Results 2,481-2,500 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

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: Migrant Integration (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As set out on the website of the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration (www.integration.ie), €1.386 million was spent on grants in 2015 but this sum includes over €457,000 for communities in which persons were resettled and over €389,000 under a European Social Fund (ESF) scheme. The call for applications for national funding which was advertised recently, in...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: It has not been possible to respond to this question in the time available. I will contact the Deputy with further information as soon as possible.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that it remains committed to meeting the target in place to process 70% of all standard non-complex cases within six months of receipt of applications. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that for a broad range of reasons some cases will take longer than others to process. It is a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: State Pathology Service (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Office of the State Pathologist carries out work to provide independent expert evidence which may be used in the prosecution of offences such as homicides or in certain cases in inquests held by a coroner. In such cases the report of the pathologist is open to scrutiny. As Minister for Justice and Equality, I have no role in criminal trials or in the running of inquests which are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Legal Costs (21 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the following table. Year Name of Practitioner Total amount paid in euro 2015 McCarter and English LLP 2,931 2015 Margaret O'Driscoll, BL 7,955 2015 Lucy McRoberts, BL 7,995 2015 Emma Doyle, BL 4,307 2015 Sinead Drennan BL 4,612 2015 McDowell Purcell 34,809 2015 Dominic McGinn 92,250 2015 Conor Devally SC 47,047 2015 Jim...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I can assure the Deputy that as part of the Government's response to crime, one of our major objectives is to focus on the key area of strengthening the law to get tougher on serious and repeat offenders. In that context, I published the Bail (Amendment) Bill in December 2016, to provide for stricter bail terms for repeat serious offenders and to strengthen Garda powers to deal with breaches...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I can confirm that no overnight expense for staying in Dublin has been paid from my Department's Vote to a Minister or Minister of State during the period since 2011.

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: This is an operational matter for An Garda Síochána. I expect to have a final report in May.

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: We are still examining legal advice on that Bill. When I have it, I will be in a better position to outline the timeline to the Deputy.

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy knows, a new scheme was announced a number of months ago. I will ask the relevant Minister to communicate with the Deputy on the progress on the scheme at this point. There is a lot of incorrect information going around.

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I understand a lot of work has been done by the Ministers involved. The revised draft guidelines will be going out for public consultation in the near future.

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Every action is being taken by the Minister and the Department of Health to deal with the ever-increasing demand on our health services. I will offer one example. Previously, 25,000 referrals used to be made per month by general practitioners. The figure is now at 35,000 per month for specialist services. People have higher and higher expectations, but of course we are all concerned about...

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Deputy Howlin asked about access to the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court. The Garda associations will meet the working group in the next fortnight to discuss in detail the various issues and the approach. My understanding is that there is no similar legislation planned for PDFORRA or the Defence Forces. Deputy Howlin asked about the particular issue of the payment of...

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, has taken responsibility for the gambling legislation. He is hoping to prioritise it over the next couple of months. He has been meeting the various stakeholders. He is considering certain elements of the legislation that might be brought forward separately because the planned gambling control Bill is rather large. However, I will ask the Minister of...

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will certainly examine the issue in respect of the postal orders. I am unsure why that has happened, but I will check it for the Deputy. The Minister of State, Deputy Ring, was in the House yesterday robustly answering the various queries raised.

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The post office working group, chaired by the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, has looked at models that potentially could expand the role of post offices to act as economic and social hubs in the community. That is what we want to see. The report of the group will be going to Government in several weeks. The Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is willing to...

Leaders' Questions (9 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: With regard to the Bill before the House, the idea of a €1 sanction for the intentional destruction of human life and of a Bill that would take away all discretion from a judge who would be dealing with such matters is not the direction we should go in. I believe that taking away all discretion from a trial judge is completely wrong. I believe that that Bill would protect abusers and...

Leaders' Questions (9 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Let us look at what the Government has done already. The matter has been referred to the Citizens' Assembly. The timeline we are operating to at present is that we will have the report from the Citizens' Assembly in the first half of 2017. It will then be referred to the committee, which will be expected to report back within six months. That is the current timeline that we have, which...

Leaders' Questions (9 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Clearly, there is enormous demand, but there are several other statistics which I have given the Deputy today, such as the €32 million available for the repair and leasing scheme. That will bring back into use 800 vacant properties as new homes for families on local authority waiting lists.