Results 16,201-16,220 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Missing Persons Data (15 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. The Deputy's question is timely as on Wednesday, 7 December 2016, I will be hosting a ceremony to mark national Missing Persons Day. The objective of Missing Persons Day is to commemorate all those who have gone missing and recognise the lasting trauma for their families and friends. Missing Persons Day also draws attention...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (15 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the publication of recorded crime statistics. I am advised that Garda management constantly monitor the distribution of policing resources in the light of crime trends and overall policing needs in all areas of the country, with a view to providing an effective and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Rehabilitation Programmes (15 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the the Irish Prison Service that it provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes to those in custody that include education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and spiritual services. These programmes offer purposeful activity to those in custody while serving their sentences and encouraging them to lead law abiding lives...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (15 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda resources are a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. The Government’s overarching commitment is to ensure a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Forensic Science Ireland Laboratory (15 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the two bodies responsible for forensics in relation to policing in Ireland are the Garda Síochána National Technical Bureau and Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) which is under my Department. Both operate to the highest standards and their staff are to be commended on their expertise and dedication to the application of science to crime investigation in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Policing Plans (15 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to assure the Deputy, that my Department, in common with other area of the administration system, would of course have regard to international models when developing policy or legislation proposals on policing matters. However, having regard to a number of unique factors, including the fact that the Garda Síochána is a single national police force which provides a security...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Rehabilitation Programmes (15 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware from my replies to previous Parliamentary Questions that the Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes that include education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychology, counselling, welfare and spiritual services. These programmes are available in all prisons and all prisoners are eligible to use the services. On...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Oversight (15 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to detail the operational measures that the Garda authorities may take, or would take generally, in relation to threats against members of An Garda Síochána. However, I can assure the Deputy that whatever protective and detection measures are deemed appropriate by the Garda authorities are of course taken. More...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (15 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. To make this a reality for all, the Government has in place a plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 4,000 civilians and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Community Policing (15 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the Government has, in its Programme for a Partnership Government, recognised community policing as the embodiment of An Garda Síochána, providing a means of recognising that every community, both urban and rural, has its own concerns and expectations. It commits the Government to ensuring visible, effective and responsive policing in every community...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (15 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions 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 optimum use is made of...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Suspended Sentences of Imprisonment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am bringing forward this relatively short but technical Bill to address Mr. Justice Moriarty’s High Court judgment of 19 April which found certain provisions of section 99 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which provides for the suspension and subsequent revocation of sentences, to be unconstitutional. Suspended sentences are an integral part of the judicial sentencing regime and...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Suspended Sentences of Imprisonment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Senators for their support for the Bill. As several speakers noted, it is short but important legislation, which specifically addresses the High Court finding of unconstitutionality in respect of certain provisions relating to the revocation of suspended prison sentences. It does so by explicitly ensuring there is an opportunity for an appeal against conviction or sentence for a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Data Protection (16 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The position is that Article 12 (Right of access) of the 1995 Data Protection Directive requires Member States to ensure that every data subject has the right to obtain from the data controller the communication to him or her of personal data undergoing processing in an intelligible form. The same Article provides that the data subject has the right to obtain the rectification, erasure or...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (16 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the application referred to was received in the Irish Visa Office in New Delhi on 28 October, 2016. The applicant has since been asked to supply additional documentation to support the application. A decision will be made on receipt of this documentation. The Deputy may wish to note that queries in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Registration (16 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that Section 35 of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act, 2009 as amended by the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2011 provides for registration of easements (such as right of way) and profit á prendre acquired by prescription (long use) to be made directly to the Property Registration Authority under Section 49 (A) of the Registration of Title Act...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (16 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that they have no record of the person in question entering or residing in the State. It is noted that the applicant's daughter was naturalized as an Irish citizen in May 2013, having been granted refugee status in the State in November 2000. As set out above, however, there is no record of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation Refurbishment (16 Nov 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 works...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (16 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Considerable progress has already been made to overcome the remaining legislative barriers to Ireland's ratification of the Convention. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 was signed into law on 30 December 2015 and is a comprehensive reform of the law on decision-making capacity. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 commenced its second stage reading in the Dáil...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Restorative Justice (16 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 87 together. I can advise the Deputy that in October 2014 the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on request from my Department, circulated an information note on the Magdalen Laundries Restorative Justice Ex Gratia Scheme through their embassies around the world to the local Irish communities. My Department is not aware of the details of...