Results 19,041-19,060 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Other Questions: Surveillance Operations (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The law provides for a clear, judicially based oversight process. There are multilayered checks and balances which are designed specifically to guard against the type of abuse we saw in the early 1980s which led to the current legislation. The nature of the report submitted by the designated judge is a matter for the judge. As I said the other day, it is not a question of the length of the...

Other Questions: Surveillance Operations (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will conclude. It would be quite wrong to suggest it has been established that there is widespread abuse of the interception system.

Other Questions: Surveillance Operations (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: With respect, the Deputy does not know how the judge carries out the work. It is up to the judges to decide what level of detail they want in regard to any particular case. When responding to this in the Dáil the other day, I said that Ms Justice Marie Baker, who has the current responsibility, was informed of recent events and it will obviously be up to her to decide if further action...

Other Questions: Criminal Law (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are robust mechanisms already in place in legislation to deal with discrimination and offences against all members of our society. In general, where criminal offences such as assault, criminal damage, or public order offences are committed against any person, including a person with a disability, they are prosecuted as generic offences through the wider criminal law. Judges are...

Other Questions: Criminal Law (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been discussing this very recently. The Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016 makes very specific provisions requiring gardaí to carry our special measures in their assessments of victims. The Bill represents a sea change across the criminal justice sector in our attitude to victims. Obviously, that would include people with a disability. For example, that Bill, which...

Other Questions: Criminal Law (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I said, we are undertaking a review of the 1989 legislation. I have already pointed to a number of pieces of legislation that are certainly strengthening the rights of victims who would be subject to hate crime. If further legislation is needed, we would certainly be open to introducing it.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Law (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 was enacted on the 22nd of February, 2017. Most of the Act was then commenced on the 27th of March, 2017 including the provisions contained in Part 4 of the Act. As it has only been eight weeks since the commencement of Part 4, statistics for offences committed under this part are not yet available. Part 4 of the Act provides for two new...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. To make this a reality for all, the Government has in place a plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Workplace Relations Services (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: An Garda Síochána has a Dignity at Work policy for Garda members entitled 'Working Together to Create a Positive Working Environment'. It outlines the organisation's policy and procedures for dealing with harassment, sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace. The main objective of the policy is to achieve a safe and harmonious working environment that encourages and supports...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Reserve (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am pleased to say that the Garda Commissioner launched a new recruitment drive for Garda Reserves on 23 March last. It closed on 13 April. It received a strong response with over 2,500 people applying to become Reserves and give something back to their communities on a voluntary basis. This is part of the Government's commitment to ensuring a strong and visible police presence...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Legislation (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I, of course, share the Deputy's concerns in relation to the public safety and anti-social issues associated with the misuse of such vehicles. It is a very serious issue. The Deputy will be aware that the use of mechanically propelled vehicles, including quad bikes and scramblers, in a public place is subject to the relevant requirements of road traffic legislation. I am advised by the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. To make this a reality for all, the Government has in place a plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the Office of Public Works has primary responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation and works closely with the Garda authorities in this regard. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. The Deputy will recall that the Garda Building and Refurbishment Programme 2016-2021 includes the development of a new Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems Provision (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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 schemes in line with the Programme. In this context, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, on 13 April 2017, I launched the new grant aid scheme to assist community-based...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (23 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 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: Domestic Violence Policy (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Consideration was given to establishing a criminal offence of domestic violence in the context of drafting the Domestic Violence Bill. Domestic violence has a wide currency and covers a broad spectrum of behaviours ranging from pushing, physical assaults and non-physical abuse. In the arena of domestic violence, "violence" has been given a wider meaning and includes psychological abuse,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cyber Security Policy (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The national response to cyber security is led by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment under the stewardship of my colleague Minister Naughten. That Department published the first National Cyber Security Strategy in 2015. The Strategy sets out the Government's vision for a secure and reliable cyberspace and includes many actions which seek to address cyber threats...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Terrorism (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As an open and democratic society in the European Union, Ireland cannot consider itself immune from the current international terrorist threat. The assessment of the threat is that while an attack on Ireland is possible, it is not considered likely. Nor is there at present any specific information that an attack on Ireland is planned. The level of threat from this source is kept under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commissions of Investigation (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The final Report of the Fennelly Commission of Investigation was published on 6 April 2017. Part 12 of the Report concerns the terms of reference (1) m which required the Commission " to identify and review all recordings in the possession of An Garda Síochána emanating from the Garda telephone recording system at Bandon Garda Station or otherwise, which relate to the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Data (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I previously set out in my response to the Deputy's written Question No. 108 on 9 May 2017, Section 8 of the International Protection Act 2015, as commenced on 31 December, 2016, sets out the applicable reasons for persecution when considering an application for international protection on the grounds referred to by the Deputy. Applications are processed by the International Protection...