Results 14,001-14,020 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Other Questions: Penalty Point System (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I reiterate that as a Member of this Parliament, Deputy Wallace will have an opportunity to have any complaints he wishes to make considered and addressed by the joint committee. He can furnish to the committee any evidence he has to indicate that there was some failure in the investigation that was conducted and the report that was published. If he wishes to pursue this matter further, I...

Other Questions: Penalty Point System (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I should have added to my response to Deputy Wallace that, in so far as the Road Safety Authority has any evidence to present on this matter to suggest there is anything inaccurate in the report furnished to the joint Oireachtas committee, I would welcome the Road Safety Authority making that submission to the joint committee and, no doubt, the joint committee can call before it members of...

Other Questions: Domestic Violence Policy (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 31 and 48 together. Ireland supports, in principle, the aims and terms of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence. It is a detailed convention, with a very broad scope across a number of policy areas with potential policy and legislative implications. The provisions of the convention,...

Other Questions: Domestic Violence Policy (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I can confirm to the Deputy that we will not be signing the convention before the end of the EU Presidency, which finishes at the end of June. As someone who spent many years of his life working with victims of domestic violence and seeking to ensure our laws were as robust as possible, I have a particular personal interest in us trying to bring about a situation where we can be parties to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service Administration (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 as amended sets out the process for the granting of a certificate of naturalisation. It is open to any individual to lodge an application for a certificate of naturalisation at any time if they consider they are in a position to meet the prescribed statutory requirements. In reaching a decision on applications full consideration is given to each...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Insolvency Service of Ireland Issues (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 116 together. The Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI) was established on 1 March 2013 and significant progress has been achieved in a short period of time including: staffing the Service; drafting of Statutory Instruments under the Personal Insolvency Act 2012; launch of an Information campaign; development and launch of the ISI website containing a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Judicial Working Group (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: As the Chief Justice recently highlighted, the Government has facilitated a new arrangement in the form of a Working Group chaired by the Chief Justice and comprising the Presidents of the Courts and other representative judges. The Attorney General, who has traditionally acted as the formal link with the Judiciary, also attends the Group accompanied by the Secretary General to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Rights Issues (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Since March 2011 the conflict in Syria has led to a dire humanitarian crisis. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees at least 1,600,000 Syrians have fled into countries neighbouring Syria. To date approximately 37,000 Syrians have applied for asylum in the Member States of the European Union. The BBC Newsnight television programme to which the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Restorative Justice (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy will be aware, the Diversion Programme operates in accordance with Part 4 of the Children Act 2001, as amended, and under the general superintendence and control of the Garda Commissioner. The programme embraces, whenever possible, the principles of restorative justice and has regard to the needs of the victims of youth offending. An Annual Report of the Committee appointed...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 27 together. The Law Reform Commission is considering, at my request, a possible amendment to section 10 of the Non-fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997, which deals with harassment. This arises from reports of difficulties in bringing successful prosecutions under that section in relation to domestic and sexual violence. I understand that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: It is of course the case that a resumption of Garda recruitment, at a time when both overall headcount and the size of the pay bill in the public service must be reduced, would have financial implications that must be managed within the overall resources available to Government. In that context, it is important that the LRC proposals, or what is now known as the Haddington Road Agreement, on...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I met with members of the Bethany Survivors Group together with Minister for State Kathleen Lynch on Tuesday 16 April. The group raised the question of their inclusion within the Residential Institutions Redress scheme or a similar type scheme designed for children who had been in the Bethany Home. They also raised the question of access to personal records, a memorial and an apology. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Remit (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 28 together. The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission was established under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 to provide independent oversight of complaints made against members of the Garda Síochána. For the purpose of preventing complaints arising or of reducing the number of complaints, the Minister under section 106 may...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service Administration (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: When I came into office in March 2011 one of my immediate priorities was to address the large backlog of citizenship applications for naturalisation pending a decision that had built up over several years. At that time there were approximately 22,000 applications awaiting decision, many of which had been waiting for 3 years or longer. Notwithstanding the significant increase in the volume...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I wish to advise the Deputy that the categories of non-EEA nationals who qualify for educational supports are determined by the Department of Education and Skills. It is for that Department and the bodies operating under its aegis to decide on the criteria that must be satisfied before any educational support can be made available. Neither I, as Minister, nor my Department have any function...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence Policy (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 29 and 44 together. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce consolidated and reformed domestic violence legislation to address all aspects of domestic violence, threatened violence and intimidation, in a way that provides protection to victims. Cosc, the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Penalty Point System (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The report by the Professional Standards Unit of the Garda Síochána is an examination of the processes and systems in place to deal with the cancellation of fixed change notices. The examination was directed by the Garda Commissioner arising from the allegations relating to the cancellation of penalty points. This report is additional to Assistant Commissioner John O'Mahoney's...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Levels (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 125 together. I share the public concern about the extent to which offences continue to be committed by persons on bail and can assure the Deputy that the Garda authorities closely monitor these and all other offending patterns and trends. As the Deputy will be aware, the criminal law takes a serious view of offences committed by persons on bail....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Annual Report for Trafficking in Human Beings in Ireland for 2012 is currently being finalised and will be published shortly. The 2012 Annual Report will be the fourth such report to be produced by the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit in my Department. The Report will be based, as in previous years, on information gathered from An Garda Síochána and Non-Governmental Organisations...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Industrial Relations Issues (13 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am always available to meet with either AGSI, the GRA or the other Garda representative associations to discuss with them issues of concern to them and to their members. In fact, I met with AGSI on 19 October 2012 for nearly two hours in a constructive and businesslike meeting. I spoke at their conference earlier this year and I also spoke at the annual Conference of the Association of...