Results 14,221-14,240 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Anti-Social Behaviour (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that it is the policy of An Garda Síochána to deploy personnel to establish a highly visible and accessible service to communities to tackle crime, the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour. If a person feels that a crime has been committed they should contact their local Garda station. All crimes that are reported to Gardaí are fully...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I refer the Deputy to my detailed reply to his earlier parliamentary question No. 495 of Tuesday, 23 April, 2013, as follows. The position is unchanged since then. The person concerned is a failed asylum applicant. Arising from the refusal of her asylum application, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned was...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, throughout the organisation and I have no direct function in the matter. This allocation of resources is constantly monitored in the context of demographics, crime trends, policing needs and other operational strategies in place on a district, divisional and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The perception of Ireland’s immigration and asylum system abroad is monitored primarily through Ireland’s representation at a number of international fora, in particular EU bodies and immigration and asylum related organisations such as the General Directors of Immigration Services Conference, GDISC, the Intergovernmental Consultations on migration, asylum and refugees, IGC, and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: For security and operational reasons, it is not Garda policy and it would not be in the public interest to disclose detailed information of a kind that could potentially have an operational impact on policing arrangements, including the numbers of Gardaí deployed on an ongoing daily basis. The Garda Síochána is statutorily required to provide policing services for the State...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Equality Issues (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Equality Tribunal and the Courts have interpreted the existing equality legislation prohibiting gender discrimination as applying also to the situation of transgender persons. Therefore, amendment to these Acts is not necessary to ensure that the desired protections are in place in law for this group in society. I am, however, considering whether addition of an explicit reference in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Controls (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Garda Síochána undertakes immigration controls at all approved ports of entry to the State and also deploys an immigration unit based at Dundalk to conduct such controls, as appropriate, at the border with Northern Ireland. The nature of these controls and how they are implemented are operational matters for the Garda Síochána. As the Deputy is aware, there is a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: As I advised the Deputy in my response to his parliamentary question dated 16 May 2013, I am informed by the Garda authorities that the incident, which occurred in 1989, was the subject of thorough investigation. Complaints were also made to the Garda Síochána Complaint Board who further investigated the matter and found no evidence of an offence or breach of discipline on the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Discipline (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The inappropriate receipt of gifts or gratuities by members of An Garda Siochana is governed by An Garda Síochána (Discipline) Regulations 2007.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Data Protection (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: There is a comprehensive legislative regime in place to deal with such matters in this jurisdiction. With regard to interceptions, the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act, 1993 provides for the interception of postal and telecommunications messages. Under Section 2 of the Act, ministerial authorisation may be given for interceptions solely in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 to 167, inclusive, together. The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, throughout the organisation and I have no direct function in the matter. This allocation of resources is constantly monitored in the context of demographics, crime trends, policing needs and other...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Statute of Limitations (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I have already publicly stated that I believe the practice of symphysiotomy and pubiotomy, the experience of which has been well articulated by the 'Survivors of Symphysiotomy' representative group, was both brutal and, in many cases, medically unjustified. The Deputy will also be aware that a Private Members' Bill seeking to temporarily lift the Statute of Limitations for women who...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Data Retention (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I, of course, fully understand the concerns which have arisen here and in other countries in the wake of recent media reports about the PRISM programme. These concerns mainly centre on data privacy rights not being adequately respected. Commissioner Reding and myself raised these concerns with the US Attorney General Eric Holder at the EU-US Ministerial meeting last week. I also raised the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The person concerned has had her permission to remain in the State renewed for a further three year period, valid to 25th June, 2016. This decision was conveyed in writing to the person concerned by letter dated 17th June, 2013. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Communications (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the matter referred to by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy directly as soon as the report is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Council Meetings (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The European Council meeting in December next will include, for the first time in five years, a thematic discussion on defence issues. The European Council will discuss three clusters of issues. These are (a) increasing the effectiveness, visibility and impact of CSDP; (b) enhancing the development of defence capabilities; and, (c) strengthening Europe’s defence industry.The process is...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised) (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I apologise for being a few minutes late. I am delighted members have taken their jackets off as this gives me the excuse to do the same. I welcome the opportunity to meet with the committee to consider the 2013 Estimates for my Department's group of Votes. While I am obviously pleased that in gross terms the Estimate available for the justice Vote group in 2013 is more than €2.2...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised) (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I expect the Bill to provide for a referendum on the court of appeal, covering both the criminal and the civil court, to be published soon. It is intended that the referendum will coincide with the referendum on the Seanad. I expect both referendums to take place in the early autumn. It was originally anticipated that the referendums would take place somewhat later - in early November,...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised) (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: That is one of the areas that is still being dealt with in the development of the Bill. It is an issue of some difficulty and I cannot give the Deputy a definitive answer as I do not want to mislead him. With attachment of earnings, if people are employees, it works, but if someone is self-employed, the attachment mechanism is of no use because it is that individual who should be making the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised) (19 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The reduction in expenditure is due to a reduction in numbers who require direct provision accommodation. As I have said on other occasions, the direct provision system provides a roof over the heads of those seeking asylum or those who have been refused asylum and make other applications for leave to remain in the country. As my predecessors discovered, in the context of the expenditure...