Results 15,321-15,340 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Inspections (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I recently published a number of Visiting Committee Annual reports including that from St Patrick's Institution. The function of Visiting Committees is to visit the prison to which they are appointed and hear any complaints which may be made to them by any prisoners. They report to me any abuses observed or found by them in the prison and any repairs which they think may be urgently needed....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Inspector of Prisons Reports (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: Following a report by the Inspector of Prisons to the Minister for Justice and Equality in March 2012, regarding the introduction of a new complaints model in the Irish Prison Service which meets best practice and our international obligations in this regard, a new complaints model is being introduced in the Irish Prison Service on a phased basis. The model which is being introduced contains...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Firearms Licences (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: As it has not been possible to compile the information requested by the Deputy in the time available, I have asked the Garda Commissioner for a report on the matter and will write to the Deputy when it becomes available.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Visiting Committees Appointments (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: 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 now comprises no more than six members, and only suitable people with a genuine...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Law Cases (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am currently preparing a Family Relationships and Children Bill which will address the situation of grandparents who are acting in a quasi parental role on behalf of their grandchildren.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid Applications (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I wish to inform the Deputy that I have no function or responsibility in relation to the matter raised. Under the terms of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995, as passed by the Oireachtas, the Legal Aid Board is independent in the operation of its functions and decisions on individual cases are a matter for the Board. However, to be of assistance I have contacted the Legal Aid Board for the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid Service Reform (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I wish to inform the Deputy that I have no function or responsibility in relation to the matter raised. Under the terms of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995, as passed by the Oireachtas, the Legal Aid Board is independent in the operation of its functions and decisions on individual cases are a matter for the Board. However, to be of assistance I have contacted the Legal Aid Board for the...

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

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that an E-Vetting solution for the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) is being developed and this will facilitate the processing of applications in an e-format, thus significantly streamlining the current time-consuming process of managing all applications in a manual format. It is not possible at this stage to estimate the precise impact on processing...

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

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that local Garda District Officers take direct responsibility for the investigation of all crime within their respective Districts. Local investigation teams are appointed by the District Officer and all means necessary, including the services of specialist units, are deployed to assist in these investigations. The services of Europol and Interpol are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Organised Crime (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy will appreciate that organised crime, by its very nature, is constantly evolving and diversifying in both its structures and activities and that membership of organised crime groups tends to be fluid in nature. Given the fluidity of membership, it can, therefore, be challenging to identify definitive numbers of groupings and members. Furthermore many modern organised criminal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Rehabilitation Programmes (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy will be aware from my replies to previous Parliamentary Questions that the statistics requested are not centrally recorded by the Irish Prison Service and to provide such information would require the allocation of a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and resources. The Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes that include...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Numbers (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I wish to advise the Deputy that the number of prisoners in custody in each prison, and the current bed capacity in each, on 20 September 2013 is as follows:- Institution Number in Custody Bed Capacity % of Bed Capacity Arbour Hill 141 142 99% Castlerea 358 340 105% Cloverhill 415 431 96% Cork 224 210 107% Dóchas 117 105 111% Limerick (m) 223 220 101% Limerick (f) 31 28 111%...

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

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 160, 161 and 164 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. It is not practical to give a detailed analysis of the fluctuations in Garda strengths at Divisional level over the last ten years....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charities Regulation (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Charities Act 2009 provides for an integrated system of mandatory registration and proportionate regulation and supervision of the charities sector in Ireland. The various sections of the Charities Act are subject to implementation through commencement orders. Sections that it was possible to commence in advance of the establishment of the Charities regulatory Authority, as provided for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Bail Legislation (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: A decision to grant bail in a particular case is a matter for the court, which is, subject only to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of its judicial functions. There is a constitutional presumption in favour of bail, since, in the eyes of the law, a person is innocent until proven guilty. The provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights also restrict the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Jury System (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: The intimidation of a witness or juror is an offence pursuant to Section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1999, which specifies the offence as harming, threatening or menacing or in any other way intimidating or putting in fear another person who is assisting in the investigation of an offence by the Garda Síochána, with the intention of causing the investigation or course of justice...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Services Regulation (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: Consultations in relation to the Legal Services Regulation Bill have been ongoing since its publication. A wide range of stake-holders have provided, and continue to submit, views on the Bill which I am happy to consider. These views continue to inform the development of the Bill and to reflect its modern balance of interests between those of the legal professions and those of business or...

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

Alan Shatter: Decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda vehicles are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources. The allocation of Garda vehicles is monitored and reviewed on an on-going basis. As the Deputy will be aware, an additional €3 million was made available towards the end of last year...

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

Alan Shatter: The arrangements made in respect of the provision of forensic services for An Garda Síochána are operational matters for the Garda Commissioner. The Garda authorities have indicated that the forensic services available to the Force are sufficient and that only in very exceptional circumstances are additional external services required.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid Applications (25 Sep 2013)

Alan Shatter: I wish to inform the Deputy that I have no function or responsibility in relation to the matter raised. Under the terms of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995, as passed by the Oireachtas, the Legal Aid Board is independent in the operation of its functions and decisions on individual cases are a matter for the Board. However, to be of assistance to the Deputy I will refer him to my answer to...