Results 15,281-15,300 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I have been informed by the Commissioner that the strength of the force as of the 31 August, 2013 was 13,190 along with 1,190 Reserve Gardaí and over 2,000 civilian support staff. It is difficult to predict with any certainty the exact number of Garda members who will retire by the end of the year. The Deputy will recall that under the terms of the arrangements his party entered into in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Community Policing (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 35 together. The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, throughout the organisation and I have no direct function in the matter. The Garda Síochána continue to work closely with local communities to enhance community safety through a wide range of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sex Offenders Notification Requirements (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy's question concerns the disclosure, to parents, of information relating to persons on the sex offenders' register. In exceptional circumstances, the provision of appropriate information to the public is already possible. This includes the disclosure of such information to parents. Currently, this is done on an administrative basis but, subject to Government approval, I intend to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Electronic Tagging (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce a series of post-imprisonment restraint orders for violent and sexual offenders to include electronic monitoring and other restrictions, which may be imposed at the time of sentencing. Arising from a recently conducted review of the Sex Offenders Act, 2001, I expect to seek Government approval for legislative proposals...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Funding (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 33 together. The European Refugee Fund (ERF) and the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals (EIF) operate on the basis of annual programmes submitted by Member States and approved by the European Commission. The eligibility period for an annual programme extends for a year and a half after the end of the year in question. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Subsidiary Protection Administration (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 30 and 31 together. The legislative provisions to underpin the new system for determining applications for subsidiary protection are currently being finalised in my Department in cooperation with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government. When these legislative provisions are settled, the intention is to bring the new applications...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The murder of Garda Richard Fallon was a terrible tragedy for his family and I want to, again, express my deepest sympathy to them. On top of that personal tragedy, his murder was also an event that can only be described as a heinous crime carried out by ruthless individuals. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the Serious Review Crime Team met with members of the Fallon family...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision Expenditure (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) is a functional unit of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department and is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers while their application for protection is being processed. The following are the details of expenditure by RIA and centre occupancy in recent years: Year Expenditure outturn Occupancy at year...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Meetings (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I meet very regularly with the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice, David Ford, and we have developed a close working relationship. Indeed, we frequently discuss matters of mutual interest by phone as and when they arise. One of my first actions as Minister was to travel to Belfast to meet with Minister Ford and I have since met him on numerous occasions. I have met with Minister Ford...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Law Reform Commission Recommendations (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: As an independent body under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975, the time taken for the completion and delivery of individual Law Reform Commission reports and recommendations is a matter for the Commission itself. However, I can inform the Deputy that the Commission published an Issues Paper in relation to the matter towards the end of July with a closing date for submissions on the 16th...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Issues (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 54 together. 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. The Garda Ombudsman Commission has a hugely important role in ensuring that public confidence in the Garda Síochána is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sentencing Policy (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy will no doubt appreciate, judges are independent in the matter of sentencing, as in other matters concerning the exercise of judicial functions, subject only to the Constitution and the law. In accordance with this principle, the role of the Oireachtas has been to specify in law a maximum penalty and a court, having considered all the circumstances of the case, to impose an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I would like to inform the Deputy that serious consideration is being given to this issue which remains ongoing, with a view to ensuring that full analysis of all aspects of the granting of ethnic status to Travellers is available to Government when coming to a decision on the matter. I would like to remind the house that Travellers in Ireland have the same civil and political rights as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charitable Lotteries Scheme (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: Beneficiaries of the Charitable Lotteries Scheme were advised in October 2012 that the Scheme would be phased out over a 3 year period beginning in late 2013. This is necessitated by the urgent need to make savings in Government expenditure across many programmes. The Scheme is being phased out on this gradual basis in order to give affected organisations as much time as possible to adjust to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Equality Proofing of Budgets (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I refer the Deputy to the Government's position on this matter, as set out in Minister of State's Kathleen Lynch's statement to the Dáil on 2 July 2013 in the context of the debate on her party's Private Members Bill, the Equal Status (Amendment) Bill 2013, on this topic. Ministers were formally consulted on and involved in agreeing the Government's position on this issue. In our...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: National Traveller-Roma Integration Strategy (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: Ireland's National Traveller/Roma Integration Strategy was developed following an EU Commission communication which required Member States to submit a National Roma Integration Strategy for improving the situation of Roma in proportion to the size of the Roma population living in their territories and taking into account their specific circumstances. It is important to note that the term...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Peace Commissioners Appointments (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Office of Peace Commissioner is an honorary appointment under section 88 of the Courts of Justice Act, 1924 for which there is no remuneration or compensation by way of fees or expenses for their services. An application for appointment may be submitted by a person who is interested in obtaining an appointment, or a third party may submit a nomination in respect of a person considered...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sentencing Policy (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Courts Service Act 1998, the management and administration of the courts is a matter for the Courts Service while the allocation of the business of the courts, scheduling of cases and management of lists are matters for the judiciary and in particular the Presidents of the courts. The Deputy will also be aware that judges are, subject to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation Provision (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy may be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions which include the provision of accommodation for court sittings. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and have been informed that the Courts Service is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 1988 (as amended) provide that, in a competition for full-time membership of An Garda Síochána, the Public Appointments Service shall take into account any service by the candidate as a reserve member of the Garda Síochána, and shall give due recognition to evidence of satisfactory service as such a...