Results 15,221-15,240 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting of Personnel (24 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 provides that before employing a person in work or activities relating to children or vulnerable persons, the organisation concerned must obtain a vetting disclosure in respect of the prospective employee. The disclosure must be obtained from the Garda Vetting Bureau. The Act provides in section 2 that the Bureau may...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (24 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote. In that context I am informed by the Garda authorities that specific costings in relation to the Garda operation in question are not available and that they could not be compiled without a disproportionate use of Garda resources.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (24 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am currently preparing a Family Relationships and Children Bill, as indicated in the Government Legislation Programme for the Autumn 2013 session, which is intended to create a legal architecture to underpin diverse parenting situations and to provide legal clarity on parental rights, including for families of citizens in the groups outlined by the Deputy. The Bill will address issues...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting of Personnel (24 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the current average processing time for applications is approximately 9 weeks from date of receipt, including applications from the Teaching Council. However, seasonal fluctuations and the necessity to seek additional information on particular applications can result in this processing time being exceeded on occasion. In the interest of fairness...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence Policy (24 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: Ireland supports, in principle, the aims and terms of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The provisions of the convention and the legislative and administrative arrangements that would be necessary to allow signature and ratification of the convention by Ireland are being examined in conjunction with the government...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (24 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: Over the past number of years strong legislative, administrative and operational measures have been put in place to combat and prevent trafficking in human beings. The Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008, with penalties of up to life imprisonment for human trafficking, has greatly strengthened the law in this area. An Amendment to the 2008 Act was enacted on 9 July 2013 the purpose of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Procedures (24 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I have no role in the investigation, prosecution or trial of alleged offences. This is a long standing principle of our system of justice. The role of An Garda Síochána is to investigate alleged offences, to gather whatever evidence may be available and to submit a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The question of whether or not a particular person should be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (24 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: It is not clear from the Deputy's question what he perceives to be weaknesses in the law in respect of serious crime. I can, however, assure him that operational measures to tackle serious and organised crime are underpinned by a comprehensive framework of criminal law measures. Where there is an identified requirement for additional legislative provisions to further enhance existing...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Recruitment (24 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: There are no specific measures taken in order to recruit Medical Officer Doctors from outside Ireland. However, advertisement of Medical Officer Doctor vacancies are placed on the Defence Forces website which is available internationally. A competition for the appointment of doctors to the Defence Forces Medical Corps remains open with applications being accepted on an ongoing basis. As...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Personal Insolvency Practitioners (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am advised by the Insolvency Service of Ireland, ISI that as at 23 September 2013, there are 47 personal insolvency practitioners, or PIPs, authorised as well as eight Money Advice & Budgeting Service companies, representing 28 individuals, authorised to act as approved intermediaries. I understand the ISI is processing a large number of practitioner applications and the number of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Personal Insolvency Practitioners (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: In the first place, the Personal Insolvency Service has a regulatory function in respect of personal insolvency practitioners and I expect it to carry out that regulatory function properly. As to the Deputy's question, I do not wish to talk about individuals in this House as that is not appropriate. However, there is nothing in the legislation which suggests or provides for any different...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Personal Insolvency Practitioners (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: There is, of course, an obligation on personal insolvency practitioners to perform their duties in accordance with the legislation, deal with debtors in a manner that accords with the legislation and engage with creditors in a manner that is appropriate to the legislation. There is important provision in the legislation, given the very nature of the personal insolvency arrangement, to seek...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Personal Insolvency Practitioners (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: It is a matter for the insolvency agency to license PIPs or individuals who are qualified to perform their functions as PIPs. There are very specific provisions in the legislation in regard to the fitness and probity requirements for PIPs. SI 209 of 2013 contains several provisions regarding fitness and probity of PIPs and states:A personal insolvency practitioner shall be free from any...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Issues (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission was established under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 to provide independent oversight of complaints made against members of the Garda Síochána. It has a hugely important role in ensuring public confidence in the Garda Síochána is safeguarded. The 2005 Act also provides for protocols on the sharing of information...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Issues (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy is asking a completely separate question. Of course it is important that the recommendations made by the ombudsman commission are implemented. In advance of the meeting that took place between the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and Garda Síochána, I wrote to the Garda Commissioner to respond to me about areas of concern, and he did that. Work began on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Issues (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: It is my understanding that all of the issues raised by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission in respect of dealing with informants and the retention of contemporaneous notes are addressed. Indeed, they were addressed some time ago. The reports of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission on some of these matters deal with events which took place a number of years ago....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Prison Drug Treatment Services (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I must warn the Deputy that as substantial work has been done in this area, I have a very long reply that I was anxious to receive. There is no chance the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will let me get to the end of it, so the Deputy will receive in written form what I have not been able to read out. There are currently drug-free units operational in six closed prisons: Mountjoy, the Dóchas...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Prison Drug Treatment Services (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The quick answer is "Yes".

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Prison Drug Treatment Services (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Irish Prison Service is providing a comprehensive range of drug treatment services, not just the units that I described. These are designed to meet the needs of the prison population as a whole. At present, any person entering prison giving a history of opioid use and testing positive is offered a medically assisted symptomatic detoxification if clinically indicated. Patients can, as...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Prison Drug Treatment Services (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: To be brief, when the Deputy sees the written reply that she will get, she will see that I have covered all of the issues that she is raising. If there is an issue that I have not adequately addressed, I am very happy to engage with the Deputy. She may write to me about the matter or table another question. If she would like a briefing from the head of the Prison Service, I would have no...