Results 13,501-13,520 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service Data (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to refer the Deputy to the following table which details the number of persons convicted under the Road Traffic Acts by District Court Area. The table also provides information on the number of persons convicted where a driving licence number was recorded and the number of persons convicted of a penalty point offence where a driving licence number was recorded. I am informed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda Authorities working in close cooperation with the Office of Public Works, which is primarily responsible for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. I am advised by the Garda Commissioner that work commenced on site in October 2015, is progressing in a satisfactory manner and is due...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Resettlement Programme (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Ireland is one of 27 States that participate in a refugee resettlement programme led by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The focus of the Irish 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, Jordan or...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Controls (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information sought by the Deputy is being compiled and will be provided to him as soon as possible. In general a person may be refused leave to land on one, or more, of the eleven grounds set out in Section 4(3) of the Immigration Act, 2004. Every person refused leave to land in the State is served with a notice in which the reason, or reasons, for refusing an application for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, the production of official crime statistics is the responsibility of the Central Statistics Office (CSO) as the national statistical agency. The official CSO Recorded Crime Statistics are derived from the data recorded on the Garda PULSE system. However, I am advised that CSO figures are not yet available for the period in question. I might add that statistics...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 252 together. As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions, and I as Minister have no direct role in the matter. I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that the allocation of Gardaí is continually monitored and reviewed so as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Closures (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The formulation of proposals in relation to the opening and closing of Garda stations is a matter, in the first instance, for the Garda Commissioner in the context of annual policing plans, as provided for in section 22 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. The Garda District and Station Rationalisation Programme was implemented in An Garda Síochána during 2012 and 2013. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed Circuit Television Systems (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Section 38 of the Garda Síochána Act, 2005 sets out the provisions governing the operation of CCTV schemes in public areas. This includes the need for all such CCTV schemes to be authorised in writing by the Garda Commissioner. In this context, the CCTV Advisory Committee has been established to advise on all aspects of CCTV operated for the purpose of increasing public safety and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Levels (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will recall from my meeting with community representatives from Tipperary in December 2015, I am very much aware of the impact of crime on communities in Tipperary and in other areas of the country. The Deputy will also appreciate that the allocation of Garda resources to particular areas is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the first instance. The Government has developed...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Eligibility (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: All of the varied migration avenues available to non-EEA nationals are equally open to citizens of the United States. The details of the different categories of migration and the terms and conditions applicable can be found on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) at . Two further elements that are relevant to US nationals are, firstly, that they do not need...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Regulations 2011 (S.I. 569 of 2011) sets out the fees to be paid by an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation. An application fee of €175 is payable on application for a certificate of naturalisation and a certification fee is payable by applicants on the issue of a certificate of naturalisation. The standard certification fee is set at...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Agreements (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: At the European Council meeting on 17 and 18 March, attended by the Taoiseach, the Heads of State or Government of the 28 EU Member States agreed additional action points with Turkey, as set out in the Joint EU-Turkey Statement. This includes an agreement that all new irregular migrants crossing from Turkey into the Greek islands as and from 20 March will be returned to Turkey. It was also...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service Data (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The email enquiry service provided by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service which is in place for the exclusive use of Oireachtas members was put on hold for the duration of the general election. As the Deputy is aware following dissolution of the Dáil, TDs cease to be members of the Oireachtas. This decision was taken at operational level by the INIS authorities. During the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Refurbishment (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close cooperation with the Office of Public Works which has the responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. I understand that local Garda management have highlighted issues relating to the accommodation at both stations and have requested the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that as of 31 January 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available, there were 12,798 members of An Garda Síochána. This figure includes 296 probationer Gardaí who have been fully attested and are undertaking Garda duties in communities nationwide. At present there are 155 Garda Trainees in the College at Templemore. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Reserve (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the recruitment of the Garda Reserve is a matter for the Garda Commissioner, and I as Minister have no direct role in the matter. I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the strength of the Garda Reserve on 31 January 2016, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 944 with 19 Garda Reserves in training.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Humanitarian Aid (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I understand that this Immigrant Council of Ireland initiative is a preliminary mission to assess the need for lawyers to represent persons in refugee camps on the North Coast of France, which the Council is undertaking in its capacity as an independent Law Centre. Ireland has always lived up to its international humanitarian obligations and is fully committed to playing its part in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Resettlement Programme (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together. I assume the Deputy is referring to the Government's decision to establish the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) on 10 September 2015 as a direct response to the EU migrant crisis. Under the programme Ireland has agreed to accept 4,000 persons in total under resettlement and relocation programmes within a two year period. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff Data (22 Mar 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are currently no vacancies in my Department for candidates who must display competence in the Irish Language. The Department currently has one post, that of Aistritheoir (Translator), where it is a requirement for the holder to be functionally bilingual in Irish and English. The main role for the Aistritheoir is the translation of the Rules of Court into Irish. In addition, there is...

Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed) (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The second vote by this House addressing the issue of Government formation has now concluded. As has been said by many speakers, 40 days have elapsed since the people cast their ballots and gave us this new Dáil and each of us our mandates. It is a very diverse result and, in the formation of Government, we need to respect that diversity, in particular in terms of the kind of...