Results 17,941-17,960 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 280 to 284, inclusive, 301, 313 and 315 together. While both human trafficking and migrant smuggling are criminal activities frequently involving criminal networks seeking to make a profit, there are important distinctions and it is important to differentiate between them. I can assure the Deputies that the Government is fully committed to addressing the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Paramilitary Groups (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 285 and 370 together. As the Deputies will appreciate, policing in the border region has always presented particular challenges. These necessitate a collaborative approach to policing with law enforcement agencies north and south of the border and there is close ongoing cooperation between An Garda Síochána and the PSNI. The importance of this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service Data (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts and of court buildings is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions. In order to be of assistance to the Deputy, however, I have had enquiries made with the Courts Service. The Courts Service have informed me that any party to a court...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Illegal Fireworks (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The law is clear on the use of fireworks in Ireland. Fireworks are regulated and can only be imported into Ireland under licence. Licences for the import of fireworks are issued by my Department only for the importation of fireworks which are to be used in organised displays conducted by professional and competent operators. Under Part 6 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006: - It is an offence...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the managing An Garda Síochána and for the allocation of Garda resources, in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for personnel matters and the distribution of personnel. As Minister I have no direct role in these matters. I understand however that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: Drug-related intimidation is an extremely serious issue which involves the targeting of persons who use drugs, or their family or friends in relation to a drug debt. It involves insidious and coercive behaviour directed at forcing compliance of another person against their will. The intimidation can be either explicit or implicit, involving actual, threatened or perceived threats of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 292, 295, 299, 308, 351 and 362 together. Entitlement to Irish citizenship is governed by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. The Act distinguishes between the entitlement to citizenship by birth and descent and to the acquisition of citizenship through the naturalisation process. Following a referendum of the Irish people, the 27th...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Inquiries (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Shane O'Farrell have previously been addressed by me in both the Dáil and the Seanad and I have met with the O'Farrell family. Following the Dáil motion calling for a public inquiry last year, I sought the advice of the Attorney General on how best to proceed, given the fact that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Assets Bureau (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is a multi-agency statutory body established under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996. The Bureau’s remit is to target a person's assets, wherever situated, which derive, or are suspected to derive, directly or indirectly, from criminal conduct. Since its inception, the Bureau has been at the forefront of fighting organised...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the managing An Garda Síochána and for the allocation of Garda resources, in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for personnel matters and the distribution of personnel. As Minister I have no direct role in these matters. I understand however that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications Data (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, applications for international protection are now processed at first instance, as part of a single application procedure, by the International Protection Office (IPO) which replaced the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC). The staff of that Office (the Chief International Protection Officer and International Protection Officers) are independent...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: State Bodies Establishment (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The position is that the Mediation Act 2017 came into operation on 1 January 2018. Section 12 of the Act provides that, subject to certain conditions, the Minister for Justice and Equality may, by order, declare that a body as is specified in the order shall be recognised for the purposes of the Act as the Mediation Council of Ireland. The Schedule to the Act sets out the minimum...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The incident referred to by the Deputy is a tragedy for all concerned and I have previously expressed my deepest sympathies and condolences to them in this House. I can assure the Deputy that the Government is fully committed to addressing the challenges of human trafficking and migrant smuggling under Irish and EU legislation and the principal international conventions. We are active...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: In January 2019, my Department commenced work on a major Transformation Programme. This programme was established on foot of the recommendations of the independent Effectiveness and Renewal Group (ERG) for a radical restructuring of the Department. Given the scale and ambition of the programme, which involved moving from a conceptual design to a fully implemented new operating model within...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will appreciate, disciplinary matters within An Garda Síochána are governed by the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and the Garda Síochána (Discipline) Regulations 2007 and are a matter for the Garda Commissioner. I am advised by the Commissioner that the below tables set out the number of Garda members by rank that were subject to disciplinary proceedings...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda College (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 it is the Garda Commissioner who is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote and is in law responsible for ensuring that the appropriate controls apply to expenditure within the organisation. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is an organ of the European Union and is independent in the performance of its functions....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Judgments (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: In conjunction with the Attorney General’s Office, careful consideration is being given to the judgment in the case referred to by the Deputy and any implications it may have for Ministerial policy. As such it would be premature and inappropriate to comment pending the conclusion of such consideration. There is no appeals process provided under the relevant legislation, the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The incident referred to by the Deputy is a tragedy for all concerned and I have previously expressed my deepest sympathies and condolences to them in this House. I can assure the Deputy that the Government is fully committed to addressing the challenges of human trafficking and migrant smuggling under Irish and EU legislation and the principal international conventions. We are active...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: Ireland is fully committed to addressing the challenges of human trafficking under Irish and EU legislation and the principal international conventions. Co-ordination of national efforts in this area is the responsibility of my Department. Ireland has ratified the principal international Human Trafficking treaties: - The Palermo Protocol (2000) to the UN Convention against Organised Crime -...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Reviews (5 Nov 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 has been the subject of ongoing Departmental review for some time and in a number of different contexts since its enactment. In 2008, a specific external review of the 1989 Act was carried out by the Centre for Criminal Justice, University of Limerick, in conjunction with the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism....