Results 18,001-18,020 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Data (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that on 31 January, 2017 the number of non Irish nationals in custody was 492 of which 469 were Male and 23 were Female. This represents approximately 13% of the overall prison population for this day.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service Data (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Courts Service has confirmed that the precise data sought by the Deputy would require a detailed examination of individual case files for drink-driving prosecutions, which would require the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of staff time to provide. However, the Courts Service has provided relevant data contained in the table attached, which will be of assistance to the Deputy....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Insurance Fraud (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As Deputy will be aware, the Department of Finance published the 'Report on the Cost of Motor Insurance' in January this year. One of the recommendations (No. 25), which my Department has taken the lead on, is to establish a fully functioning integrated fraud database for industry to detect patterns of fraud. The purpose of the Database is to reduce levels of fraud by providing access to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: In answer to the Deputy's question, I can confirm that, in line with the one person one salary principle, no public servant who is a member of a State board or agency under the control of my Department is currently in receipt of remuneration in the form of board fees.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (21 Mar 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. I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that the allocation of Gardaí is continually monitored and reviewed taking into account all relevant factors including crime trends,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to the response to Questions Nos. 450, 451, 453, 454, 455, 456 and 457 of 8 October 2013 which sets out the position in respect of this matter. The Deputy will appreciate, of course, that the sale of Clancy Barracks, completed in March 2004, was a matter for the Minister for Defence at that time.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Costs (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 makes extensive provision in Part 10 for a new and enhanced legal costs regime that will bring greater transparency to how legal costs are charged along with a better balance between the interests of legal practitioners and those of their clients. As part of this structural reform, under section 139(1) of the Act, the existing Office of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commencement of Legislation (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 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 options provided for in the Act. New administrative processes and support...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the application referred to was refused by the Visa Office in New Delhi on 16 March, 2017. The applicant has been informed and of the reasons for same. 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 using...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to my response to Parliamentary Question No. 42 of 2 March 2017. I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that no appeal has been submitted. Guidelines on the appeals procedure are available on the INIS website (www.inis.gov.ie). Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (21 Mar 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 the 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: Penalty Points System Data (21 Mar 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. Insofar as conviction statistics are concerned, the Courts Service is not in a position to match the prosecutions specified in the Deputy's question to court results. It follows that it is similarly...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: State Visits (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the allocation of necessary resources to ensure the safety of visiting dignitaries, having regard to the security considerations involved, and I as Minister have no direct role in the matter. I have been advised by the Garda authorities that the total expenditure paid from the Garda Vote in respect of the visit of HRH...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the information referred to was received by the Visa Office on 14 February 2017. As explained in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 103 of 28 September 2016, there has been an exponential increase since the second quarter of 2015 in the number of such applications. This has given rise to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Levels (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can assure the Deputy that Operation Thor is a nationwide initiative to tackle burglary and related criminal activity. It was designed and launched after I initiated a broad review of our response to burglary and it represents a major step-up in our response to criminals who have sought to target householders in many areas of the country. An Garda Síochána carefully monitors the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Private Security Authority Administration (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Private Security Authority, established under the Private Security Services Act 2004, as amended, is the regulatory body with responsibility for regulating and licensing the private security industry in the State. The Authority licenses both contractors and individual service providers. As the Deputy will be aware it is an independent body. The 2004 Act sets out the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting of Personnel (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that the primary purpose of Garda vetting is to seek to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults and it is carried out by An Garda Síochána primarily in accordance with the provisions of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016. The Acts provide for a degree of flexibility which may lessen the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Registration Authority Administration (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised that the Deputy has been in contact with the Waterford office of the Property Registration Authority (PRA) in relation to an application for registration of property. The processing of this application and two other related applications were delayed as a result of a registration issue relating specifically to the folio concerned. I am informed that this issue was identified on...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: S.I. No. 519 of 2009, District Court (Small Claims) Rules 2009, provides the foundation for the small claims procedure which is governed by Rules of Court. The monetary limit for small claims is fixed by Rules of Court with concurrence by myself as Minister for Justice and Equality. Any amendment to Rules of Court is a matter for the relevant Court Rules Committee. The Deputy may be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems Provision (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am very conscious of the value that communities, especially rural communities, place on CCTV as a means of deterring crime and assisting in the detection of offenders. The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to providing investment in CCTV systems and that I have secured €1 million in Budget 2017 to begin a new round of community CCTV...