Results 14,701-14,720 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Training (15 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As you will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for An Garda Síochána including the training of the members and staff and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that 9 Garda members underwent the HGV Course (Class C1) in 2018. The duration of this training course is 5 days and HGV Courses are delivered based...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Correspondence (15 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Department of Justice and Equality is committed to delivering high quality customer service. My Department aims to provide its customers with a complaints procedure that is accessible, efficient, effective, standardised and fair. The Customer Service Charter and our Customer Service Action Plan 2016 – 2018 set out the commitments and standards of service that customers can expect...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I assure Deputy Nolan that rural crime is a priority for the Garda Síochána and the Department. The House had an extensive debate on the matter last evening. An informative amendment that was proposed by the Government during the debate will be voted on tomorrow. There is probably no need for me to assure the Deputy that Garda numbers and policing matters in counties Laois and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: National Children's Hospital (16 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: Deputy Mattie McGrath is in with Deputy Ross. Deputy Ross is one of Deputy Mattie McGrath's.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Conventions (16 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue on these two important conventions. I will first provide an update on ratification of the cybercrime convention, otherwise known as the Budapest convention, which Ireland signed in 2002. Much work has been done on implementing the provisions of the convention in the meantime. I acknowledge some unforeseen delays along the way, but these were...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: International Conventions (16 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I listened carefully to what the Deputy said and I agree with him on the importance of the completion of the appropriate legislation to allow for full compliance. He fails, however, to acknowledge the progress that has been made towards ratification of these important international treaties. The Bill to which I referred earlier is, in essence, landmark legislation that was enacted in recent...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service Staff (16 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As part of the wider functions of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department, staff members from a variety of INIS areas may be required to deal with issues relating to migrants residing in the State without an immigration permission. Irregular migration touches upon the work of several different areas of INIS, as this requires policy consideration as well...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff Data (16 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 139 together. There are currently 2,463 members of staff in my Department and in the agencies funded from the Justice Vote. Information is not readily available on the number of staff across the sector whose roles may include the procurement of goods. A team of five staff work directly in the Department's Procurement Strategy Group, which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (16 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the non-EEA spouses and dependent children under the age of 18 of Irish nationals may visit or reside in the State with the Irish national, subject to certain criteria being met as per the "Policy Document on non-EEA Family Reunification". Persons from visa-required countries need to apply and be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Certificates (16 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 to 144, inclusive, together. I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the number of certificates of naturalisation issued in 2017 and 2018 is 8,196 and 8,225 respectively. Of these a total of 1,395 and 1,261 were granted to persons under 18 years of age in 2017 and 2018 respectively. The number of...

Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Restoration of Birthright Citizenship) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I very much welcome the opportunity to discuss this issue and make a contribution. A country's citizenship laws are not only important but critical to the integrity of the state and the rights of its people. It is important, therefore, we have an opportunity to debate these issues, as we are doing this evening. It is also very important that when we discuss these matters we are guided by...

Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Restoration of Birthright Citizenship) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: -----that if the proposed amendment were passed by this House and had the direct consequence of attracting more people to the State to achieve residency status through the birth of a child here, the consequential strain on our State services, including existing immigration provision, housing, education, medical services and welfare, would need to be most carefully assessed. In light of this,...

Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Restoration of Birthright Citizenship) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the Deputies for their observations and contributions. In response to Deputy O'Loughlin, I am very happy to continue to engage with her and her party colleagues as well as with other Deputies on these issues. I want to respond in the first instance to comments made by Deputy Barry, who is no longer in the Chamber. He described direct provision as a "racist policy". I say to him...

Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Restoration of Birthright Citizenship) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: -----and is based on ideology rather than reason. Under EU and international law, Ireland, like other countries, is obliged to examine the claim of any person who comes here and claims international protection or asylum under clearly defined grounds. If we believe in the integrity and the concept of asylum, then we should wish to have claims tested and to preserve the right of genuine...

Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Restoration of Birthright Citizenship) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: There is no system under which individuals can buy citizenship.

Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Restoration of Birthright Citizenship) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The enactment of this Bill would represent a reversion to an older system which was unfit for purpose. This was the opinion of the masters of our maternity hospitals, as referred to by Deputy O'Callaghan. It was also the opinion of the Irish people when put to them in a referendum. Comparatively speaking we have a relatively open immigration and citizenship regime. Since 2010, 130,000...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Insurance Fraud (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 91 together. The Deputy is aware that the Cost of Insurance Working Group (CIWG) proposed exploring the possibility that a specific unit, funded by the insurance industry, be established within the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) to tackle insurance fraud. The Deputy will also be aware that the GNECB has engaged with Insurance...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will be aware that CCTV systems installed for the purposes of crime prevention and as aids to policing in areas to which the general public routinely have access, such as town centres, fall into two distinct but complementary categories, namely Garda CCTV systems and community-based CCTV systems. Neither may be established without authorisation by the Garda Commissioner under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service Properties (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions. However, a number of developments in relation to Courts Service accommodation requirements are outlined in the Government's recent...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 96 together. As the Deputy will be aware, there are specific legislative provisions in place, under section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1999, to protect witnesses and victims of crime from any form of intimidation in their reporting of crime and in their assisting An Garda Síochána in crime investigation. Under this Act, it is a...