Results 2,561-2,580 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Construction Industry (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has not engaged in any construction projects over the past 6 years in which construction inflation has been a factor. However, it is anticipated this issue may become more problematic as the construction industry continues to recover. As the Deputy will be aware, the Office of Public Works acts on behalf of my Department and many of the agencies under its aegis and may be best...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal administers the Scheme of Compensation for Personal Injuries Criminally Inflicted (General Scheme). Under the terms of the Scheme, the Tribunal is entirely independent in the matter of individual decisions on applications for compensation under the Scheme. The following are the annual compensation budgets for each Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Reserve (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that as of 31 January 2017, the latest date for which figures are readily available, the strength of the Garda Reserve is 690 members. The Government is committed to increasing the strength to 2,000 by 2021 and Budget 2017 provides funding for the recruitment of 300 Reserves this year. Uniform costs for the recruitment of an additional 1,800...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have asked the Garda Commissioner for the specific information requested and I will write directly to the Deputy when it is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Civilian Staff (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware the Government has in place a plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. In 2017, funding has been provided for the recruitment of 800 Garda recruits and up to 500 civilians to support the wide ranging reform plan in train in An Garda Síochána....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (7 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 by the Visa Office in Abu Dhabi on 6 October 2015. An appeal was subsequently made and refused on 29 January 2016. This decision was communicated to the applicant. No further applications have been made. If one is made, the applicant should bear in mind...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Maternity Leave (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is no provision under current legislation for additional Maternity Leave in cases of multiple births, nor is such a provision being actively considered. As the Deputy will be aware, since 30 September 2016, new fathers can avail of two weeks' Paternity Leave and Benefit. This legislation, in addition to the existing payment of maternity benefit, means that the State now offers a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probate Applications (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware, the Probate Office is an office of the High Court and management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions under the Courts Service Act 1998. Probate functions are also carried out by County Registrars at District Probate Registries in a number of provincial court offices. However, in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Alcohol Sales Legislation (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The position is that the text of the Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017 is being examined by my Department at present. As I have stated in response to previous Parliamentary Questions on the subject, statutory restrictions relating to the sale of alcohol on Good Friday have historical origins. The forthcoming Sale of Alcohol Bill will update the law relating to the sale, supply and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Reserve (7 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: Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is important at the outset to explain the roles and responsibilities of my Department with regards to the English Language Training (ELT) sector. The sector, which predominantly operates in the commercial sphere, recruits students from a wide range of international markets with a particular focus on students from within the European Union. Students from the European Economic Area (EEA)...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: English Language Training Organisations (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) was introduced on a phased basis from June 2015 with the first phase confined to higher education programmes which had previously been listed on the Internationalisation Register. The next phase took place in January 2016 with english language programmes being listed for the first time. Unannounced inspections of educational providers by the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that Section 17 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that an application for a certificate of naturalisation shall be in the prescribed form and accompanied by the prescribed fee. Both the application form and the required fee are prescribed by the Irish Nationality and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Stardust Fire (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together. The 'Programme for a Partnership Government' committed the Government to have full regard to "...any new evidence which emerges which would be likely to definitively establish the cause of the fire at Stardust". During 2016, there was extensive correspondence between the Stardust Relatives and Victims Committee (‘the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Peace Commissioners Appointments (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that Peace Commissioners are appointed under section 88 of the Courts of Justice Act, 1924. The Office of Peace Commissioner is an honorary appointment and Peace Commissioners receive no remuneration or compensation by way of fees or expenses for their services. An application for appointment may be submitted by a person who is interested in obtaining an appointment...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (7 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 Data (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who 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. 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: Visa Applications (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 136 together. I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 68 of 16 February, 2017 copied below for ease of reference. As I explained then, certain restrictions on consideration of Irish visa applications from residents of Libya have been in place since August, 2014 due to the political and security situation in Libya. In doing so,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 138 together. As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (7 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who 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...