Results 18,761-18,780 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (4 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by my officials of the Irish Prison Service that a unit will be established in Midlands Prison, as a national resource to manage those prisoners designated as violent and disruptive. The unit will be the first therapeutically focused unit for dealing with such prisoners and this is reflected in the joint management structure, jointly led by an Operational Governor and a Senior...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commissions of Investigation (4 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware, I met with four individualsin Leinster House in November 2016, where I had an opportunity to listen to their concerns first-hand and their request for the establishment of a Commission of Investigation into the handling of the complaints made by them which ultimately led to the conviction, in 2016, of the person referred to for sexual offences committed during the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (4 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 66, 69 and 78 together. As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I am assured by the Commissioner that Garda personnel assigned throughout the country, together with the overall policing arrangements and operational strategies, are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Disciplinary Proceedings (4 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Disciplinary matters within An Garda Síochána are the responsibility in the first instance of the Garda Commissioner. I have requested the specific information sought by the Deputy from the Commissioner and I will write to her on receipt of same.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Constitutional Amendments (4 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The institution of marriage is afforded constitutional protection under Article 41.3.1º of the Constitution. Under Article 41.3.2º, a court may grant a divorce only where specific conditions have been met. These conditions include a requirement that “such provision as the court considers proper having regard to the circumstances exists or will be made for the spouses and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service Staff (4 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that there were 3,462 WTE (whole time equivalent) prison grade staff employed by the State in 2008, with a ratio of prison grade staff to prisoners of 0.91:1. As of 31 March, 2017, there were 3,203 WTE prison grade staff employed by the State, with a ratio of prison grade staff to prisoners of 0.72:1. I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service Staff (4 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that in 2016, the Public Appointments Service launched a recruitment campaign for Recruit Prison Officers, the first since 2008. It is intended to recruit approximately 80 new Recruit Prison Officers in 2017 and a further 216 Recruit Prison Officers in 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (4 May 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, Districts and stations and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management constantly monitor the distribution of resources in the light of crime trends and overall policing needs including with respect to concerns...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries (4 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Further to my reply to Parliamentary Questions 97 and 98 of 8 February I wish to reiterate that Magdalen Laundries were private institutions under the sole ownership and control of the religious congregations concerned and had no special statutory recognition or status. The Magdalen Institutions did interact with certain Government agencies, sometimes on the same basis as a commercial...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme Eligibility (4 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Magdalen Restorative Justice Ex-gratia scheme applies to 10 Magdalen institutions and 2 specific training schools. It does not extend beyond those institutions and there are no plans to extend it beyond those institutions. As the legal proceedings to which the Deputy refers are ongoing, I am restricted from commenting in detail on the matters raised.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (4 May 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: Charities Regulation (4 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: In accordance with the provisions of the Charities Act 2009, a charitable organisation is an organisation which has exclusively charitable purposes, operates in the Republic of Ireland and provides clear public benefit. Organisations which meet the above criteria should apply for inclusion on the statutory Register of Charities which is maintained by the Charities Regulatory Authority...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Education Service (4 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to inform the Deputy that the Joint Irish Prison Service/Education Training Board Ireland Education Strategy 2016-2018 for the Prison Education Service, which I launched in conjunction with the Irish Prison Service Strategic Plan 2016-2018 on 27 June 2016, will be subject to an annual meeting to review its implementation. The first of these review meetings took place on 11 November...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commercial Rates (4 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 provide for the valuation of all commercial and industrial property for rating purposes. The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Acts and the making of valuations for rating is his sole responsibility. I, as Minister for Justice and Equality, have no role in decisions in this regard. Under Irish law there is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (9 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer to my response to the Deputy's Question 122 for written answer on 2 May 2017, in which I indicated that the Garda authorities had informed my Department that stocks of breath-testing equipment are managed through Garda Central Stores, which is located in Santry, Dublin.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Services Regulatory Authority Remit (9 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA) was established under the provisions of the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011. The primary function of the PSRA is to control and supervise licensed property service providers, such as Auctioneers, Estate Agents, Letting and Property Management Agents. While I am precluded from giving legal advice, I can inform the Deputy that there...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Dublin Port Tunnel (9 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested a Garda report on the matter referred to in the Deputy's question and will contact the Deputy directly on receipt of a Garda report.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Humanitarian Access (9 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Before the migration crisis escalated, my predecessor introduced a Syrian Humanitarian Admissions Programme (SHAP), which was subject to certain conditions, including economic dependency being met by the sponsor. This was superseded by the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP), which allows for Syrians and other eligible nationalities to benefit from resettlement and relocation schemes,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting of Personnel (9 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Additional information received from the Deputy regarding the person referred to has been forwarded to the Garda authorities in seeking information about the status of this vetting application. I will correspond with the Deputy when that report is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (9 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned was granted permission to remain in the State, on a stamp 4 basis, on 11 April 2008. This permission was subsequently renewed with the latest permission granted up to 23 April 2018. This is the same position as was set out in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 671 of 22...