Results 14,901-14,920 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Regulation of Charities: Motion [Private Members] (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Members for raising this important issue. I am deeply concerned by the recent revelations about Console and other charitable organisations. The public must have confidence that the money they donate to charity will be managed and used correctly at all times. Anything less is a betrayal of the goodwill of thousands of people around the country and of the taxpayer. I say...

Regulation of Charities: Motion [Private Members] (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will conclude by sending out a very clear message. The proceeds of people's goodwill, the money they donate to charity for the benefit of those less fortunate than themselves, is not, should not be and will not be easy pickings for fraud. It will not be tolerated. The act of donating to a charity, volunteering for a charity and even setting up a charity should be valued and promoted. We...

Regulation of Charities: Motion [Private Members] (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Not glibly.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification Policy (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was established by Government decision on 10 September 2015 as a direct response to the humanitarian crisis that developed in Southern Europe as a consequence of mass migration from areas of conflict in the Middle East and Africa. In announcing the Programme, the Government recognised the importance of addressing the position of unaccompanied...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Disability Act Employment Targets (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 sets a statutory 3% target for employment in the Public Sector. The National Disability Authority (NDA) reports each year on progress made towards the target. The most recent report published in 2015 shows that at the end of 2014, 3.5% of staff employed in public sector bodies are people with disabilities. This is an increase from 3.4% in 2013 and is the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that section 5(1) of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 states that the principle function of the Legal Aid Board is, inter alia, to provide legal aid and advice in civil cases to persons who satisfy the requirements of the Act. The Board has always interpreted the word ‘persons’ to mean natural persons only and not to include legal persons. Section 29(1) of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to providing investment in CCTV systems at key locations along the road network and in urban centres. I am very conscious of the value that communities, especially rural communities, place on CCTV as a means of deterring crime and assisting in the detection of offenders. With this in mind, I instigated a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (12 Jul 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 received by the Visa Office in Dublin on 09/09/2015. Each case is examined on its individual merits and some cases take longer than others depending on its complexities. A decision will be issued to the applicant in this case as soon as possible. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Consultancy Contracts Data (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated and verified in the Department. The information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Funding (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Generally, such advances automatically occur in respect of a portion of funding when a proposal has been accepted for funding by the EU Commission. Under the current round of EU funding, my Department has received two advance payments from the EU Commission, as follows; European Social Fund (ESF) €1.7m Asylum, Migration & Integration Fund (AMIF) €6.8m It is not...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Agencies Board Appointments (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to advise the Deputy that the information sought regarding the number of positions and vacancies on the Boards and Agencies under the remit of my Department is set out in the following table: Name of Board Number of positions Number of vacancies When vacancy occurred Classification of Films Appeal Board 9 0 n/a Censorship of Publications Board 5 0 n/a Censorship of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Visiting Committees Appointments (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that Visiting Committee members are appointed for a period of three years by the Minister for Justice and Equality under the Prisons (Visiting Committees) Act 1925 and Prisons (Visiting Committees) Order 1925. There are fourteen Visiting Committees in existence – one for each institution. Each Visiting Committee comprises no more than six members, and only...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Rights of People with Disabilities (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Programme for Partnership Government contains a commitment to review the role of the National Disability Authority. This is a good opportunity to review the role and functions of the National Disability Authority and to consider whether changes are appropriate in the context of the changes in Irish society and the position of people with disabilities since its establishment in 1999. I...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Rights of People with Disabilities (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: On 21 October 2015, the previous Government published a roadmap to Ireland’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which outlines the considerable legislative changes to be undertaken to enable Ireland to ratify the Convention, along with the estimated deadline of end-2016 for ratification. The Roadmap to Ratification, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Sign Language (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: In 2013 the National Disability Authority facilitated consultations with the Deaf Community in Ireland at my Department's request in relation to actions that could make improvements in the lives of deaf people. Submissions received as part of that process informed the National Disability Strategy Implementation Plan, which was published in July 2013. As part of the follow-up to that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting of Personnel (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to inform the Deputy that there is no question of a generalised delay in the processing of applications for persons who require Garda vetting. I am informed by the Garda Authorities that the current average processing time for vetting applications is four weeks. The primary purpose of the Garda employment vetting service is to seek to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The entitlement to Irish citizenship, as well as the conditions pertaining to a grant of Irish citizenship through naturalisation, are governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. In general a person acquires Irish citizenship through one of the following ways: (i) entitlement to Irish citizenship for certain persons born in the island of Ireland;...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and Districts. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources. As the Deputy will be aware, when the financial crisis...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested the required information from the Garda authorities in relation to the matter referred to by the Deputy and will revert to him as soon as I have it to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Garda authorities that investigations into the case referred to are ongoing and it would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to make any more detailed comment on the case. The Deputy will also appreciate that the management of particular Garda investigations is a matter for the Garda authorities in the first instance and I have no direct role in this regard.