Results 2,621-2,640 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Facilities (1 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the current staffing requirement of the work training area of Cork prison is 31, with 26 posts currently filled, giving rise to a staff shortfall of 5 in this area. The opening of the new prison in Cork resulted in a significant change in the profile of staffing grades required to operate the new prison, with a focus on the provision of Work...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (1 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Passport Applications (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The issuing of Irish passports is a matter for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is based on the person being an Irish citizen. In this regard, I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation under the details as provided by the Deputy. A determination on...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Resettlement Programme (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was established by Government Decision on 10 September 2015 as a direct response to the migration crisis that had developed on the southern shores of the European Union. Under this Decision a programme office was established in my Department to oversee the operational aspects of the programme, which aims to bring in 4,000 vulnerable asylum...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 98 to 101, inclusive, together. I am informed by An Garda Síochána that a National Audit commenced in June 2016 into all the data recorded on the Garda PULSE system relating to the number of roadside breath tests conducted at Mandatory Alcohol Testing Checkpoints (MAT Checkpoints). This Audit covered the period 1 January 2009 to 30 June...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charities Regulation (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that the association referred to is a registered Irish Charity, which was deemed registered on 16 October 2014 because it held a charitable tax exemption on this date, in accordance with Section 40 of the Charities Act 2009. A "deemed" charity remains registered with the Charities Regulatory Authority ('Charities Regulator') for so long as this tax exemption with the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Tribunals of Inquiry Reports (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95, 160 and 161 together. The Deputy will be aware that the respective reports of the Moriarty Tribunal and the Mahon Tribunal made a number of recommendations which related to the responsibilities of different Government Departments. The Deputy will also be aware that any criminal investigations into the matters referred to are properly dealt with by An...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Civilian Staff Data (28 Feb 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the appeal referred to was received by the Visa Office in Abu Dhabi and is now awaiting examination by the Visa Appeals Officer. The documentation submitted with the original application and any additional documentation provided with the appeal will be considered. It is expected that a decision...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that in October 2014 the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on request from my Department, circulated an information note on the Magdalen Laundries Restorative Justice Ex Gratia Scheme through their embassies around the world to the local Irish communities. My Department is satisfied that an information note is still up to-date and does not see the need to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes is a matter which comes under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and my Department has not issued any alerts to Irish embassies on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that, in response to a notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned has not submitted written representations. The position in the State of the person concerned will now be decided by reference to the provisions of Section 3 (6) of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the visa application was received by the Visa Office in Dublin on 9 January 2017. A decision was made on 22 February 2017 and the applicant has been informed. The Deputy may wish to note that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the investigation of criminal offences is a matter for the Garda Síochána. A person who has concerns about the response to a crime that they have reported, may wish to raise this with their local Garda Superintendent or with the local Garda Victim Service Offices which are located in every Garda Division, the contact details of which are available on the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Freedom of Information Data (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department has not incurred any legal fees in relation to Freedom of Information requests for the time frame specified. Dealing with Freedom of Information is part of the daily work of staff across my Department so the time spent processing such requests is not recorded separately.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 167 together. I refer the Deputy to my responses to Questions 112 and 113 of Tuesday 21 February 2017, and to Questions 86, 87, 88, 89 and 102 of Thursday 23 February 2017, in which I explained the background to the issue of the Application for International Protection Questionnaire (Form IPO 2) and dealt comprehensively with the issue of the time...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Restorative Justice (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 to 116, inclusive, together. The Magdalen Laundries Restorative Justice Ex Gratia Scheme was set up following the publication of the report in February, 2013 of an Inter-Departmental Committee to establish the facts of the State's involvement with the Magdalen Laundries. It was chaired by then Senator Martin McAleese and it is commonly referred to as the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Staff (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is 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 be of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child and Family Agency Services (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that the Disclosures Tribunal, with Mr Justice Peter Charleton as its Sole Member, has now commenced its work. Among the matters it has been asked to investigate are: 'the creation, distribution and use by TUSLA of a file containing false allegations of sexual abuse against Sergeant Maurice McCabe...' and contacts between members of An Garda Síochána and,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Bereavement Grant Applications (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can confirm to the Deputy that I received correspondence from the family of the person to whom the Deputy refers. In light of the unique circumstances of this case I asked my Department to review the matter. That process of review has been concluded and I am currently in direct communication with the family concerned in this regard.