Results 12,741-12,760 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will remember, one of the things I did last year was set up a group consisting of representatives from the Department of Justice and Equality, An Garda Síochána and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, as well as a nominee with experience across government of looking at IT systems. It was a priority project in terms of reform, one in which the Minister for...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda system and the Courts Service system can exchange information. Equally, there is work to be done. I say this from experience of working with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport on the possibility of integrating the driver licensing system. There are issues that need to be dealt with to enable systems to talk to one another. There is basic integration between An Garda...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: That issue is being examined very carefully. I have been informed that An Garda Síochána commenced a pilot project involving a number of people who had been brought before the courts. A judgment was given which I understand the Garda is appealing. There is a project under way to co-ordinate the work being done under the driver licensing system. A very strong initiative is being...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: This subhead includes expenditure on clothing and equipment supplies for serving members, as well as students. While the number of student gardaí being recruited was known in advance, it must be remembered that recruitment recommenced in September 2014 after a gap of five years. We required funding for additional uniforms required for the student gardaí who commenced training this...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes, it is ongoing.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Everything that needs to be replaced will be replaced and there will be additionality.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Perhaps it would be helpful if I gave some details on what it is actually doing. The €1.8 million was for the upgrade of police equipment on the Defender aircraft. The equipment that was there was obsolete and no longer supported by the manufacturer, so it was essential to replace it. I must check, but I think it was also so that it could be used at night. Yes, it can be used at...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Obviously, it is an operational matter. I have no doubt that it will be kept under review. I would go back to the point that we are now at a stage in the Department of Justice where we have been able to allocate extra funding to An Garda Síochána; there have been extra allocations this year for next year and last year. That is a new situation and we are coming out of a difficult...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The issues surrounding the Garda retirement age are of long standing. There would have to be detailed negotiations on the points that have been raised. People have very different views on it. I accept what Deputy O'Dowd said about the very tragic situation regarding Garda Tony Golden in his area, the appalling situation that he faced and that his family is now facing. I do not believe...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: It was approximately 20.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: It relates mainly to the capital expenditure on communications equipment which had been reprioritised to offset additional ICT investment in A2 administration, non-pay.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There was nothing in particular earmarked for it. Given that we knew the ICT money would be coming on stream, we were doing the work in the working group and were expecting to be able to allocate it.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Tetra radio system, for which there is a lease contract every year. It cost less than expected. While there are ongoing licence costs which we pay, there was no extra investment in it this year.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The €25 million I mentioned in my opening statement relates to the three Garda headquarters. Not as much was spent on them this year as expected at the beginning of the year. We can transfer only a certain amount of the capital to next year. The rest has been reallocated. There are large, multi-year capital projects which commenced in 2015 and the precise details of each project...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Let me respond.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: These are operational matters. Every politician can be approached if there are concerns about activity in their areas, which I understand. We want operational decisions that put gardaí where they are needed. The best way of doing this is to have proper assessments, data and the kind of resources I have been talking about. As the Deputy said, an additional two sergeants and 25...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: While I take the Deputy's point, investment has begun again, after having stopped because of the situation.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: If there are particular needs in a given area, we need to have greater flexibility regarding moving gardaí to where crime trends are accelerating or there are particular hot spots, and the Garda Commissioner has shown that. This is the idea behind Operation Thor and other initiatives. The Border area was the focus of discussions, and there have been some very good successes regarding...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There have been very good figures from the Revenue and the Customs and Excise this year regarding it.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The sum is €35.2 million.