Results 3,961-3,980 of 14,127 for speaker:David Stanton

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (6 Sep 2019)

David Stanton: The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of the Department has considered the request from the person referred to by the Deputy and replied to him on 4th September. The Deputy may wish to note that RIA is currently providing accommodation for approximately 7,241 persons.  The composition of protection applicants requiring RIA accommodation (in terms of ...

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: On that point, I am advised that it is intended that applicants can be represented by both a barrister and a solicitor. Singular references in the Bill can be read to include the plural.

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: I thank the Senator for her amendment. Section 4 deals with the Minister's powers to make regulations under the Act. Section 4(3), which, as the Senator has already pointed out, is a standard provision in legislation, provides that if the Minister wants to use any power to make regulations under the Act, he must lay a copy of that regulation before each House and that, if either House is...

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: I thank Senators Ruane and Black for tabling the amendments. As has been stated, section 12 deals with the circumstances where members of the board are to be removed, disqualified or become ineligible to hold office. Subsection (4) of section 12 provides that a member of the board ceases to be qualified and ceases to be a member of the board if that person is convicted on indictment of an...

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: I thank the Senators for a very interesting debate. The Government is very conscious of the position of victims. Several measures have been taken to support the victims of crime in recent years. We do more than just stand up for victims; we actually act. Senators will be aware of the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 which gave a myriad of rights to victims of crime. All...

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: One could argue that the system, the parole system, works as the Senator indicated. The perpetrator is not free and has served 40 years. I want to put that on the record in case anyone thinks that they were released earlier. I am sure the Senator will acknowledge that. I thank Senator Bacik for pointing out all the careful and expert consideration that has gone into developing the Bill....

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: We are not really dealing with sentencing in the Bill, and perhaps some of the Senators' points can be explored further in the context of Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell's other Bill, which is on Second Stage before this House. The other Bill is not dead, it is very much alive. Parole is a separate matter, although undoubtedly it is related. Section 24 sets out who is eligible for parole....

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: No standing space.

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: The Senator spoke about society getting more violent. We need to look at the underlying causes of that. The Senator mentioned earlier that she works in disadvantaged areas. Many people who are living in disadvantaged areas are not violent and they are not criminals by any means. I am not suggesting that the Senator suggested that.

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: People from the most well-off areas have committed the most heinous crimes as well. We have to see why it is becoming so violent. Somebody said last week that society is almost immune to violence and just asks where today's murder happened. In the past, it was a rare event and it was front page news for a week. Why is this happening? Much research needs to be and is being done on this....

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: On that last point, the period that a child sentenced to life imprisonment spends in a child detention centre does count in determining when they are eligible, but they cannot apply for parole while still a minor. There are other provisions in law that deal with the release of children. I hope this answers the point made by Senator Bacik. With regard to the proposed amendment No. 4,...

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: I understand the underlying rationale of and good intention behind the amendment. Nevertheless, I will point out a few aspects and we might have a discussion about it thereafter. The section deals with the refusal of parole. A decision to refuse must be in writing and include reasons and a date not more than two years later than when he or she will become eligible to be reconsidered for...

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: There is an ambiguity in that regard. It is important that legislation be certain. In the Minister's view, the management of prisoners is, and must remain, a matter for the governor of the prison and the Prison Service., although the prison governor will always take seriously the recommendations of the Parole Board. We must allow for circumstances where, through no fault of the prisoner or...

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: Section 31 deals with the variation of a parole order. This section provides that the board can vary a parole order of its own motion or by an application by the parolee, the Probation Service, the Prison Service, An Garda Síochána, the Minister or any person that the board considers appropriate. A variation will generally be to the conditions attaching to a parole order but it...

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: I wish to reiterate the support of the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, and that of the Government for this Private Members' Parole Bill, which seeks to establish an independent parole board on a statutory footing and sets out the process to be followed by the board in making its decision. The Government decided in April 2017 to support the Bill and has worked extensively with Deputy O'Callaghan...

Seanad: Parole Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: My apologies for coming in again but it would be very remiss of me not to acknowledge the huge hard work done by the officials in my Department on this Bill and the professionalism and dedication they bring to their work, as well as the people in the Office of the Attorney General who are obviously indispensable. I wish to acknowledge that and apologise for not having said it earlier. They...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: I and my colleague Minister Charles Flanagan T.D. have recently approved new standards for direct provision accommodation centres. They were prepared by a Standards Advisory Group, established in 2017 and comprising officials from my Department, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the HSE National Office for Social Inclusion as well as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: My Department, through the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA), has commenced a national procurement programme for accommodation centres for persons entering the state and seeking international protection. This will comprise a series of regional competitions through the Government's procurement website www.etenders.gov.ie . The Department ran a tender competition for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Resettlement Programme (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: In 2015, as part of Ireland's response to the migration crisis in central and southern Europe, the Government established the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP). Under this programme, the Government committed to accepting up to 4,000 people into the State, primarily through a combination of the EU Relocation Programme and the UNHCR's Refugee Resettlement Programme.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Migrant Integration (11 Jul 2019)

David Stanton: As the Deputy is ware, responsibility in relation to the actions of local authorities lay with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have sought the relevant information from the Local Government Management Agency. I am informed that all 31 local authorities, under the Social Inclusion and Community Activation...