Results 4,041-4,060 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Business of Select Committee (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Exactly. I mention the Deputy's amendments to make the point that there are real issues of difference here. The Government members of the committee have such issues as well. We are bringing forward our own Bill. We have given priority to the drafting of that Bill in accordance with our own legislative proposals. I have already said, those Government proposals will be subject to...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Business of Select Committee (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I might make one final point, if the Chairman does not mind.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Business of Select Committee (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: A money message is not on the Order Paper today, as I understand it. That is a parliamentary matter. The Bills Office decides on that in contact with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, which then contacts the Taoiseach. That is the how that process works. There is a period of up to ten weeks ahead for private Members' Bills in which a message could be put on the Order Paper.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Business of Select Committee (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: No. I am not in a position to respond any further today. What I saying is that if Deputy O'Callaghan agrees to have pre-legislative scrutiny of both Bills, then the progress of both Bills can be assessed at the time and we can decide as the Bills go under pre-legislative scrutiny what the best way forward is. That will be a matter for discussion within the committee and perhaps between...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Chairman and the committee for making time available today to consider the Supplementary Estimates for An Garda Síochána and the Courts Service Votes. The Supplementary Estimate requirement in respect of the Garda Vote is €10 million and an additional €2 million is required for the Courts Vote in 2016. The additional requirements will be offset by...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Deputy Chambers' first question on the ANPR technology is an operational matter. The ICT funding we allocated would cover that technology if the Garda decided to install it in vehicles. The goal would be to have a fairly comprehensive usage of ANPR technology because it is incredibly helpful in crime detection. I am informed there are some vehicles with that technology installed in every...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I remind the Deputy that I am discussing the 2016 budget, not the budget for 2017. The issue Deputy Chambers refers to will arise obviously next year, but I am discussing the Revised Estimate for 2016. Clearly, the Government intends to move ahead with the recommendations, which we have said we accept. As I said, there will be a whole-of-Government discussion but primarily it will be a...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: No. That is the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The answer to the Deputy's question is that these are not projects which will slip back months and years. For example, the project at Kevin Street is being built a cost of €33.539 million. While there have been various problems with it, the projected completion date is now the second quarter of 2017. It is estimated that the project might slip by six or seven weeks, but it will be...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Part of the budgets for 2016 and 2017 will provide for that type of technology. It is fast-changing and other police forces are using it, for example, to conduct risk assessments when called to a house to deal with domestic violence. However, a number of issues arise. I have discussed the matter with the Garda Commissioner. If new technology can be used, we want to support its...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will see if I can get more detailed data for the Deputy.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: To confirm, this does not involve an extra spend; it is about a reallocation but all within the justice group of Votes. There is no extra money involved. It is about reallocating money from areas in which there has been an underspend and moving it to areas that we have prioritised, for example, ICT and the purchase of Garda vehicles. There was an underspend in the areas I outlined. As...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Law Cases (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 to 47, inclusive, together. 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. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that section 47...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (30 Nov 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 and I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that in regard to the deployment of Garda personnel, a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff Remuneration (30 Nov 2016)

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. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that the Judicial Assistant grade was introduced to support all new Judges...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Closures (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 52 together. The Deputy will be aware that the Government has, in the Programme for a Partnership Government, recognised community policing as the embodiment of An Garda Síochána, providing a means of recognising that every community, both urban and rural, has its own concerns and expectations. It commits the Government to ensuring...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation Refurbishment (30 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that internal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigrant Investor Programme Data (29 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the Immigrant Investor Programme was launched in April 2012. Key to the programme is that applications are good for Ireland, good for jobs and are in the public interest and that the funds invested are legally acquired and owned by the investor (i.e. not borrowed). It is also essential that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commencement of Legislation (29 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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. The Act is being commenced on a phased basis and it is my intention that the new decision-making support options provided for in the Act will be substantially implemented during 2017. New...