Results 2,061-2,080 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: Unfortunately, there is not. It is an issue we considered carefully. There has been substantial reorganisation in the Defence Forces, which was necessary to achieve the appropriate numbers of personnel across the range of areas and duties and ensure we did not have numbers at officer or senior officer level beyond what was required. We must use our resources wisely. The 21-year rule was...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I am pleased to appear before the select committee after the long gap of time since I was last before it dealing with important financial and other issues. Today the committee is considering the 2014 Estimates for Defence and Army Pensions. I intend to give a short opening statement as opposed to a long statement, after which I will be happy to take questions from members. I know that...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I wish to speak about the legal services regulatory authority because I want to keep faith with a promise I made to members. The final tranche of amendments to that Bill, which would improve it and ensure some of the reforms we are implementing will come to fruition more speedily, is a very welcome development which I hope will have the support of members. The amendments were agreed...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I hope that the Bill on human rights will be published within the next six weeks.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: The provisional outturn is €99,000 not €99 million.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: Last year’s allocation was €405,000 and I can get further information for the Deputy. In the end only €99,000 of that was spent although €405,000 was available. This year €305,000 is available. I hope it will be appropriately taken up.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I will come back to the committee with a note on that.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: No. The phasing out continues until 2015. The first reduction in payments was effected in 2013, the second is 2014, this year, and the third will be 2015. In effect, the total available fund in 2013 was €4 million, in 2014 it is €2 million and in 2015 it will be €1 million. It will not be fully and finally phased out until 2016. The purpose and intent behind this is...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I may have to come back to Deputy Collins on that matter. I think it relates to dealing with visa applications and fees payable on foot of visa applications. As a result of the visa waiver programme, a considerable number of people who travel to the UK from outside the EU do not require visas in this State and have come on to visit this State. When we put that scheme in place, we envisaged...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: In the context of any proposals that I bring to Cabinet we would have conducted a comparative look at other relevant legislation. Obviously, we would get some insight into the resource implications or otherwise. I expect those in the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission should be well able to address and deal with the issues that have been referred to them. They would have...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I assure the Deputy that there is no question, on my watch, of those in the GSOC requiring to do something of importance in the public interest and then their being deprived of the resources they require. There is no indication to me that they lack the resources they need to address issues that are before them at present or with regard to a matter referred to them within the past 24 hours. ...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I suspect there is one but I want to come back and confirm that to the Deputy. There is one in which there is an outstanding issue. There are what I would describe as completion issues. For example, the Smithwick tribunal has delivered its report but there are outstanding issues on costs and other matters that the tribunal must deal with. The Independent Commission for the Location of...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: All I can say to the Deputy at this stage is that it is on the list. Deputy Collins will have seen the A list of legislation published this term. It is in a queue of important legislation. I hope we will see it during the course of this year. Naturally, I am very much dependent on the Office of the Attorney General and my officials. I say this privately on a regular basis and I should...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: That is the subhead I mentioned earlier where there were substantial outstanding sums payable under that scheme. There was an extraordinary wait because in the past, due to the nature of awards made and the limited funding available, there was an accumulation dating back some time. That was the position when I came into office. There were moneys due since 2008 or 2009 to individuals. We...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: It has. My understanding is that the figure is the residual amount. I believe there was some outstanding court matter relating to the Garda Complaints Board. The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission followed on from that. I anticipate that it will not appear in next year's Estimates.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: At present, all funds collected by the bureau are forwarded either directly or through the Revenue Commissioners or the Department of Social Protection to the central Exchequer fund. The Constitution requires and Government accounting principles provide that the public moneys be spent only as voted or approved by Dáil Éireann, unless otherwise provided by statute. The policy of...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: I anticipate that I will be bringing proposals to the Government on this issue. We have been examining it for over nine months. A number of amendments required to the Garda Ombudsman legislation have been suggested that are not of direct relevance to recent controversies. I have said we should examine the issue of the Garda Ombudsman dealing with serious complaints made by serving members...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: There are occasions on which there could be an overlap. The Garda Síochána Inspectorate’s role is effectively to examine how Garda operations work and whether changes, either structural or procedural, should be made. Its role is also to examine how better efficiencies can be effected in the context of the use of resources, both human and financial. There is a range of such...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Department of Justice and Equality (Revised) (29 Jan 2014)

Alan Shatter: In the context of the plans for Limerick, the Part 9 application was omitted on 15 November. Agreement has been reached with the Prison Service about a ground-level link between the courthouse and the prison and that is included in the plans. The funding for the project is part of the PPP investment package of projects that were announced some time ago. While matters are developing, it...