Results 15,841-15,860 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (25 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including Community Gardaí, among the various Garda Divisions and Districts and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (25 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources among the various Garda Divisions and Districts, and I as Minister, I have no direct role in the matter. I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that the allocation of resources is continually monitored and reviewed taking into account all relevant factors including crime trends,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service Administration (25 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that a number of steps were taken in recent years to upgrade the visa processing system to make it more efficient and easier for visitors from abroad to submit their visa applications for travel to Ireland. Principal among these has been the introduction of the British Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS) which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service Administration (25 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the visa application summary sheet contains details of the Irish Consular Mission responsible for processing decisions for the particular visa application. The summary sheet explains that applicants should visit the website listed for details of where to submit their documentation and information on...

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (26 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Deputy Jim O'Callaghan for preparing and tabling the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2016 and for providing an opportunity for the House to debate this topic today. Reform of the judicial appointments process is a priority for me and for the Government and is an area which is the subject of intensive work at present. The current programme for Government contains commitments to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Retirements (26 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 51 together. I have been advised by the Garda Commissioner that the following table sets out the number of members of An Garda Síochána, by rank, who must compulsorily retire by the end of the 2016, 2017 and 2018. Retirement of members of An Garda Síochána is governed by statutory provisions which set the mandatory retirement age...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders Re-examination (26 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to was deported to Brazil on 13 July 2016. The consequence of a Deportation Order is that the person concerned must leave and remain outside the State. Representations were received from the personconcerned pursuant to Section 3 (11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (26 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: In consultation with the Garda Síochána my Department is examining the procedures for conducting identification parades. Alternative procedures which are used in some other countries provide for identification by electronic means. However any changes in these procedures must have regard to the rights of accused persons to be fully informed of the evidence against them, and the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation Refurbishment (26 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children (26 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The ongoing migration crisis is a serious and extremely complex challenge facing the EU with numerous pressure points and it is important that there be a coherent and coordinated response. Persons who are currently in another EU Member State, including those in the camps in Calais and elsewhere, and who are in need of international protection, are entitled to make an application for asylum...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Defence of the Dwelling (26 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The first course of action for any householder faced with a trespasser or burglar should be, where circumstances permit, to call the Garda Síochána. They are best placed to deal with violent offenders and to investigate offences. As I outlined in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 58 from the Deputy on 21 July this year, the Criminal Law (Defence and the Dwelling) Act 2011...

Seanad: Corporate Manslaughter (No. 2) Bill 2016: Second Stage (26 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Senators for their contributions on this very important topic and I thank Senators Mark Daly, Robbie Gallagher, and Lorraine Clifford-Lee for introducing the Bill. We can all agree that where there has been an incident which results in the homicide of a person or persons, it must receive a strong response from the criminal justice system. Fatalities which occur as a result of gross...

Seanad: Corporate Manslaughter (No. 2) Bill 2016: Second Stage (26 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: We need to debate precisely where the responsibility would lie and whether it is the right public policy. We are talking about boundary issues here that we need to examine further. I suggest that we have amendments that would confine the scope of the corporate manslaughter offence to corporate bodies. This is clearly an area of concern as well. In number of areas, the Bill does not set...

Seanad: Corporate Manslaughter (No. 2) Bill 2016: Second Stage (26 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is in the penalties section.

Leaders' Questions (27 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Like the Deputy and other Members of the House, we are all extremely concerned at even one day's interruption to the schooling of our young students, and of course we want to do absolutely everything to avoid this interruption and to avoid any further days of interruption. This is what the Minister, Deputy Bruton, and the Department have been working towards. As the Deputy knows, there has...

Leaders' Questions (27 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Let me put this in the broader context. The Deputy spoke about trust. Of course trust is important. The Government has managed to negotiate successfully with 23 unions and 300,000 public sector workers who have already come in under the Lansdowne Road agreement. It has managed to reach agreements with the INTO and the TUI. Of course we want to continue to have these negotiations...

Leaders' Questions (27 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is no doubt but that supervision and substitution are a core part of teachers' work and this has been clearly set out in circulars also. I reiterate the focus of the entire Government has been on finding a pathway, which we have managed to do successfully, as I outlined, with many other unions and which we also want to do with the unions that are currently outside the Lansdowne Road...

Leaders' Questions (27 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Everybody in the House is conscious of the impact of this closure on young students and parents and all that goes with that, and the impact of such interruptions on students' educational lives. I agree with the Deputy that a pathway forward is necessary but we have that pathway. There are ongoing negotiations and there are possible solutions on the table in respect of ASTI and, indeed, An...

Leaders' Questions (27 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: We all care about these disputes and we want them resolved-----

Leaders' Questions (27 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: -----but it is worth repeating to highlight to public sector workers and all who care about this that there are offers on the table and-----