Results 14,521-14,540 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Priority Questions: Judicial Appointments (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: In the programme for Government, there are some very significant commitments on change in the area of judicial appointments. I will be bringing proposals to Government for a general scheme of a judicial appointments Bill as soon as I am in a position to. The new judicial appointments commission is an important element of the policy framework agreement between our parties. The commitment in...

Priority Questions: Judicial Appointments (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I note what the Deputy says about the impact of vacancies on the court. We expect at least ten this year. The business of every court is affected to some degree and we do not want to see justice being delayed. I cannot be definitive on the matter today but the Government is likely to determine the approach to be taken on this matter in the coming weeks, taking all relevant matters into...

Priority Questions: Judicial Appointments (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am sure the Deputy will agree that in advance of drafting that legislation, it is important to have consultation with all the relevant stakeholders. I welcome the Deputy's offer to work with the Government, particularly given that the policy he has outlined in terms of a smaller number is much in line with the changes we discussed during Government formation. The Council of Europe's Group...

Priority Questions: Direct Provision System (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Every effort is made on a continuous basis to provide a high level of service to persons in the direct provision system. The direct provision system comprises not just full board accommodation but a range of services including health, education and welfare supports. The principal issue identified in the McMahon report was the length of time people live in the system. Many of the applicants...

Priority Questions: Direct Provision System (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are also initiatives on better standards of accommodation and cooking facilities for families. Those are moving ahead in quite a number of the direct provision centres.

Priority Questions: Direct Provision System (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As Deputy Bríd Smith will be aware, a decision was taken by the previous Government not to increase the sum paid for adults but to increase the sum paid for children. In the Department of Education and Skills, the former Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, made the decision about children moving on to third level. It is a small number, but that decision was taken to ensure that children...

Priority Questions: Direct Provision System (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Ireland was quick to respond. I was to the fore at the Justice and Home Affairs meeting when countries were asked to take refugees during the big crisis last year. We immediately agreed to take 4,000 refugees and that was a sign of our intentions in this area. Our full obligation under resettlement will be met by the end of September when over 500 refugees from camps in Lebanon will have...

Priority Questions: Direct Provision System (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The 31 Syrians are in the emergency centres that we have set up, according to the recommendation. The recommendation at European level is that refugees arriving in the first place should be in a centre where they get support services, which we have in place. Every effort is being made to improve the standard of accommodation in our direct provision system. I assume Deputy Bríd...

Priority Questions: Commissions of Investigation (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Before its dissolution and, in accordance with section 43(2) of the Commission of Investigation Act 2004, the O'Higgins commission of investigation deposited its files with my Department. The provision in question allows for the depositing of papers in circumstances where a commission is no longer in existence as papers belonging to a commission must be held somewhere. What is at issue here...

Priority Questions: Commissions of Investigation (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am equally astounded that the Deputy believes I should access papers belonging to a commission of investigation held in private, with people afforded confidentiality with respect to evidence. I am equally astounded the Deputy believes that should be done despite legislation and the detail of it. Mr. Justice O'Higgins was in a position to hear all the evidence presented to the commission...

Priority Questions: Commissions of Investigation (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is not a question of hiding behind legislation but rather of following the law. It is absolutely clear. The fact that files are being deposited for safe-keeping certainly does not envisage anybody reading them outside of their disposal to the National Archives.

Priority Questions: Commissions of Investigation (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: That is the reality. The Deputy is assuming the outcome of an investigation and I will certainly not do that. I will await the outcome of the GSOC investigation. We have heard partial evidence and all the evidence has not been in the public arena. I asked GSOC to investigate the issue and I await the outcome of that investigation.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Domestic Violence Policy (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Like the Deputy, I attended the launch of the Women's Aid impact report last week. The statistics quoted and all the statistics are very disturbing. I stated at the launch that I thought when I began working on equality issues many years ago, as people became better informed as we dealt with issues of violence, alcohol and drugs, perhaps this scourge might even disappear. Unfortunately,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Domestic Violence Policy (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Courts Service has established a committee to drive forward the development of the family court complex. Last year I worked with the then Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Deputy Simon Harris, and we secured that site for this new family court development. It is extremely important and will make a significant difference. 2 o’clock...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Domestic Violence Policy (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I said in relation to the phone line, my Department has been in touch with the HSE in respect of the funding of that for this year. I understand that funding is under consideration at present and there is an intention to support the phone line. I will monitor that and try to get a date for the Deputy. I will communicate with her on that.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Garda Strength (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Deputy Casey for his good wishes. As he will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda regions, divisions, and districts. Garda management keeps this distribution under continuing review, taking into account crime trends and policing priorities. It is very important that we do that. The inspectorate report has spoken about...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Garda Strength (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy said, ten of the newly attested gardaí have been assigned to the Wicklow division. As I said in my original answer, it is extremely important that we allocate gardaí to different areas. It is the Garda Commissioner who makes that decision; I have absolutely nothing to do with decisions on the number of gardaí in particular areas or transfers. These are entirely...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Garda Strength (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Quite a number of people make recommendations about bringing back retired gardaí, for example. It is not possible to bring back retired gardaí to do the job of current members of An Garda Síochána, but the Commissioner is examining whether there are ways in which the skill and experience gardaí have built up over the years, as the Deputy rightly described, might be...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Garda Reports (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Whatever the problems that need to be addressed we should never fail to show our appreciation for the front-line work of An Garda Síochána. We see their dangerous and courageous work daily and we see it at present in the north inner city. It is extremely important that we express our full support for the work they do but that does not mean they are immune from criticism. Many...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Garda Reports (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have had a number conversations with the Commissioner and senior officers on this issue. Those issues jumped to the fore when we were discussing the O'Higgins report. I believe the Garda Commissioner and the senior force are committed to the necessary changes and this is shown in the five-year modernisation and renewal programme published by the Garda Commissioner. This change does not,...