Results 17,821-17,840 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

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

Frances Fitzgerald: This question relates to the proposals put forward by Mr. Justice Quirke in his 2013 report following from the earlier publication of the report of an Inter-Departmental Committee, chaired by then Senator Martin McAleese, which had been set up to establish the facts of the State's involvement with the Magdalen Laundries. The principal outcome of the Quirke report was the setting up of the...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 outlines a positive duty on public bodies to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality and protect the human rights of staff and the persons to whom services are provided. It also requires public bodies to carry out an assessment of the human rights and equality issues relevant to their...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware, the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 was signed into law on 30 December 2015. The Act provides a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity difficulties and is being commenced on a phased basis. It is intended that significant progress will be made in 2017 on the implementation of the new decision-making support...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the information requested by the Deputy and I will contact the Deputy directly upon receipt of the relevant information.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that based on current staffing figures, the additional annual salary cost to my Department of implementing a living wage of €11.50 per hour is estimated to be €1,085,377.71 for 344 staff. These figures include bodies under the aegis of my Department with the exception of An Garda Síochána. I have asked An Garda Síochána to provide...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: On 8December 2016, the European Commission issued a Recommendation to Greece proposing the gradual resumption of transfersto Greece under the Dublin Regulation. The gradual nature reflects the ongoing migratory pressures faced by Greece and the challenges which still exist in the Greek asylum system, particularly in relation to reception conditions, the treatment of vulnerable applicants and...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I understand that the Deputy's question relates to an EU Free Movement application. I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that there is a significant caseload on hands across a number of EU Treaty Rights processing streams. INIS endeavours to process all such applications within the six month statutory timeframe as set out under the...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by officials in the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of my Department that the new Appointment Management System (AMS) was introduced in September 2016. Since then, over 42,000 appointments have been made. This system brought an end for the need for customers to queue at the Burgh Quay offices for registration purposes. The autumn is the busiest period in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (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: Protected Disclosures (28 Feb 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, which include the provision of information on the courts system. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that the remit...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person in question made an application for Family Reunification in respect of her parents in October 2016. The application is currently being processed in accordance with the provisions of the Refugee Act 1996, (as amended). Cases for family reunification are dealt with in strict chronological...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, last Thursday, Minister of State Stanton and I published a report showing further significant progress in implementing the recommendations of the Report of the Working Group on Improvements to the Protection Process including Direct Provision and other supports for asylum seekers. A total of 121 of the recommendations are now implemented, with a...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the statistics requested by the Deputy and I will contact the Deputy directly upon receipt of the relevant information.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources within the organisation, and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I am assured by the Commissioner that the allocation of resources is continually monitored and reviewed taking into account all relevant factors including crime trends, demographics, and security assessments...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that the response to burglary or other forms of crime in a local area is an operational matter for an Garda Síochána, and I have no direct role in this regard. I am assured that Garda resources are deployed to respond to crime trends and policing needs at local level. To be of assistance, I have brought the Deputy's concerns in relation to the Donaghmede...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Tribunals of Inquiry Data (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of Tribunals established under the aegis of my Department is provided in the table following. It is not feasible to provide information relating to tribunals from earlier eras due to the time elapsed. Name of Tribunal Year established Number of Days Tribunal Sat Gross Cost of Tribunal Tribunal of Inquiry into whether Irish officials...

Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Order for Second Stage (1 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Second Stage (1 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016 is groundbreaking legislation which I am pleased to introduce to the House today. It forms part of a series of legislative reforms I am advancing to improve victims' rights and their experience of the criminal justice system. Victims should be at the heart of the criminal justice system....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Certificates (1 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The fees to be paid by an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation are governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 569 of 2011). The application fee, stipulated at €175, is payable on application for a certificate of naturalisation and a certification fee is payable on the issue of a certificate of naturalisation. The standard...