Results 2,261-2,280 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (30 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned is the subject of a Deportation Order signed on 22 June 2011. The reasons for the making of the Deportation Order have already been furnished to the person concerned. This Order requires the person concerned to remove themselves from the State and remain outside the State....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (30 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The tragic case to which the Deputy refers was considered under the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) established to review certain allegations of Garda misconduct, or inadequacies in the investigation of certain allegations, which were made to me as Minister for Justice and Equality, or the Taoiseach. The recommendation made by the IRM in this particular case was that I should take no...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (30 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the visa application referred to was refused on 6 February 2017. There were a number of reasons for refusal, all of which were communicated to the applicant. These included the insufficiency of the finances available from both the applicant and her Irish-based reference, and the lack of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (29 Mar 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 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 including crime...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (29 Mar 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 under consideration and has not yet reached a conclusion. As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (29 Mar 2017)

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 This was superseded by the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) which allows for Syrians and other nationalities to benefit from resettlement and relocation schemes, and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

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification Policy (29 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: One of the principles underpinning family reunification decisions is that there must be a clear connection between the person seeking residence in Ireland and some other person living in the State permanently. In such circumstances it is only open to natural persons to act as a sponsor. All of the circumstances in which such a person can seek to sponsor a family member to join them in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (29 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Any level of hate crime is a matter of concern. The CSO publish figures for recorded incidents involving discrimination. I expect to receive the final figures for 2016 today, which I will make available to the Deputy, but, in the meantime, I can inform the Deputy that up to the end of quarter 3 of 2016, there were 153 recorded incidents with a discrimination motive. I would like to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service Administration (29 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 to 62, inclusive, together. I am advised by the Chief International Protection Officer (CIPO) who, under the International Protection Act 2015, is independent in the performance of his functions, that translation services for the International Protection Office (IPO) of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) are provided on the basis of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems Provision (29 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am very conscious of the value that communities, especially rural communities, place on CCTV as a means of deterring crime and assisting in the detection of offenders. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (29 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that I have discussed the issue of breath test discrepancies in detail with the Garda Commissioner and the Chairperson of the Policing Authority and have outlined my very serious concerns in relation to the matter. In particular, my concerns stem from the fact that sizeable numbers of the general public have interacted and will interact with An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (29 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are several circumstances in which young foreign national persons may be in the State in full time education. The most obvious would be as an international student. The Immigration and Naturalisation Service has comprehensive guidelines on student migration () which clearly set out the circumstances in which a person may take up residence in the State as a student. Young persons might...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (29 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have agreed that the remit of the Offices of the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman for Children should be extended to allow them to receive complaints from persons residing in State provided accommodation. The necessary logistical and administrative steps have been put in place to allow this to be introduced and it is expected to be operational in the coming weeks. Briefings and training are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Voluntary Sector Funding (29 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to advise the Deputy that the following amounts were allocated by my Department and by Agencies under my remit to Voluntary and Community organisations in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and in the two months to the end of February 2017: Funding Scheme 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 (end Feb) Promotion of Equality €3.3m €1.9m €.1.5m €1.3m...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Procedures (29 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 to 71, inclusive, together. The Deputy will be aware that the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 (Treatment of Persons in  Custody in Garda Síochána Stations) Regulations 1987, as amended, provide a detailed statutory framework governing the treatment of persons in Garda custody. A key element of this framework is the requirement on members of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (29 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that visa application procedures for a short-stay visa (category C) for Syrian nationals are the same as applies to all other visa required nationalities. The applicant must submit an application through the on-line visa application system which can be found on the INIS website and the websites of all...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Contracts Data (29 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can confirm that there were no private investigation firms hired by my Department during the period referred to by the Deputy.

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy makes an extremely relevant point about the chain of command. It is one of the more disturbing aspects of this entire affair. Why did the chain of command not work more effectively? What was the chain of command doing about these issues? As other Deputies said, there are procedures for reporting back on breath tests. There are people who have responsibility for these issues...

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: To make the point again for the record, the Garda Commissioner was appointed by an independent process that was advertised publicly and internationally for the first time. It is important to say that and to say she came through that process and was deemed to be the best person to lead the reform and to lead An Garda Síochána so that we had and have policing for the 21st century....

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: In terms of the Department's work in this regard, I want to say-----