Results 2,661-2,680 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Accommodation Standards (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that with the construction of a new prison in Cork, which opened on 12 February 2016, and the refurbishment of Mountjoy prison, 98.7% of prisoners now have access to in-cell sanitation. On 27 June 2016, I launched the Irish Prison Service’s Capital Strategy 2016-2021. This ambitious programme will see the complete replacement of the outdated accommodation in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service Strategies (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the implementation of the Families and Imprisonment Strategy is progressing as planned. The Irish Prison Service Strategic Plan sets out the commitment of the Irish Prison Service to strengthen family supports to facilitate on-going contact with prisoners while in custody and their reintegration post release, with appropriate supports and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoners Temporary Release (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to advise the Deputy that the legislation governing the powers of the Minister to grant temporary release is provided for in section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act 1960 as substituted by section 1 of the Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act 2003 and as amended by section 110 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which grants the Minister for Justice the power to make rules...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Rehabilitation Programmes (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the service is committed to managing custodial sentences in a way which encourages and supports prisoners in their endeavouring to live law abiding and purposeful lives as valued members of society. In order to achieve this aim the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service have a multi-agency approach involving considerable resources devoted...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probation and Welfare Service Data (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The following table sets out the Probation Service's budget and the number of offenders that it dealt with in the community for the years 2011 to 2017. Year Budget Provision €000 Number of offenders dealt with in the community 2017 €46,245 --- 2016 €38,963 14,900* 2015 €38,326 14,927 2014 €37,295 15,134 2013 €38,119 15,984 2012...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence contains a range of legislative and administrative actions aimed at combatting domestic and sexual violence and its implementation is a priority for my Department. The strategy is a whole of Government approach, involving seven Government Departments and a number of State bodies, including Tusla and An Garda...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: A second Sexual Assault and Violence in Ireland study (SAVI 2) would show the prevalence of and attitudes to sexual violence and elucidate how the experience has changed since SAVI 1. The overall cost of a report is likely to be in the order of €1 million over three years. A formal proposal submitted by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre recognised that, given the significant budget,...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: This question relates to the proposals put forward by Mr. Justice Quirke in his 2013 report following from the earlier publication of the report of an Inter-Departmental Committee, chaired by then Senator Martin McAleese, which had been set up to establish the facts of the State's involvement with the Magdalen Laundries. The principal outcome of the Quirke report was the setting up of the...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 outlines a positive duty on public bodies to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality and protect the human rights of staff and the persons to whom services are provided. It also requires public bodies to carry out an assessment of the human rights and equality issues relevant to their...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware, the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 was signed into law on 30 December 2015. The Act provides a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity difficulties and is being commenced on a phased basis. It is intended that significant progress will be made in 2017 on the implementation of the new decision-making support...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the information requested by the Deputy and I will contact the Deputy directly upon receipt of the relevant information.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that based on current staffing figures, the additional annual salary cost to my Department of implementing a living wage of €11.50 per hour is estimated to be €1,085,377.71 for 344 staff. These figures include bodies under the aegis of my Department with the exception of An Garda Síochána. I have asked An Garda Síochána to provide...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: On 8December 2016, the European Commission issued a Recommendation to Greece proposing the gradual resumption of transfersto Greece under the Dublin Regulation. The gradual nature reflects the ongoing migratory pressures faced by Greece and the challenges which still exist in the Greek asylum system, particularly in relation to reception conditions, the treatment of vulnerable applicants and...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I understand that the Deputy's question relates to an EU Free Movement application. I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that there is a significant caseload on hands across a number of EU Treaty Rights processing streams. INIS endeavours to process all such applications within the six month statutory timeframe as set out under the...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by officials in the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of my Department that the new Appointment Management System (AMS) was introduced in September 2016. Since then, over 42,000 appointments have been made. This system brought an end for the need for customers to queue at the Burgh Quay offices for registration purposes. The autumn is the busiest period in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (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: Protected Disclosures (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions, which include the provision of information on the courts system. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that the remit...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person in question made an application for Family Reunification in respect of her parents in October 2016. The application is currently being processed in accordance with the provisions of the Refugee Act 1996, (as amended). Cases for family reunification are dealt with in strict chronological...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (28 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, last Thursday, Minister of State Stanton and I published a report showing further significant progress in implementing the recommendations of the Report of the Working Group on Improvements to the Protection Process including Direct Provision and other supports for asylum seekers. A total of 121 of the recommendations are now implemented, with a...