Results 2,861-2,880 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Establishment of a Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I thank all Deputies, particularly those Deputies that are supporting the approach I have taken to the terms of reference. I have attempted to make them inclusive of the concerns people have identified to me in the various submissions I received from the various parties, Independents and other people. It was extremely helpful to have the level of detail...

Establishment of a Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: It was €1 million.

Establishment of a Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: They have been published.

Establishment of a Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move:"That Dáil Éireann: — bearing in mind the serious public concern about allegations that senior members of An Garda Síochána sought to discredit Sergeant Maurice McCabe because of complaints he made about the performance of An Garda Síochána; — noting the Protected Disclosure that was made by Superintendent David Taylor to the Minister for...

Seanad: Establishment of a Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Senators for being here, the contributions that have been made and making time available this evening. I was in the Dáil earlier, but I am very glad to be in the Seanad this evening. I have a list of the various questions raised. The first thing I want to say is just how serious an issue this is. I gather quite a number of Senators have addressed this point. The fact that we...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Partnership Government states that "Long durations in direct provision are acknowledged to have a negative impact on family life. We are therefore committed to reforming the Direct Provision system, with particular focus on families and children."I can therefore assure the House and the Deputy that the rights and needs of children are at the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Policing Authority (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The establishment of the new Policing Authority has been both a welcome and, I think, necessary addition to the policing landscape in the State. It has brought a dedicated layer of public accountability to the operation of policing services and it represents one of the most significant and progressive reforms to the justice sector over recent years. Indeed, the recent transfer of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems Provision (16 Feb 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. Indeed, as far back as 2005, my Department launched a Community-based CCTV Scheme to provide financial assistance to qualifying organisations towards meeting the capital costs associated with the establishment of local...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries Report (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Magdalen Laundries Restorative Justice Ex Gratia Scheme was initiated following the publication of the report in February, 2013 of an Inter-Departmental Committee set up 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 McAleese report. The material in the Report relates to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Districts (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the Government, in its Programme for a Partnership Government, identified community policing as the embodiment of An Garda Síochána. Community policing provides a means of recognising that every community, both urban and rural, has its own concerns and expectations. The Programme for Government commits the Government to ensuring visible, effective and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Districts (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the Government, in its Programme for a Partnership Government, identified community policing as the embodiment of An Garda Síochána. Community policing provides a means of recognising that every community, both urban and rural, has its own concerns and expectations. The Programme for Government commits the Government to ensuring visible, effective and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda equipment and resources are a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Síochána Modernisation and Renewal Programme 2016-2021 is intended to professionalise, modernise and renew An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probate Applications (16 Feb 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: Immigration Policy (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Before the migrant crisis escalated, my predecessor introduced a Syrian Humanitarian Admissions Programme (SHAP) subject to certain conditions, including economic dependency, being met. This was superseded by the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) which allows for Syrians and other nationalities to benefit from resettlement and relocation schemes, and offers them protection in Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Brexit Issues (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Maintaining the Common Travel Area (CTA) is one of the four headline priorities for Ireland following the UK departure from the EU. The Common Travel Area has been in existence since Irish independence. It allows freedom of travel between the two jurisdictions for Irish and UK citizens, and provides for largely reciprocal benefits of citizenship, in terms of entitlements to reside, work...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (16 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: Garda Investigations (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have sought a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the matter in question and I will respond directly to the Deputy when the report is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: To coincide with the first anniversary of the publication of the McMahon Report on June 30, 2015, an audit of progress on the implementation of the recommendations was compiled. When Minister Stanton and I published this audit of progress, I gave a clear commitment that the process of implementation would continue, and I was pleased to note the considerable progress made at that stage. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences Data (16 Feb 2017)

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

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (16 Feb 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Action Number 76 of the Government's Action Plan for Rural Development, "Realising Our Rural Potential", published on 23 January 2017, provided a commitment to conduct a revaluation of commercial properties in nine rural counties to ensure fairness and equity in the levying of commercial rates on business with a view to rolling out to further counties in 2017. The Valuation Office is...