Results 15,041-15,060 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: -----for many years, ignored by the commission, and that this would amount to a gross dereliction of duty on the part of the commission for failing to recommend this legal wizard in position number one. Quite frankly, I do not foresee circumstances under which that will arise because I again point out the changes that were made in the Bill after the Dáil debate to the effect that the...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: They will be on the commission too.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Government can, ultimately, recommend-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: Ultimately, the Government can, in the circumstances, recommend whom it wants for appointment whom it wants. It could be somebody from a list or an individual who is not on a list. It can also send a list back to the commission.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I fundamentally disagree with Senator McDowell, who wishes to perpetuate the tap-on-the-shoulder system, which is far from transparent. It has given rise to the need for a legislative change in other jurisdictions and was behind this reform process in 2014, when a consultation process was undertaken. We are moving to regularise the system relating to the appointment of judges. It happens...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I will withdraw the word "regularise" if it implies an irregularity regarding the current method. I do not mean that it is irregular but it is informal. I will substitute "formalise" for "regularise" if Senator McDowell is of the view that I am in some way disparaging of the current methods. It is important to formalise the process and that is what we are doing here. I do not intend to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting of Personnel (6 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: Under Section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 it is the function of the Garda Commissioner to carry on and manage and control generally the administration and business of the Garda Síochána, including by arranging for the recruitment, training and appointment of its members and civilian staff. The allocation of resources including recruitment and training of Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Conventions (6 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: Ratifying the Istanbul Convention is a Government priority and is included in the Programme for Government as a significant legal instrument in the fight against domestic and sexual violence. At the time of signing of the Istanbul Convention, the Government approved an Action Plan to enable Ireland to ratify the Convention. The Action Plan contained 18 different administrative and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (6 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 to 97, inclusive, together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda National Immigration Bureau (6 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As outlined in responses to previous parliamentary questions, the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department became aware in September 2018 of customers experiencing difficulties booking registration appointments. Some of these difficulties had arisen because third party agents had been able to secure multiple appointments through the use of automatic software. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (6 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: Part VII of the Succession Act 1965 sets out the legal requirements for the making of a valid will. These are as follows: - it must be in writing; - the testator must be over 18 years of age (the testator may be under 18 if he or she is or has been married); - the testator must be of sound mind; - the testator must sign or mark the will in the presence of two witnesses; - the two witnesses...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (6 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy is aware, the manner in which the resources of the Garda Síochána are deployed is solely a matter for the Garda Commissioner and his management team and I, as Minister, have no direct role in this regard. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Passports for Investment Scheme (7 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I understand the Deputy has since clarified that he is referring to the Immigrant Investor Programme of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department. However, I want to be absolutely clear that the State does not operate a ‘passports for sale scheme’ and that an investment under the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) does not confer any preferential...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Passport Applications Administration (7 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will be aware that the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commencement of Legislation (7 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 provides a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity difficulties. The Act was signed into law on 30 December 2015 but has not yet been fully commenced. New administrative processes and support measures, including the setting up of the Decision Support Service within the Mental Health Commission (a body...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Personal Insolvency Arrangements (7 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Personal Insolvency Acts provide for three debt solutions, depending on the nature and scale of the person’s means and debts. As you are aware, a Debt Relief Notice (DRN) is an insolvency arrangement for those with very low income and assets which allows for the write off qualifying debt up to €35,000. Under the Acts, this solution is provided by Approved Intermediaries, who...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Northern Ireland (7 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 137 together. The Fresh Start Agreement provided for the establishment by the two Governments of the Independent Reporting Commission to facilitate monitoring of the implementation of measures aimed at ending paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland. An international agreement between Ireland and the UK, establishing the Independent Reporting...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (7 Feb 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. Community CCTV is governed by section 38(3)(c) of the Garda Síochána Act...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Budgets (7 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Justice and Equality Vote Group includes the Department of Justice and Equality, An Garda Síochána, the Prison Service, the Courts Service, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and the Policing Authority. Vote 24 relates to the Department of Justice and Equality. Within Vote 24, an amount of €28,570,000 of the total capital allocation of €28,920,000...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Budgets (7 Feb 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy is aware, following the publication by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform of the Estimates for Public Services on 9 October 2018, the capital allocation for 2019 for the Courts Service was confirmed at €51.517 million. Furthermore, there was a carryover of €2.5 million in capital expenditure from 2018 to 2019, which is allocated to Information...