Results 4,521-4,540 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Questions on Proposed Legislation (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is no vacancy in the Court of Appeal. The previous Government established the court and it is doing an outstanding job under its President, Mr. Justice Sean Ryan. It is getting on with its work, as is the Supreme Court. I have made it clear that it is priority legislation which the Attorney General and my Department are working on. We expect to have the heads of Bill in the near...

Questions on Proposed Legislation (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The matter will have to be debated in the House and there will be a vote. It is for the Business Committee to decide when the debate will be taken.

Questions on Proposed Legislation (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is priority legislation and will be published this term.

Questions on Proposed Legislation (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will ask the Minister to speak to the Deputy directly about it.

Questions on Proposed Legislation (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is an operational matter for the Garda Commissioner to decide precisely how she uses the resources available to her. Road safety is a very high priority for the Garda Commissioner and members of the Garda Síochána and everything is being done. I note what the Deputy said about the recent increase in deaths, particularly in deaths of pedestrians and motorcyclists. We must do...

Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: With regard to repeat offenders, I have already brought forward much stronger legislation to provide that those who are involved in serial and repeat burglaries will serve consecutive sentences. I expect that will be, and is being, implemented by the courts. That legislation was passed quickly by the House and received all-party support. I thank Members for that. The bail Bill which will...

Questions on Proposed Legislation (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I expect to publish the heads of the Bill to provide for establishing a new judicial appointments commission this term. Then it will have to proceed to pre-legislative scrutiny and be passed by the House, so it will depend on the arrangements that are made in that regard. Our preference is to make any further judicial appointments when that legislation is in place, but clearly the...

Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Deputy. Gardaí, like so many others in this country, suffered hugely during the period of economic difficulty. There is no question about that. Recruitment and investment were stopped. There was no investment in the resources they needed. There was no investment in IT or Garda vehicles and there was no recruitment. That has had an impact. What this Government, the last...

Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am assured by the Minister and by the HSE that the HSE has not waited for this report to improve any deficiencies identified in child care and disability services and to act on their recommendations. To repeat the point, HIQA now inspects all residential services for disabilities in line with national standards. A national safeguarding committee has been established, which is...

Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The whole question of the standards of care in institutional settings in Ireland historically has been an absolute disgrace and a lot of action has been taken to change that situation in terms of being more child focused, in terms of our new protection standards, in terms of the role of HIQA, the Children First guidelines and establishing an agency with particular responsibility for children...

Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is not tolerable that in Ireland today families and children are living in emergency accommodation. That is why dealing with the housing supply issue and the homelessness facing families is a priority for this Government. That is why we are doubling the resources allocated to deal with this issue next year. These statistics refer to a period just two months before the action plan...

Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I remind the House that there has been a public consultation phase regarding the rental sector. That began on 24 October. It focuses on four key areas: bringing greater tenure in rent certainty to landlords and tenants, maintaining existing levels of rental stock and encouraging investment in additional supply, improving the quality and management of rental accommodation and broadening and...

Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Labour Court is independent and has made it clear that it cannot make a decision on the claim today and that it needs more time. That is the very reason the associations should not go ahead with their planned action tomorrow. Contingency planning is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the first instance. The Government and I have been involved in discussions with the Garda...

Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Deputies are aware that Garda Representative Association officials have been working with the Labour Court and that the Labour Court has said that it will give a decision tomorrow. While we are speaking about the dispute, the Labour Court is meeting the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors to consider its submissions and the official submissions. I still continue to appeal to...

Leaders' Questions (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Let us be clear: if 12,800 gardaí go on strike, there is no contingency plan that can replace that number. We are talking about essential services, keeping our airports and ports open, commerce continuing and responses being made to serious and urgent 999 calls and emergency situations.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Interdepartmental Working Groups (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Interdepartmental Committee on the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was reconvened in September 2014, and met four times to identify all barriers to Ireland’s ratification of the Convention and agree on legislative measures to overcome them. The result of this work was a roadmap to ratification, which was published on 21 October 2015 and which outlines the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Registration Authority Administration (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that the registration of property in the Land Registry is governed by Registration of Deeds and Title Acts 1964 and 2006 and the Land Registration Rules 2012-2013. Section 85 of the Registration of Title Act 1964 as amended by Section 62 of the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006 provides that “Registered land shall be described and identified by reference...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that I remain hopeful that the threatened withdrawal of service and labour by members of An Garda Síochána does not go ahead tomorrow. In any case, as part of the contingency planning that is being put in place the intention is that Garda immigration units will continue to operate.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Report of the Working Group on Improvements to the protection process including Direct Provision and Supports to Asylum Seekers provides a template for the development and improvement of a wide range of services being delivered to those seeking international protection. One of the key recommendations of the Report was the introduction of a single application procedure in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (3 Nov 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was established by Government Decision on 10 September 2015 to focus Ireland’s response to the humanitarian crisis that developed in Southern Europe as a consequence of mass migration from areas of conflict in the Middle East and Africa. Under this programme, the Government has pledged to accept a total of 4,000 persons into the State by...