Results 181-200 of 315 for gsoc speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff (14 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...of Justice and Equality 45 44 41 Irish Prison Service 43 Not available Not available Legal Aid Board 47 45 41 Property Registration Authority 48 45 43 National Disability Authority 48 46 44 GSOC 43 43 43 An Garda Síochána (sworn members) 39 37 37 An Garda Síochána (civilian) 47 43 41 Courts Service 49 48 46

Other Questions: Garda Oversight (7 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...in many of the cases will be made for further action of varying types. Some cases will be referred to An Garda Síochána. The Garda Síochána will have new protocols. In certain instances, GSOC will be asked to conduct an investigation where there was never an investigation before. There is a variety of responses to individual cases. I am not in a position to respond...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Investigations (7 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...that is the case. As it is a possibility, I will await the findings of the report. The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission clearly took a particular approach to this issue. In cases involving a death, GSOC prefers to await the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions before giving the information to a person under investigation, given the possibility that the DPP...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Investigations (7 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy's first question was about peer review. Once this tragic death occurred and the case came under scrutiny, GSOC immediately initiated a peer review and had taken the first steps in that. That was the right thing to do. The peer review system regarding Garda complaints is well established, whereby somebody from outside GSOC staff and from another system is brought in to conduct an...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Investigations (7 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: ..., which I am bound to do under the legislation, I decided to use the power available to me under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 to initiate an inquiry by an independent judicial figure into the conduct of the GSOC investigation. I used section 109 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 for the first time. I wrote to the Chief Justice requesting her to invite a judge of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Reports (7 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is an independent statutory body established under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. The objectives, functions and powers of GSOC are governed by the 2005 Act. The Annual Report of GSOC for the year ending 31 December 2014 is the seventh full calendar year report of the Commission’s operations. As documented in the Annual...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Investigations (7 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) was established as a statutorily independent body, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, to investigate complaints made against members of the Garda Síochána. GSOC has a hugely important role in ensuring that public confidence in the Garda Síochána is safeguarded. In order to enable it to carry out its...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Investigations (7 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Síochána Act 2005 sets out a scheme by which the investigation of complaints made to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) may be carried out. All allegations against Gardaí of criminal offences are directly investigated by GSOC's own investigators. With regard to allegations of breaches of discipline, these may be referred by GSOC, at its...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Water Meters Installation (23 Jun 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...protest actions against water charges and the installation of water meters. Of course, it is open to anyone to complain about the behaviour of an individual member of An Garda Síochána through the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) where they feel that such complaint is warranted. The GSOC is an independent body which was set up to receive complaints made...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (18 Jun 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy has raised a number of elements of policing and GSOC's work. She has commented on the role of the representative organisations and their comments on GSOC. She has also commented on the effectiveness of GSOC and its resources and now introduced another comment on a different issue. Extra resources have been given. Obviously, we are emerging from a very difficult economic...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (18 Jun 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: GSOC was established as a statutory independent body under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 to provide independent oversight of complaints made against members of An Garda Síochána. It commenced operations on 9 May 2007, as Deputy Daly will be aware. The Garda Síochána Act stipulates that GSOC is independent in the exercise of its functions and I, as Minister, have...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff (16 Jun 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...year including: recruitment of Garda Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners has been opened up; publication of legislation to establish an independent Policing Authority; enactment of legislation to strengthen GSOC; commencement of work by the new Court of Appeals; enactment of the Child & Family Relationship Act has been enacted, the biggest reform in family law in the history of...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Policing Authority and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Second Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...process for the position of Garda Commissioner and the two positions of Deputy Garda Commissioner. Legislation was introduced and enacted to strengthen the role and remit of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC. A Commission of Investigation, being chaired by Mr. Justice O'Higgins, has been established and is currently examining matters in the Cavan-Monaghan Garda...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Policing Authority and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Second Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...made for attendance at meetings by the media and for the public broadcasting of meetings. This will ensure public accountability of policing. Part 8 includes amendments to the provisions of the principal Act relating to GSOC and the Garda Síochána Inspectorate to take account of the establishment of the authority. The key amendments include a requirement in section 45 for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (9 Jun 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: .... First and foremost, let me again express my deepest sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of the late Garda Sgt. Michael Galvin. I met with the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) and the Association of Garda Sergeants & Inspectors (AGSI) on 4 June, 2015. Having consulted with GSOC at my meeting with them in accordance with Section 109 of the Garda...

Other Questions: Garda Misconduct Allegations (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...through the review mechanism which has had to go to counsel for further analysis. In any circumstance where under the review mechanism extra written information is needed, for example, from GSOC or An Garda Siochána, it has been possible to get that information. It is an analysis of all of the data available. I do not agree with the Deputy's description of the ease with which it...

Other Questions: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I recently told the Deputy, GSOC received an extra €1 million in funding and it has also been exempted from the moratorium that applies to recruitment. It has now taken on extra staff and a small number of vacancies are currently being filled. The annual report was published fairly recently and it is clearly dealing with a large volume of work. I am in regular contact with GSOC...

Other Questions: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...the fact that extra resources and staffing have been made available. Clearly, hardly a body in the country would not say "Yes" when asked if it needed more resources. I have to be satisfied that GSOC, with the resources and staff that it has, can do the work being referred to it. As I have said, I have met with GSOC a number of times since I became Minister and have been discussing the...

Other Questions: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...xe1;na Act 2005, the Government must be satisfied that a person nominated for this position has the appropriate experience, qualifications, training or expertise for appointment, having regard to the functions of GSOC. As the Deputy is be aware, under the Act the nomination is also subject to the passage of resolutions by Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann recommending the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Human Rights Issues (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...was made explicit with the introduction of the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003. Under section 102 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is required to refer to GSOC any matter that indicates to him or her that the conduct of a member or members of An Garda Síochána may have resulted in the death of or serious injury to a person. GSOC...