Results 18,461-18,480 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid Service Data (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, applicants for civil legal aid and advice are required to meet the financial eligibility criteria under section 29 of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 and the Civil Legal Aid Regulations 1996 to 2016. Section 29 (2) (b) of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 (as amended by Section 80 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008) provides that the Legal Aid Board may...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Garda authorities that the year one cost of increasing Garda numbers to 15,000 members would be approximately €41.2m, assuming a commencement date of 1 January. The annual payroll costs for these extra members would increase to €62.9m in year two as all members would be fully attested at that stage and paid at the appropriate Garda salary rate. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Joint Policing Committees (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 100 together. It is important to note that the JPCs were established to act as a forum to improve collaboration and engagement rather than a new administrative function with corresponding budgets and other resources. There are already substantial resources deployed to addressing local policing and community safety issues and the JPCs are intended...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Oversight (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Inspection of criminal justice functions is currently undertaken by a number of agencies. The Garda Síochána Inspectorate and the Inspector of Prisons each have significant roles as statutory independent bodies charged with inspection of An Garda Síochána and the Prisons Service respectively. The possible establishment of an inspectorate with a remit covering the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sentencing Policy (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, judges are independent in the matter of sentencing, as in other matters concerning the exercise of judicial functions, subject only to the Constitution and the law. In regard to sentencing, the approach of the Oireachtas has generally been to specify in law a maximum penalty for an offence, so that a court, having considered all the circumstances of a case, may...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probation and Welfare Service Data (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The following table outlines the staffing of the Probation Service as of 31 December broken down by year 2012 to 2016: Grade and current ppc salary scale 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Director €123,946 1 1 1 1 1 Deputy Director €80,646 - €100,333 1 2 2 2 2 Assistant Principal Probation & Welfare Officer €66,777 - €82,538 9 8 7 6 7 Assistant...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government is committed to significant reform of the courts, including the establishment of a family law court structure that is streamlined, more efficient, and less costly. My Department is working on the General Scheme of a Family Court Bill which will aim to streamline family law court processes, clarify jurisdictional issues and provide for a set of guiding principles to help ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government is committed to significant reform of the courts, including the establishment of a family law court structure that is streamlined, more efficient, and less costly. My Department is working on the General Scheme of a Family Court Bill which will aim to streamline family law court processes, clarify jurisdictional issues and provide for a set of guiding principles to help ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Youth Justice Strategy (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I presume the Deputy, when referring to the projected cost of implementation of the current youth justice strategy, means the cost of operating the network of Garda Youth Diversion Projects throughout the country. Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs) are community based multi-agency crime prevention initiatives which primarily seek to divert young people who have become involved in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Data (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that it does not record data on the aggregate number of persons in its custody who are identified as having serious mental health conditions owing to the requirement that it maintain the confidentiality of the medical records of the persons in its custody. I am advised that the National Forensic Mental Health Service does compile detailed data on...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (12 Apr 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: Domestic Violence (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government and I as Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality are totally committed to tackling domestic violence. A national awareness campaign on domestic and sexual violence is a key action under the prevention pillar of the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2016-2021. It is intended that the “What would you do?” campaign...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Directives (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department set up a Victim Services Group of the Criminal Justice Strategic Committee in June, 2015 to coordinate implementation of the Victims Directive. The organisations represented on the group are An Garda Síochána, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, the Courts Service, the Legal Aid Board, the Probation Service, the Office of the Director of Public...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Refurbishment (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that the programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close cooperation with the Office of Public Works, which has the responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. As Minister, I have no direct role in relation to these matters. The Deputy will be also aware that the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Expenditure (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda resources including overtime are a matter for the Garda Commissioner, and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I have asked the Garda Commissioner for the specific information requested and when it is to hand I will inform the Deputy accordingly.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the processing of the application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy is ongoing and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Law (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware statutory provision in relation to the age of criminal responsibility in the State is set out in section 52 of the Children Act 2001 (as amended). The Criminal Justice Act 2006, which amended the Children Act, effectively raised the age of criminal responsibility from 7 years of age to 12 years of age and provided in general that children under the age of 12 years...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Bodies Establishment (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Legal Practitioners' Disciplinary Tribunal, to which the Deputy has referred, represents a key component of the new professional conduct and disciplinary regime that will apply to both solicitors and barristers upon the commencement of Part 6 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015. The Disciplinary Tribunal, whose members will be appointed by the President of the High Court on the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda College (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 91 together. The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is primarily responsible for the effective and efficient use of the resources available to An Garda Síochána, including the College and its facilities and I, as Minister, have no role in the matter. The Deputy will be aware that the College is in the ownership of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda resources are a matter for the Garda Commissioner, and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I have asked the Garda Commissioner for the specific information requested and when it is to hand I will inform the Deputy accordingly.