Results 13,061-13,080 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (18 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Group 27, amendment No. 70, deals with the issue of vulnerable persons. Amendment No. 70 is a minor amendment whereby the phrase “child under the age of 18 years” is to be replaced by the more precise term “person who has not attained the age of 18 years”.

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (18 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Group 28, amendments Nos. 71 to 74, inclusive, are primarily minor drafting amendments. Amendment No. 72 is a minor drafting amendment which substitutes the word “may” for “shall". Amendment No. 73 is a minor drafting amendment. Amendment No. 74 is consequential to amendment No. 90.

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (18 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Group 29, amendments Nos. 75 to 90, inclusive, deals with transitional caseloads. Amendment No. 75 clarifies how the new Act, when commenced, will apply to applicants detained under section 9 of the Refugee Act 1996. Amendment No. 76 is necessary to replace an incorrect reference to “Part 4” and replace it with a reference to “Part 5”. Amendment No. 80 clarifies...

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (18 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Group 30, amendment No. 91, means this transitional provision is not required. The Minister may, by order, under section 71, designate countries as safe countries of origin on commencement of the Act. Senators will be aware this is an issue being discussed at European level.

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (18 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Group 31, amendments Nos. 92 to 94, inclusive, deals with the issue of prioritisation of cases. Amendment No. 93 is prompted by discussion in the Seanad and Dáil which sought to add categories that would be considered for prioritisation. As “well founded” is not defined in law, we could not proceed with that category but the Government is happy to add to the...

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (18 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Group 32, amendment No. 97, clarifies the functions which can be performed by persons contracted by the Minister under contracts for services.

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (18 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Group 33, amendment No. 99, allows for a person, against whom a deportation order is in force and who has completed a prison sentence for a criminal offence, to be arrested and detained for the purpose of bringing him or her directly to a port from the prison and removing him or her from the State.

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (18 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Group 34, amendments Nos. 100 to 104, inclusive, deals with the common travel area. Amendment No. 100 clarifies that a court can direct the continued detention or conditional release of a person, subject to a deportation order in situations where they are challenging either the validity of the deportation order itself or a subsequent decision by the Minister to affirm the order. Amendment...

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (18 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is currently much discussion about the integrity of the Schengen area. There is a debate trying to put in place a protection system that would be effective for the thousands of migrants moving into Europe now. There is much discussion about that. The countries in the Schengen area want to protect the integrity of their borders rather than seeing countries putting up walls and...

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (18 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Before concluding today's proceedings, I would be obliged if in accordance with Standing Order 136, you would direct the Clerk to make the following minor drafting amendment to the text of the Bill. On page 76, line 20, the word "without" should be deleted as the text inserted by amendment No. 99 would have the effect of duplicating this word. This correction is being done in the interests...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ground Rents Payments (13 Jan 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The general position regarding ground rents is that section 2 of the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) Act 1978 introduced a prohibition on the creation of new leases reserving ground rents on dwellings. As regards remaining ground rents, Part III of the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) (No. 2) Act 1978 contains a statutory scheme whereby the holder of a leasehold interest may, at...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Mental Health Commission (13 Jan 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, the Oireachtas passed the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill on 17 December 2015 which provides for the Decision Support Service to be established within the Mental Health Commission rather than in the Courts Service as originally envisaged. The Mental Health Commission, which is an independent body, was chosen as the location for the Decision Support Service...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Emergency Services Personnel (13 Jan 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is specific legislation in place to deal with assaults to emergency workers in front line positions. I would refer the Deputy to section 19 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, as amended by section 185 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. Section 19 provides that any person who assaults or threatens to assault a "peace officer" acting in the execution of their duty is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (13 Jan 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am having inquires made of the Legal Aid Board regarding this matter and I will respond to the Deputy in the near future.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Refurbishment (13 Jan 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation around the country is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close cooperation with the Office of Public Works (OPW), which has the responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that works in relation to the public office of the station are under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Refurbishment (13 Jan 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that in accordance with Section 2A of the Firearms Act, 1925, as amended, a person over 14 years of age can apply for a firearms training certificate. Where the applicant is under 16 years of age, the application must be accompanied by the written consent of the applicant's parent of guardian. The training certificate authorises the person to possess a firearm only...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Firearms Certificates (13 Jan 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that S.1(g)(i) of the Firearms Act as amended, defines the following component parts of a firearm as actual ‘firearms’ under the Act: ‘telescope sights with a light beam, or telescope sights with an electronic amplification device or an infra-red device, designed to be fitted to a firearm....’. Applicants for firearm certificates may apply...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Transfers (13 Jan 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Transfer of Sentenced Persons Acts, 1995 and 1997 provide a mechanism whereby non-nationals serving sentences in Ireland may apply to serve the remainder of their sentences in their own countries and, similarly, Irish persons who are imprisoned overseas may apply to serve the remainder of their sentences in Ireland. Such transfers may be facilitated where the other country has ratified...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Migrant Accommodation (13 Jan 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: On behalf of the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration (OPMI), the Reception & Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department has entered into a contract with the proprietors of the Clonea Strand Hotel for the use of the premises in question as an Emergency Reception and Orientation Centre (EROC). If there are issues on which the group wish to receive additional information...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (13 Jan 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government has committed to accepting up to 4,000 persons overall under the EU Resettlement and EU Relocation programmes. The focus of the Irish refugee resettlement programme in recent years has been on the resettlement of refugees displaced by the Syrian conflict who are living in one of the hosting countries in the region, for example those living in Lebanon or Jordan. NGOs...