Results 3,741-3,760 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The position is that the Programme for Government contains a series of commitments in relation to housing, including a commitment to keeping families in their homes and avoiding repossessions as far as possible; establishment of a new national service to standardise supports available to borrowers in mortgage arrears; establishment of a dedicated new court to handle mortgage arrears and other...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the decision by Garda Representative Association and Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors members to accept the recommendation of the Labour Court which sought to address the concerns that have been articulated in relation to their pay and conditions, the pay and conditions of new recruits, and their access to the statutory dispute resolution bodies. The Government...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (13 Dec 2016)

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. An application for naturalisation from the person concerned was deemed ineligible as the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Considerable progress has already been made to overcome the remaining legislative barriers to Ireland's ratification of the Convention. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 was signed into law on 30 December 2015 and is a comprehensive reform of the law on decision-making capacity. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 passed Committee Stage in the Dáil on 7 December...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Passport Services (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to has been granted temporary permission to remain in the State following consideration of his or her case pursuant to Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended. The person concerned was refused an Irish travel document by decision dated 22nd November 2016 which issued to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Eligibility (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, sets out the law governing citizenship of Ireland. The Act distinguishes between the entitlement to citizenship by birth and descent and to the acquisition of citizenship through the naturalisation process. In relation to citizenship through birth in the island of Ireland where the child is born to non-nationals, the Act...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Photography costs were incurred by my Department in the relevant years, as follows: Year Cost 2011 €1,841.93 2012 €1,446.70 2013 €2,089.39 2014 €966.78 2015 €1,222.62 2016 €2,486.47 I can inform the Deputy that photographic services are only used by my Department to mark and provide a record of significant occasions. Consideration is given at...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Consultancy Contracts Data (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table: Year Title of Report Name of Consultancy Cost of Report Publication Date 2011- 2015 Annual Review of Garda Investigative Interview Training for the Smyth Committee (which is charged with developing proposals on Garda interviewing of suspects) Professor Gisli Gudjonsson and Dr John Pearse of Forensic Navigation...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Relations Contracts Data (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is my Department's policy to use in-house resources as much as possible and to restrict the use of external support to a minimum. My Department has not incurred any cost in relation to the provision of public relations services since March 2011.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Tribunals of Inquiry Data (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 to 90, inclusive, together. I can inform the Deputy that inquiries by the Criminal Assets Bureau are continuing at this time arising from the referral of the reports of the Moriarty and Mahon Tribunals to the Criminal Assets Bureau. The Deputy will appreciate that the deployment of personnel within the Bureau is primarily a matter for the Chief...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 to 94, inclusive, together. The Deputy will appreciate that the manner in which Garda resources, including personnel, are deployed is an operational matter for the Garda Commissioner and her management team and I have no function in this regard. Similarly, investigations into the matters referred to by the Deputy are properly dealt with by An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (13 Dec 2016)

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: Ministerial Correspondence (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will wish to be aware that access for all staff to web based emails is restricted by security infrastructure deployed by the Department of Justice and Equality. The Department provides a secure remote access service to staff who require access to Departmental emails and other applications outside of work hours. I use my Departmental email address to conduct official business...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Recruitment to An Garda Síochána is governed by the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013. The Public Appointments Service (PAS), on behalf of the Garda Commissioner, manages the initial recruitment stages for selection of Garda Trainees and I, as Minister, have no direct involvement in the matter. I have, however, been informed that PAS, which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Data (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the number of persons that have been naturalised from 2000 to 2016 to date is 128,500 approximately. I am also informed that the retrieval and compilation of the information requested by the Deputy for the complete period in question would necessitate a disproportionate use of time and resources...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (13 Dec 2016)

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: Garda Industrial Relations (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the decision by Garda Representative Association and Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors members to accept the independent recommendation of the Labour Court which sought to address the concerns that have been articulated in relation to their pay and conditions, the pay and conditions of new recruits, and their access to the statutory dispute resolution bodies. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: In exceptional circumstances, such as an immediate risk to a person's welfare and safety, it is already possible for Gardaí to provide appropriate information regarding a sex offender to the public. Currently, this is done on an administrative basis but these arrangements are to be put on a statutory footing in a Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill which will be published next year.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid Service (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Work on the drafting of a Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Bill is at an advanced stage in my Department. The key purpose of the legislation is to transfer the administration of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme to the Legal Aid Board and to give effect to Government Programme commitments in respect of criminal legal aid, including introducing a more rigorous and objective means testing system for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid Service (13 Dec 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to examine the feasibility of a new Public Defender system. The necessary work to give effect to this commitment is under way in my Department. In particular, the Department is in contact with relevant agencies and work on the research and review of a Public Defender system, including previous reports in the matter and the...