Results 17,041-17,060 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: The question of residency status does not arise at this time in the case of the person whose details were supplied. As the Deputy is aware, if the person concerned has made an application for asylum or subsidiary protection, the position is that it is not the practice to comment on such applications for so long as they are in the protection process.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Committals (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: It has generally been the policy where possible and appropriate to ensure that prisoners are located as close to their home as possible to facilitate visits from family and friends. However, this is not always possible for operational and security reasons. It is worth noting that maintaining family relationships can help to prevent prisoners re-offending and assist them to resettle...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy will appreciate, as well as being a significant event in the life of its recipient, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is also a major step for the State as it confers certain rights and entitlements, not only within the State, but also at European Union level. It is therefore vital that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 152 together. Officials in the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department inform me that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the persons referred to in the Deputy's question. If the persons concerned have made applications for asylum or subsidiary...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. Direct provision provides for full board accommodation supports while a final decision is awaited by a person on their asylum and related applications. The family referred to in the details supplied...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charities Regulation (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: The Charitable Lotteries Scheme was established in 1997 to provide assistance to the promoters of certain private charitable lotteries that have products similar to products sold by the National Lottery. From its establishment until 2011, the Charitable Lotteries Fund was administered by the Department of Finance. In mid 2011 responsibility for its administration was transferred to my...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: Officials in the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department inform me that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's question. However, in February, 2012, the person concerned submitted an application for leave to remain in the State based on the principles of the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Building Regulations Compliance (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: External providers of design services are engaged for the major capital projects undertaken by the Department and full compliance with all building regulations is already an integral requirement of the work of each Design Team retained for Defence projects. Consequently, it is anticipated that there should be no additional cost to the Department as a result of the introduction of the new...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reserve (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: It was not possible to provide the detailed information sought by the Deputy in the time available. My Department is currently seeking to compile the relevant data and I will provide the information directly to the Deputy once it comes to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reserve (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: A Value for Money (VFM) Review of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) was published in November 2012. It set out a number of recommendations aimed at improving the capacity of the RDF and ensuring its continued viability. These recommendations included the consolidation of a large number of under-strength Units into a smaller number of full strength Units. A major re-organisation of the Army...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Community Courts System: Discussion (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: It is not the first time I have been here but it is great to be on this side. I apologise to members of the committee. They were stuck with me from 9.30 a.m. until about 1.00 p.m. as we were dealing with the justice and defence Estimates. I know the Chairman has very kindly asked me to deliver a short address during the course of the dinner we will have. It is bad enough hearing me once...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Community Courts System: Discussion (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I would hate to disagree on that point.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: Thank you, Chairman, for the suggestion that none of us should be devious. That is a positive start to the morning. I welcome the opportunity to meet with the committee as it considers the 2014 Revised Estimates for my Department’s group of Votes, which were published in December. My earlier than usual appearance before the committee in relation to the 2014 Estimates has come about...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I note what the Deputy says. I find continually depressing claims made by the GRA regarding the incapacity of the Garda Síochána to deal with issues of crime. It would be appropriate for it to, on some occasions, acknowledge the enormous success of the force and its own members. I have detailed some of those successes this morning. As a representative body, the GRA has an...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I am coming to that. The Deputy also asked about the GRA's commentary, which I think we need to address. We all know that regardless of how many members of the force we have or how efficient the force, there will always be bad people who do bad things and who commit crime. It is important we keep this in perspective because for an individual who is the victim of a crime, particularly a...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I thank the Deputy for the first question as it is important we address the issue. I keep reading newspaper reports that 25,000 people have applied and we are only recruiting 300 people, but that is not right. There will be a panel arising from the applications made. This is not a once-off and I hope we are getting to a position where we can stabilise matters. As the Deputy knows, prior...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I will offer a brief reply. The work done by the administrative staff is now freeing up members of the force. I do not have an immediate statistic for the Deputy of the number of other members of the force who could be freed if we recruited more civilian staff. From my knowledge of visiting Garda stations I know there is still work done by members of the force that could be done by...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: Any policing initiative of an operational nature that the Garda Commissioner wishes to take is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in this context. I do know that in some communities there have been arrangements made for gardaí to be available in local community centres in areas in which stations have been closed. There was not a necessity for any specific subhead that comes under the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: Again, it is a matter for the Commissioner to determine the allocation of new vehicles. I can tell the Deputy that there is no shortage of new vehicles. If the Deputy had visited, I suspect, the Garda headquarters in Phoenix Park this morning he would have seen a number of vehicles waiting to go out. A substantial number of vehicles were purchased towards the end of the year and they get...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I think, through the Chair, the answer is it depends on the operational requirements in the individual district. I do not think there is an overall plan that designates how many vehicles one must have per head of population or per number of gardaí within an area. I think it depends on the operational needs within the particular area and they are very carefully assessed.