Results 2,781-2,800 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Services Regulation (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The investigation of any allegation of criminality is a matter for An Garda Síochána, and my office has no direct role in this regard. The Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 makes it an offence for any person to deliberately withhold information regarding sexual and other serious offences committed against a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am considering amendments to the existing legislation on presumption of paternity within the proposed General Scheme of the Children and Family Relationships Bill which I hope to finalise shortly. I understand that under the current presumptions, particular birth registration difficulties can arise for women who have children with a subsequent partner after the break-up of a marriage, but...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Divisional Headquarters (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The provision of a new Garda Divisional Headquarters in Galway was included in the special Government stimulus package announced in July 2012. It is intended that this project will be delivered by means of a Public Private Partnership and the necessary work involved is being undertaken by the relevant agencies. As the arrangements to be put in place for Public Private Partnerships are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Services Regulation (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011, which has completed Second Stage and is continuing Committee Stage, gives legislative expression to the commitment in the Programme for Government to "establish independent regulation of the legal professions to improve access and competition, make legal costs more transparent and ensure adequate procedures for addressing consumer complaints"....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Bail Provisions (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: A decision to grant bail in a particular case is a matter for the court, which is, subject only to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of its judicial functions. There is a constitutional presumption in favour of bail, since, in the eyes of the law, a person is innocent until proven guilty. The provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights also restrict the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Judicial Working Group (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the new arrangement that the Government has facilitated in the form of a Working Group chaired by the Chief Justice and comprising the Presidents of the Courts and other representative judges. The Attorney General, who has traditionally acted as the formal link with the Judiciary, also attends the Group accompanied by the Secretary General to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sentencing Policy (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy will appreciate, judges are independent in the matter of sentencing, as in other matters concerning the exercise of judicial functions, subject only to the Constitution and the law. The approach of the Oireachtas has generally been to specify in law a maximum penalty for an offence, so that a court, having considered all the circumstances of a case, may impose an appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries Issues (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: Legislation is required in order to implement Judge Quirke's recommendation with regard to the provision of medical services to the women who were admitted to and worked in the relevant institutions. My Department in consultation with the Department of Health are working on the preparation of the necessary legislation. The issue of providing medical services to women, eligible under the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Home Repossession Rate (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: I wish to inform the Deputy that, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the area referred to is in the Coolock Garda District and that local Garda management closely monitor the incidence of burglary in the area and put in place appropriate responses. In that regard I am further informed that Garda data shows a decrease in burglaries in the Coolock Garda District, which includes Dublin 17, in line with the national...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: Following areview of the training for Garda recruits, a revised training programme has been introduced in the Garda College. In light of this and in view of the fact that the existing Garda recruitment panel was approximately five years old, the Commissioner determined, with my consent, that the maximum number of recruits were recruited from that panel. People not called from that panel...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The maximum recruitment age at which candidates may apply to join the Garda Síochána as a full time member is set by regulation at not more than 35 years. The current maximum age applies without discrimination to everyone, including members of the Garda Reserve, and I have no plans to change it. This upper age limit of 35 was set having regard to equality legislation and also...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The person concerned entered the State on 27th December, 2007 and was granted permission to remain until 7th February, 2012, on student conditions. The person concerned was granted permission to remain, again on student conditions, for a further period of six weeks, valid to 9th September, 2013, in order to finalise his affairs in the State and to leave the State by that date. The person...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Subsidiary Protection Applications (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The person concerned is a failed asylum applicant. Arising from the refusal of his asylum application, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned was notified, by letter dated 14th May, 2009, that the then Minister proposed to make a Deportation Order in respect of him. He was given the options, to be exercised within 15...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charitable Donations Administration (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The proportion of each charitable donation that may be applied by the recipient charity to administration costs is not set in regulations. The Charities Act 2009 is intended to increase transparency and accountability across the Charities Sector, including through the introduction of new reporting requirements for charities once the Act is in force. Under Section 52 of the Charities Act,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Subsidiary Protection Applications (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The person concerned is a failed asylum applicant. Arising from the refusal of her asylum application, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned was notified, by letter dated 28th February, 2011, that the then Minister proposed to make a Deportation Order in respect of her. She was given the options, to be exercised...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that prior to the introduction of incapacitant spray into An Garda Síochána detailed research was conducted, with appropriate qualified experts, into the effects of the spray on individuals who are under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The findings of this research were incorporated into the Garda Policy on the Use of Incapacitant Spray...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Order Offences (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am, of course, concerned about the incidence of all crime, and violent crime in particular. However, I must draw the Deputy's attention to the official recorded crime statistics, published by the Central Statistics Office, which show reductions in 12 out of the 14 categories for which figures are given in the twelve months ending 30 June 2013. In relation to concerns about street crime the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: UN Conventions Ratification (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Government intends to proceed to ratification of the Convention as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to ensure that all necessary legislative and administrative requirements under the Convention are being met. As the Deputy may be aware, Ireland does not become party to treaties until it is first in a position to comply with the obligations imposed by the treaty in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Order Offences (10 Dec 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Dublin City Centre Policing Plan, which is a high visibility Policing Plan for the Dublin Garda Region including Dublin City Centre, has been operational since June 2013. I am further informed that a specific plan is in place in the Dublin City area, including the Temple Bar area, which provides dedicated high visibility patrols on key...