Results 17,781-17,800 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Civilian Staff Data (28 Feb 2017)

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

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the appeal referred to was received by the Visa Office in Abu Dhabi and is now awaiting examination by the Visa Appeals Officer. The documentation submitted with the original application and any additional documentation provided with the appeal will be considered. It is expected that a decision...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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 satisfied that an information note is still up to-date and does not see the need to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes is a matter which comes under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and my Department has not issued any alerts to Irish embassies on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that, in response to a notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned has not submitted written representations. The position in the State of the person concerned will now be decided by reference to the provisions of Section 3 (6) of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the visa application was received by the Visa Office in Dublin on 9 January 2017. A decision was made on 22 February 2017 and the applicant has been informed. The Deputy may wish to note that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the investigation of criminal offences is a matter for the Garda Síochána. A person who has concerns about the response to a crime that they have reported, may wish to raise this with their local Garda Superintendent or with the local Garda Victim Service Offices which are located in every Garda Division, the contact details of which are available on the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Freedom of Information Data (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has not incurred any legal fees in relation to Freedom of Information requests for the time frame specified. Dealing with Freedom of Information is part of the daily work of staff across my Department so the time spent processing such requests is not recorded separately.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 167 together. I refer the Deputy to my responses to Questions 112 and 113 of Tuesday 21 February 2017, and to Questions 86, 87, 88, 89 and 102 of Thursday 23 February 2017, in which I explained the background to the issue of the Application for International Protection Questionnaire (Form IPO 2) and dealt comprehensively with the issue of the time...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Restorative Justice (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 to 116, inclusive, together. The Magdalen Laundries Restorative Justice Ex Gratia Scheme was set up following the publication of the report in February, 2013 of an Inter-Departmental Committee to establish the facts of the State's involvement with the Magdalen Laundries. It was chaired by then Senator Martin McAleese and it is commonly referred to as the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Staff (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, the Probate Office is an office of the High Court and management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions under the Courts Service Act 1998. Probate functions are also carried out by County Registrars at District Probate Registries in a number of provincial court offices. However, in order to be of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child and Family Agency Services (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that the Disclosures Tribunal, with Mr Justice Peter Charleton as its Sole Member, has now commenced its work. Among the matters it has been asked to investigate are: 'the creation, distribution and use by TUSLA of a file containing false allegations of sexual abuse against Sergeant Maurice McCabe...' and contacts between members of An Garda Síochána and,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Bereavement Grant Applications (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can confirm to the Deputy that I received correspondence from the family of the person to whom the Deputy refers. In light of the unique circumstances of this case I asked my Department to review the matter. That process of review has been concluded and I am currently in direct communication with the family concerned in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The tragic case to which the Deputy refers was considered under the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) established to review certain allegations of Garda misconduct, or inadequacies in the investigation of certain allegations, which were made to me as Minister for Justice and Equality, or the Taoiseach. The recommendation made by the IRM in this particular case was that I should take no...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The appropriate application form for a certificate of naturalisation by a person of full age, including a person in circumstances as outlined by the Deputy, is Form 8. Section 15 of the Act provides that the Minister may, in her absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. The conditions are that the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (28 Feb 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 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 the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Work on the preparation of the General Scheme of a Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill is at an advanced stage at my Department. It is anticipated that the General Scheme will contain a range of provisions, many of them technical in nature. These are expected to relate to such matters as electronic courts services and some amendments to gaming legislation along with a number...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Correspondence (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Regrettably, due to an administrative error within my Department this matter was overlooked. The matter is being dealt with and the Deputy will receive a full response before the end of the week.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Closures (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the management and distribution of Garda resources, including the development of proposals in relation to the opening and closing of Garda stations, and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. During 2011 and 2012, as the Deputy will be aware, An Garda Síochána completed a comprehensive...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Bail Law (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is not clear from the question if the Deputy has particular situations or categories of persons in mind where a need for supports might arise. If the Deputy has particular concerns, I would be glad to examine the matter further if he provides more specific details. The Deputy will appreciate that that the operation of the Bail system is a matter for the Courts and I, as Minister, do...