Results 17,121-17,140 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can confirm to the Deputy that the establishment of a dedicated new court to sensitively and expeditiously handle mortgage arrears and other personal insolvency cases continues to be examined by my Department. As the Deputy will also be aware, the allocation of judicial resources and the scheduling of court cases is a matter for the Presidents of the courts and the judiciary who are, under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Protected Disclosures (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy is referring to a report which I have received from Mr. Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill of his review relating to two protected disclosures which I received from members of An Garda Síochána in early October last year. I received Mr. Justice O'Neill's Report on 7th December 2016. Mr Justice O’Neill was asked to review the allegations of wrongdoing contained in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (31 Jan 2017)

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: Social Enterprise Sector (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department has put in place arrangements to progress the development of social enterprises in the criminal justice sector, recognising the potential value of social enterprises to add value to prison-based and probation activities and to provide an additional form of training, work integration and rehabilitation for ex-offenders. The concept of social...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Data (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that in the period concerned the number of persons refused leave to land at approved ports of entry to the State from the nationalities referred to by the Deputy was as follows: Afghan 178, Eritrean 7, Iraqi 26 and Syrian 37. In respect of the nationalities referred to by the Deputy, a total of 57 sought asylum and were admitted to the State to make a protection...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are already a number of offences under Irish law which address the trafficking of persons for the purpose of exploitation (including sexual exploitation) and which can attract significant penalties. Under the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008, any person found guilty of trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation shall be liable to imprisonment for a period up to life....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will know, maintenance is the giving of financial assistance or encouragement to a party to litigation by a person who has neither an interest in the litigation nor any motive recognised by the law as justifying interference and champerty is an aggravated form of maintenance as it involves the support of litigation by a non-party in return for a share of the proceeds. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As advised in my reply to the Deputy's recent PQ on this matter, the person concerned currently holds residency and should be aware of his or her position. If it is the case that he or she is unsure as to the precise nature of this status, he or she should contact the Burgh Quay Registration Office of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department to confirm. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Support Services (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The International Protection Act 2015 was commenced on December 31st last. This involved significant new processes being developed, engagement with stake-holders and the setting up of a new International Protection Office. A new International Protection Appeals Tribunal has also been established. This has involved a period of considerable change for these institutions, their staff and for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Schengen Agreement (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 107 together. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that in December 2016, An Garda Síochána entered a contract with a preferred tenderer for the development of a custom-built ICT package to link Ireland to the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II). The development work up to acceptance testing and associated user training is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders Re-examination (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to inform the Deputy that like all countries Ireland is required to manage immigration into the State and, where appropriate, to deport people who do not have a right to be here. A decision to deport a person is never taken lightly. Only persons who are illegally present in the State fall within the scope to be considered for deportation. It should be noted that a Deportation...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders Data (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to inform the Deputy that like all countries Ireland is required to manage immigration into the State and, where appropriate, to deport people who do not have a right to be here. A decision to deport a person is never taken lightly. Only persons who are illegally present in the State fall within the scope to be considered for deportation. It should be noted that a Deportation Order...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Valuation Office (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that the Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the exercise of his functions under the Valuation Acts 2001-2015 and the making of valuations for rating purposes is his sole responsibility. I, as Minister for Justice and Equality, have no function in decisions in this regard. Having a modern valuation base, which takes account of contemporary rents and current...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of all resources, including personnel, and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that it is Garda policy that all transfer applications are kept under review. I understand that transfers of Garda personnel are determined by...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Private Security Industry Regulation (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, all appointments to the Private Security Appeals Board are made by the Government in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 2 to the Private Security Services Act 2004.The necessary arrangements to put in place a new Board are currently being finalised. Expressions of interest were invited from suitably qualified candidates for appointment to the Private...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Communications Surveillance (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: In June 2016, the Government approved proposals to draft a number of amendments to the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications (Regulation) Act 1993 and other associated legislation. The proposed amendments are currently being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. The primary purpose of the proposed changes is to expand the scope of lawful interception to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting Legislation (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The responsibilities with respect to vetting under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 of a "relevant organisation" responsible for vulnerable persons, for example a nursing home, lie solely with persons acting on behalf of and under the management and control of the relevant organisation. Personswho occasionally visit nursing homes for the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Psychological Services (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Section 40 of the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 clarifies the position with regard to the in camerarule in family law proceedings and the carrying out of hearings, inquiries, investigations and adjudications by bodies or persons who are doing so in accordance with their statutory functions or who are prescribed by orders under sections 40(6)(b) and 40(7)(b) of the Act. Section 40(6)...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the visa application referred to was refused on 10 February, 2016. While it was open to the applicant to appeal that decision within two months of that date, I understand no such appeal was made. I am advised that the person concerned can make a fresh application and should ensure to include all...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Students (31 Jan 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department requires all non-EEA students intent on undertaking full-time studies in the State to have private medical insurance. It is also worth pointing out that non-EEA students are not the only category of migrant subject to such a requirement. This is a relatively widespread condition imposed by immigration authorities in many jurisdictions on persons seeking to reside in their...