Results 18,041-18,060 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Bail Law (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can assure the Deputy that as part of the Government's response to crime, one of our major objectives is to focus on the key area of strengthening the law to get tougher on serious and repeat offenders. In that context, I published the Bail (Amendment) Bill in December 2016, to provide for stricter bail terms for repeat serious offenders and to strengthen Garda powers to deal with breaches...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Remuneration (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can confirm that no overnight expense for staying in Dublin has been paid from my Department's Vote to a Minister or Minister of State during the period since 2011.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As Deputy Howlin knows, the Minister of State, Deputy David Stanton, has made this a priority area. Perhaps he would like to comment on the work he is doing.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Hear, hear.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (22 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Personal Insolvency Arrangements (22 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Personal Insolvency Arrangements (PIAs) were introduced by the Personal Insolvency Act 2012 and are designed to resolve unsustainable debt and restore an insolvent individual to solvency, while providing for fair repayment to creditors to the extent that the insolvent person's means reasonably permit. The PIA is designed specifically for resolving secured debt (such as a mortgage),...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Insolvency Payments Scheme Payments (22 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy is referring to the Personal Insolvency Act 2012, which provides that in deciding what payments could reasonably be made by an insolvent person to their creditors, account must be taken of that person's reasonable living expenses. Under section 23 of the Act, the Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI) is required to prepare and issue guidelines on what constitute a reasonable...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probate Applications (22 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, there are 14 District Probate Registries located outside Dublin which are attached to Circuit Court Offices under the control of County Registrars who also carry out the function of District Probate Registrar. The County Registrar for County Westmeath retired in April 2016 and her duties have been exercised by the County Registrar for Cavan with assistance from other...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probate Applications (22 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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 assistance to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (22 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) are investigating certain matters arising from the case referred to by the Deputy. This arises in part from the fact that my predecessor had referred aspects of this particular case to GSOC. As the Deputy is aware GSOC is an independent statutory body and the manner in which they conduct their investigation is a matter for them....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (22 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 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: Ministerial Responsibilities (22 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is a statutorily independent body operating under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach. The Deputy will appreciate that as I have no Ministerial responsibility in relation to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions it is not possible for me to provide the information sought.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commencement of Legislation (22 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 it is being commenced on a phased basis. A number of provisions of the Act were commenced in October 2016 in order to progress the setting up of the Decision Support Service. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Rialáil Eagraíochtaí Carthanúla (22 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 to 113, inclusive, together. Bunfheidhm den Údarás Rialála Carthanas (‘an Rialálaí Carthanas’) is ea clár de na carthanais go léir a oibríonn i bPoblacht na hÉireann a bhunú agus a chothabháil. Ceanglaítear leis an Acht Carthanas, 2009, ar na heagraíochtaí...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (22 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware, permanent and temporary assignments in the District Court are provided for under Schedule 6 of the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961, as amended. All serving District Court Judges who have been assigned to a District are currently permanently assigned. The Deputy will appreciate that the only information in the possession of the Minister, from which...

Leaders' Questions (23 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I join with the Deputy in his opening comments as this is the first opportunity we have had in the Dáil to respond to the dreadful events in central London and outside Parliament in Westminster yesterday. I know that every Member of this House will join with me in expressing our outrage at this cowardly and evil act against innocent and defenceless people. We, like all right-thinking...

Leaders' Questions (23 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: No Government has been as committed to job creation as this one. The Deputy can see the fruits of that motivation and work in the numbers of jobs that have been created, which is spreading across the country and different sectors. We will do everything possible to ensure that continues. It has been a driving force behind the work of this and the previous Governments. It is incredibly...

Leaders' Questions (23 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I reject the Deputy's characterisation of the kind of jobs we want to create and maintain in this country. I am of course aware of the letter issued by Bus Éireann management to staff which highlighted yet again the company's financial difficulties and indicated the measures it believed it must take to ensure the company's future. Trade unions are meeting today to consider their...

Leaders' Questions (23 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I hope the Deputy would, as I would, encourage people to get into negotiation mode because that is in the interest of the workers about whom he speaks.

Leaders' Questions (23 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Let me repeat what the funding has been. Funding for PSO services, those socially necessary but often financially unviable services, has increased in the past two budgets. This year it increased by 11% and last year it increased by 13%