Results 13,541-13,560 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Brexit Supports (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is coordinating the whole-of-Government response to Brexit. In this capacity, he is working closely with all Ministers, including myself, to address in a joined up manner the many challenges Brexit will present. However, I do want to emphasise that it is this Government’s firm intention that the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sentencing Policy (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 128 together. In its current form the Judicial Council Bill, which was published in June 2017 and which is awaiting Committee Stage in Seanad Éireann, provides for the establishment of a Sentencing Information Committee which would have responsibility for the collation of sentencing information and the dissemination of that information. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Northern Ireland (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will be aware that dealing with the legacy of the troubles in Northern Ireland is a difficult and complex task. The Government remains fully committed to the agreed framework of measures set out in the Stormont House Agreement of 2014, notwithstanding the delays in progressing its implementation given the continuing hiatus in the Northern Ireland Executive. The Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy is referring to five Statutory Inquiries, which were established under Section 42 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, on 15 May 2017. These inquiries arose out of the recommendations of Counsel of the Independent Review Mechanism, in respect of complaints considered by it. As the Deputy will be aware, two of these Inquiries have concluded and reports have been furnished...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Reform (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, recruitment to An Garda Síochána is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and is governed by the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013, and I, as Minister, have no direct involvement in the matter. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Office in An Garda Siochána is in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Constitutional Amendments (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Thirty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution (Repeal of offence of publication or utterance of blasphemous matter) Bill 2018 was passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas on 20 September 2018. On 21 September 2018 the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government made a Referendum (Polling Day) Order appointing 26 October 2018 as the day upon which the referendum on the proposal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Constitutional Amendments (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will be aware that the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government has made an order appointing 26 October as the day on which polling shall take place in respect of the referendum to be held on the proposal contained in the Thirty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution (Repeal of offence of publication or utterance of blasphemous matter) Bill 2018. That proposal of course...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Policing Issues (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will be appreciate that in accordance with section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner has responsibility to manage and control generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána and I as Minister have no direct function in those matters. In exercising this function, I understand that the Garda Commissioner continues to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Data (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy is aware the Irish Prison Service collates and publishes the prisoner population breakdown on a daily basis and this information is available on the Irish Prison Service website www.irishprisons.ie. This breakdown includes the number of prisoners incarcerated in each prison, as well as the capacity per prison. The information can be found in the Information Centre –...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Education Service (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 120 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes to those in custody that include education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and spiritual services. These programmes can offer purposeful activity to those in custody while...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121, 122 and 131 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. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Information and Communications Technology (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for a Partnership Government recognises that Gardaí must have the modern technology and resources necessary to detect and investigate crimes, and to prevent loss and harm to citizens and their property on a 24/7 basis. ICT is recognised as an essential tool for supporting the day-to-day operations of over 16,000 Garda staff, including...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who has responsibility to carry on and manage and control generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochana, including by arranging for the recruitment, training and appointment of its members and civilian staff. The Deputy will be aware An Garda Síochána is currently undertaking a programme of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Organised Crime (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy is aware, the manner in which the resources of the Garda Síochána are deployed, is solely a matter for the Garda Commissioner and his management team and I, as Minister, have no direct role in this regard. However, I can inform the Deputy that the Garda Síochána participate in joint and multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional investigations, within the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the total number of women in all ranks of An Garda Síochána as of the 31 August 2018, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 3,677 or 27% of the total strength. This compares favourably with the number on 31 December 2008 which was approximately 3,100 or 22% of the total strength. While this is broadly in line...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gender Equality (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is statutorily responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána. Having said that, I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Office in An Garda Síochána is in the process of developing a strategy to further embed and enhance the principles of equality, diversity and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As outlined in my response to the Deputy's Parliamentary Question No. 160 of 5 July 2018, a decision to grant bail in a particular case is a matter for the presiding Judge, who is, subject only to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of his or her judicial functions. There is also a Constitutional presumption in favour of the grant of bail as, under Irish Law, a person is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Government is committed to ensuring that we have a robust system in place to deal with sexual offences which is sensitive to the needs of vulnerable victims. In this regard I have established a review of the protections for vulnerable witnesses in the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences which is under way. The review will examine the adequacy of the mechanisms available in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will appreciate that the manner in which all Garda investigations are conducted, including cold cases, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and his management team. As Minister, I have no role in this regard. That said, I am informed that the Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT) continue to review serious cases that remain unsolved. There are around ten ongoing SCRT...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (17 Oct 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, the two bodies responsible for forensics in relation to policing in Ireland are the Garda Síochána National Technical Bureau and Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) which is under the remit of my Department. Both operate to the highest standards and their staff are to be commended on their expertise and dedication to the application of science to crime...