Results 16,881-16,900 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (16 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am, of course, deeply concerned about the incidence of gun murders and I deplore all such killings. All killings, regardless of the circumstances involved, are the subject of rigorous investigation by An Garda Síochána and will continue to be so. An Garda Síochána continues to develop and implement operations and strategies aimed at targeting, dismantling and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (16 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the publication of crime statistics and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. I have requested the CSO to provide the available statistical information in relation to the matters referred to directly to the Deputy. There are a number of recent measures which have been...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (16 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can assure the Deputy I am well aware of the issues to which he refers and that tackling the involvement of young people in crime continues to be a priority for this Government. My Department has responsibility for the Community Programmes Unit of the Irish Youth Justice Service which manages the Garda Youth Diversion Project Network nationwide. There are 106 Garda Youth Diversion...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (16 Dec 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (16 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98, 99 and 102 together. 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 Deputy will be aware of the significant investment of some €46 million in the Garda Fleet under the Government's...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Rehabilitation Programmes (16 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that all committals to the prison service are dealt with in a manner which ensures the safety of the prisoner themselves, the staff and the entire prisoner population. Each prisoner is placed in accommodation deemed appropriate to the individual based on the information made available to the prison staff on committal, which would include health, offence, criminal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (16 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the provision and allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of identified operational demands. In this regard I am informed that the Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT) continues to review serious cases that remain unsolved and continues to identify evidence and witnesses to assist in the development of these cases. At the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Accommodation (16 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that there is a standard operational procedure in place to ensure that upon committal, all offenders are assessed and accommodated appropriately according to their needs and specific security status. Dedicated committal units have been established in all committal prisons for this purpose. The Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drugs Crime (16 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that the Policing Plan of An Garda Síochána sets out the continued commitment of An Garda Síochána to pro-actively target groups and individuals engaged in drug crime. In this regard An Garda Síochána's National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau continues to lead out the policing strategy for tackling drugs by both demand reduction and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Promotions (16 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Appointments to the ranks of Sergeant and Inspector are a matter for the Garda Commissioner under section 14 of Garda Síochána Act 2005. I am informed by the Commissioner that in the period 1 January 2015 to 25 November 2016, 275 Garda were promoted to the rank of Garda Sergeant and 102 Sergeants were promoted to the rank of Inspector. These appointments were made in accordance with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (16 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the Office of Public Works (OPW) has primary responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation and works closely with the Garda authorities in this regard. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. As I indicated in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 129 of 29 November 2016, the OPW is progressing legal matters relating to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (16 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The bombing at Belturbet in December 1972 took two young lives in a dreadful act of violence. Our deepest sympathies are with the families who were bereaved by this atrocity. They, like the families of so many others killed over course of the troubles in unjustified and callous acts, bear the pain of loss to this day. I am informed by the Garda Authorities that the bombing at Belturbet...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting Applications (16 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am pleased to inform that Deputy that at present, 80% of overall vetting applications are being processed by the National Vetting Bureau in five working days. In circumstances where there is such a sustained reduction in processing times, the issue of vetting “transferability” is very largely obviated. This efficiency in the Garda vetting systems has been achieved by the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (16 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the processing of the application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy is under consideration and a decision is expected to issue in the near future. As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Sector Staff Retirements (17 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is 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. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that it is a matter for the Chief Medical Officer to determine whether or not a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commercial Rates (17 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is assumed from the details supplied that the Deputy's question relates to the liability for commercial rates of properties made available for short term lettings in general, including through the particular online service referred to by the Deputy. The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the exercise of his functions and I am advised by him that, as a general principle, it is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (17 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 137 together. The Istanbul Convention is a significant legal instrument in combatting domestic violence and work is underway in implementing the remaining legislative and administrative actions required to enable Ireland to ratify the Convention. With regard to the Convention article which is the subject of the Deputy's question, Ireland is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: State Pensions (17 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed that the circumstances of this case are such that unfortunately the person identified by the Deputy is not provided for under the Scheme. However, my Department has taken the matter up with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to explore if there is any scope for exceptional treatment. As soon as this information is received, a final decision will be communicated to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (17 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that the programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close cooperation with the Office of Public Works (OPW), which has the responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. This includes identifying and progressing any necessary remedial or refurbishment works required...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems Provision (17 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the operation of CCTV schemes in public areas is governed by the provisions of section 38 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Under those provisions, decisions in relation to the introduction or extension of such schemes are a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no role in relation to these matters. Garda CCTV systems are planned...