the establishment of a Judicial Council and Board that will promote...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Levels (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: 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, and indeed all other types of crime, very carefully. All members of An Garda Síochána are tasked with enforcing all legislation relating to criminal matters, including the relevant provisions relating to racist behaviour. On receipt of any...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting of Personnel (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) provides employment vetting for approximately 20,000 organisations in Ireland which employ personnel to work in a full time part time, voluntary or student capacity with children and or vulnerable adults. The Unit processed approximately 328,000 vetting applications on behalf of these organisations in 2012. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sentencing Policy (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Irish Sentencing Information System, or ISIS, results from the work of the judiciary to oversee the development of an electronic system to gather information about the range of sentences and other penalties that have been imposed for particular types of offences across court jurisdictions. The project was developed and is overseen by a Committee of the Court Service Board set up in 2004...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: Work on the details of the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill 2010 is ongoing at my Department pursuant to current Government policy which is committed, under the Programme for Government, to "introduce comprehensive reforms of the immigration, residency and asylum systems, which will include a statutory appeals system and set out rights and obligations in a transparent way". As I...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: United Nations Conventions (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy will be aware that a number of bodies in this jurisdiction already have responsibility for inspecting places of detention. The Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OP-CAT) provides for a system of inspections of places of detention at UN level, and at national level by what the optional protocol refers to as National Preventative Mechanisms. The Government has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: The person concerned is a failed asylum applicant. A subsequent application for Subsidiary Protection was also refused and a Deportation Order was made in respect of the person concerned on 3rd October, 2011. This Order was served by registered post dated 11th October, 2011 which placed a legal obligation on the person concerned to leave the State and to remain out of the State. Further...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Penalty Point System (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that Fixed Charge Notices for speeding offences are classified into 'intercept' and 'non-intercept' detections. 'Non-intercept' offences are recorded by fixed and mobile speed cameras, which include speed cameras operated by Go Safe as well as Garda mobile speed detection 'Robot' vehicles. These are distinct from 'intercept' speeding offences which are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Orders (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: It has always been a matter for the courts to determine liability for costs and the general rule, with limited statutory exception, is that costs follow the event. The courts may of course, in exceptional circumstances, direct otherwise and have done so in the past where significant issues of public interest have been raised and they continue to have that discretion. I am, therefore,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Inspector of Prisons (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy will be aware that the Inspector's Report was published by me on 24 January 2013. The Action Plan contained a number of recommendations requiring action by the Irish Prison Service and my officials in the Prison Service are giving the matter urgent consideration. I have been assured by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that action has already been taken by prison...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Statistics (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 163 and 164 together I share the public concern about the extent to which offences continue to be committed by persons on bail. As the Deputy will be aware, the criminal law takes a serious view of offences committed by persons on bail. Section 11 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 provides that any sentence of imprisonment passed on a person for an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Safety (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 62 together. I am informed by An Garda Síochána that the outsourced safety camera network commenced operations in November, 2010. The objective of the network is to reduce the number of speed related collisions and so save lives, as excessive or inappropriate speeding is a major factor in road traffic collisions and fatalities. A targeted...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Civilian Staff (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: The number of civilian staff in the Garda Síochána has increased in recent years to just over 2,000 full-time-equivalent staff in the Garda Síochána. These staff provide vital services in a wide range of areas, such as human resources, training & development, IT and telecommunications, finance and procurement, internal audit, research and analysis, accommodation and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: The person concerned is a failed asylum applicant. A subsequent application for Subsidiary Protection was also refused and a Deportation Order was made in respect of the person concerned on 3rd October, 2011. This Order was served by registered post dated 11th October, 2011 which placed a legal obligation on the person concerned to leave the State and to remain out of the State. Further...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Inspections (6 Feb 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Inspector of Prisons has been established on a statutory basis since 2007 by virtue of Part 5 of the Prisons Act, 2007 and is independent in the performance of his functions. I believe it is an important role ensuring an effective independent oversight of our prison system which has my full support in carrying out its remit. As Minister, I am obliged to publish all of the Inspector's...