Results 2,421-2,440 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Law Cases (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under Irish law, issues arising from disagreements about the provision of maintenance for dependent children, or failure by persons with maintenance responsibilities for children to provide proper maintenance, are determined by the courts. Relevant legislation in this area includes section 11 of the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964, the Family Law (Maintenance of Spouses and Children) Act...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commercial Rates Calculations (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I should advise the Deputy that while the Valuation Office came under the aegis of my Department with effect from 1 January 2016, the Commissioner of Valuation as head of that Office is independent in the performance of his functions and I, as Minister for Justice and Equality have no function in the valuation of property for rates purposes, or in any appeal against a valuation. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Data Protection (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 96 together. Under the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003, the Data Protection Commissioner acts independently in the performance of her tasks and exercise of her powers. It would be entirely inappropriate for me, therefore, to make any comment on matters which have been the subject of recent High Court proceedings that were initiated by the Data...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems Provision (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda equipment and resources, including CCTV, are a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I am informed that An Garda Síochána has in place a network of CCTV systems that are planned and implemented on the basis of the Garda Commissioner's...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Office of Public Works Properties (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 100 together. The Deputy will appreciate that, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote for the purposes of the Comptroller and Auditor General Acts. I am, however, advised by the Commissioner that the land on which the golf club in question is situated is in the ownership of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Airport Security (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to my replies to Parliamentary Questions No. 111, 106 and 138 of the 7th February, 2017 and to Parliamentary Question No. 92 of 8th February, 2017. Persons who avail of the US preclearance facilities in the State do so voluntarily as provided for in the Aviation (Preclearance) Act 2009 and decisions taken by the US authorities at US preclearance facilities in the State...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Office of Public Works Properties (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised that the land referred to by the Deputy was purchased by the Office of Public Works in 2007 and that its Property Management Services Unit is responsible for the lands and any rental contracts.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question No. 93 of 6 December 2016 and the written reply to that question. While the position remains the same, it is, of course, open to this individual to seek independent legal advice in relation to their concerns if they so wish. Reply to Parliamentary Question No. 93 on 6 December, 2016. I am advised that the matters referred to have been the subject...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Process (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, following the approval of Government for the drafting of the Heads of a Bill to afford the Garda Associations access to the Workplace Relations Commissions and the Labour Court, a Working Group to assist in the consideration of these matters was established. In addition to the technical legislative changes that will be required, a number of important and complex...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I understand that the person concerned made an application to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) at the end of January 2017, for permission to remain in the State as the spouse of an Irish National, and that this application is currently being processed. All applications are dealt with in strict chronological order and the processing time can take several months. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Remuneration (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: It has not been possible to finalise this reply in the time available. I will provide the information sought by the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Decisions on valuation appeals are a matter for the Valuation Tribunal which is a statutorily independent body established to hear appeals against determinations of the Commissioner of Valuation. I, as Minister for Minister for Justice and Equality, have no role in either of the decision-making processes. The revaluation provisions in the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 provide for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Time Zones (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, Winter time begins at 1:00 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on the last Sunday in October every year when clocks are put back by one hour. Winter time ends at 1:00 a.m. GMT on the last Sunday in March of the following year when clocks are put forward one hour, signalling the start of summer time. These arrangements are set out in the Winter Time Order 2001 which gives...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Inquiries into Garda Activities (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Inquiry to which the Deputy refers is to be established following my acceptance of a recommendation by the panel of the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM), the role of which was to review complaints of Garda misconduct or failings in investigations carried out by An Garda Síochána. Arising from its recommendations, I have decided, in the case mentioned, to establish an inquiry...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Inquiries into Garda Activities (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The particular case to which the Deputy refers was amongst those considered under the mechanism established for the independent review of certain allegations of Garda misconduct, or inadequacies in the investigation of certain allegations, the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM). A panel consisting of two senior and five junior counsel was established for that purpose. I would like to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate it is the responsibility of Government to decide polices for the management of migration and the control of our borders in the public interest. The simple fact that someone may wish to settle here as a retired person does not, of itself, create an entitlement for that person to do so. Over a number of years retired persons seeking to come to Ireland to live has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Facilities (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service has commenced the repurposing of the Training Unit Place of Detention (on the Mountjoy Prison Campus) to a dedicated Unit for older prisoners. A key action of the current Irish Prison Service Strategic Plan (Action 2.5) is to ensure that older prisoners are identified as a specific group who have particular needs within the prison...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Community Policing (21 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 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: Community Policing (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the Government has, in its Programme for a Partnership Government, recognised the importance of community policing. It commits the Government to ensuring visible, effective and responsive policing in every community throughout the country in order to provide reassurance to citizens and prevent crime. This commitment is underlined by very significant investments...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda equipment and resources, including ICT, are a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Síochána Modernisation and Renewal Programme 2016-2021 is intended to professionalise, modernise and renew An Garda...