Results 13,681-13,700 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (20 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 243 together. As the Deputy will be aware the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure the best possible use is made of resources. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Organised Crime (20 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I assure the Deputy that tackling organised crime activity is a key ongoing priority for both the Government and An Garda Síochána. An Garda Síochána's Policing Plan sets out the priorities of An Garda Síochána in tackling organised crime activity including its continued commitment to pro-actively target groups and individuals engaged in criminal activity,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (20 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the publication of recorded crime statistics. To be of assistance, I have asked the CSO to contact the Deputy directly in relation to the specific information requested. As the Deputy is aware there have been very significant investments in Garda resources which underline...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Procedures (20 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the courts are subject only to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions, and the conduct of any case is a matter entirely for the presiding judge. All court records, including recordings of court proceedings, are under the control of the presiding Judge, as provided for in section 65(3) of the Court Officers Act, 1926....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Taxi Data (20 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda authorities that Carriage Office records indicate that no reports referencing the cloning of taxi plates were received for the period 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2006. The Deputy will appreciate that any person with information relating to any type of criminal offence should bring it to the attention of An Garda Síochána.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that these persons arrived in the State in May 2007 and September 2007 respectively and were registered as students. Their permission to remain in the State as students expired on 3 November 2013. On 13 November 2013, both persons made applications for an Extension of Student conditions....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Remuneration (21 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 41 together. The Deputy will be aware that following a review of all allowances in the public service during 2011 and 2012, the Government decided on 18 September 2012 that rent allowance for all new public servants including Gardaí, Prison Officers and Fire Officers should be abolished. The rent allowance costs €4,600 per officer per annum...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (21 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 43 together. As the Deputy is aware, the instigation and management of any criminal investigation is a matter for the Garda authorities, as are any operational steps which might be taken in relation to the gathering and preservation of evidence. I hope the Deputy will appreciate that I have no role in this regard. The Deputy will also recall...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Releases (21 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The legislative basis for making decisions on temporary release is fully set out in the Criminal Justice Act 1960, as amended by the Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act 2003. Temporary release is an important vehicle for re-integrating an offender into the community in a planned way. I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that any offender who breaches his or her...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Prosecutions Data (21 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of information on the courts system. However, in order to be of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (21 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and Districts 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 population, crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (21 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I recently informed the Deputy (in response to the Deputy's Parliamentary Question No. 346 of 6 April 2016), I am advised by the Garda authorities that a thorough and comprehensive review of this case has been ongoing since 2011 under the direction of Assistant Commissioner, Northern Region. All aspects of the original Garda investigation and subsequent reviews have also been examined by...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Levels (21 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am very much aware of the impact of burglary and other crimes on the community in Drogheda and in other areas of the country. While the Deputy will appreciate that the allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the first instance, I have brought his concerns in relation to Drogheda to the attention of the Garda authorities. The Deputy will also be aware that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Liquor Licence Applications (21 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The position is that licences for the sale of alcohol products by retail are excise licences issued and renewed by the Revenue Commissioner and I have no role in relation to the matter. According to section 2 of the Licensing (Ireland) Act 1902, as amended, where premises had not been licensed during the preceding year but had been licensed at any time during the previous five years, a new...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Registration (26 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Property Registration Authority (PRA) which manages the Land Registry and Registry of Deeds is the registering body in relation to property in Ireland. I am advised by the Land Registry that a search has been carried out and it appears that the property referred to in Dublin 9 is unregistered property. While it is possible to conduct a search in the Registry of Deeds, Henrietta...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (26 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As well as the prohibition on discrimination contained in the Employment Equality Acts (which apply to all employers), Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 obliges public bodies in so far as is practicable to take all reasonable measures to support and promote the employment of people with disabilities. The Government agreed in October 2015 that the existing employment target of 3% in the public...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (26 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the application referred to by the Deputy was submitted to the Visa Office in Abu Dhabi on the 09/07/2015 and is currently under consideration. Officials will be in contact with the applicant and sponsor as soon as a decision is made. The business target for applications of this type is to issue a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (26 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Following a Government decision which approved in principle the preparation of a general scheme of a Criminal Justice (Corporate Manslaughter) Bill, an inter-departmental working group consulted key stakeholders and prepared a Regulatory Impact Analysis, to assess the cost benefits and impacts associated with such legislation. The Regulatory Impact Analysis will inform the development...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commercial Rates Exemptions (26 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Valuation Act 2001 provides in Schedule 3, Sections 1(a) and (b) that all buildings and lands used and developed for any purpose including constructions affixed thereto are rateable. The basic premise under the Act is that all interests (including buildings) and all developed lands are rateable unless expressly exempted under Schedule 4. The educational exemption in paragraph 10 of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (26 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 187, 216, 217 and 231 together. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 was signed into law by the President on 30 December 2015 but has not yet been commenced. New administrative processes and support measures, including the setting up of the Decision Support Service within the Mental Health Commission, must be put in place before the legislation...