Results 4,901-4,920 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Disability Act Employment Targets (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 provides for a public sector employment quota of 3%. The Act also allows each Minister to expand the range of positive actions which public bodies can take for the employment of people with disabilities, and gives the National Disability Authority a special role in monitoring compliance and ensuring implementation. However the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Sector Staff Retirements (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the table and is in respect of retirement lump sums administered by my Department in respect of An Garda Síochána and the National Disability Authority. € 2013 2014 2015 0 - 5,000 1 0 0 5,000 - 10,000 0 1 1 10,000 - 15,000 1 3 2 15,000 - 20,000 3 3 4 20,000 - 25,000 2 5 3 25,000 -...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the processing of the application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy is under consideration and has not yet reached a conclusion. As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am aware of the recent announcement that France plan to close the unofficial migrant camp at Calais by the end of this year and that this is being done to protect the security of the people of Calais, to maintain public order and to ensure dignified conditions for the migrants and refugees currently living in the Calais camp, including unaccompanied minors. The ongoing migration crisis...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Communications (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware I have acknowledged receipt of the representation from him on behalf of the person referred to in his Question. In view of the matter raised, it was necessary to seek information from the Garda Commissioner in order to be in a position to respond appropriately. I will respond to the Deputy following the receipt of the relevant information from the Commissioner.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Work Permits Eligibility (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned arrived in the State on 10 August 2000. They were in possession of a Work Permit (Stamp 1) almost continuously until 31 December 2010. The person concerned did not register again until 6 September 2015 when they were issued permission under the Reactivation of Work...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification Policy (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Dublin III Regulation (EU) No. 604/2013) came into effect on 1st January 2014 replacing the earlier Dublin II Regulation. While family reasons are provided for under certain articles of the Dublin Regulation, its primary purpose is not family reunification which my Department deals with under separate legislation such as the Refugee Act 1996. The Dublin Regulation determines the country...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification Data (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that each application under Family Reunification under Section 18 of the Refugee Act is investigated by the Office of the Refugee Application Commissioner. In general, reasons for refusing a family reunification applicationinclude failure to establish identity, failure to establish a family link between...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised that the prisoner population, attendance and staff assigned can change on a daily basis. For the purposes of the information provided in this reply the data used is correct as of the 4 October 2016. Number in custody in Mountjoy prison 477 Number of staff operating in Mountjoy prison 474.5 The number of staff on maternity leave 3 The number of staff rostered for duty and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Staff (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The total number of prisoners in custody in the Irish Prison Service on 30 September 2016 was 3643. The total number of prison grade staff in prisons on the same date was 2772.5 (whole time equivalents). This equated to a ratio that day between staff in prisons and prisoners of 0.76:1. From an operational perspective, staffing is based on the security and operational needs of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I have previously outlined before the House, the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 makes extensive provision in Part 10 for a new and enhanced legal costs regime that will bring greater transparency to how legal costs are charged along with a better balance between the interests of legal practitioners and those of their clients in this area. Part 10 of the Act is divided into five...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Controls (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned made an application for De Facto Partner Permission. It was received on 04/08/2016 and was acknowledged by letter to the applicant on 09/08/2016. The Deputy may wish to note that applications of this type can take up to 6 months to be processed and that INIS is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned submitted an application for De Facto Partner Permission on 20/07/2016 and that an acknowledgement letter was issued on 28/07/2016. The Deputy may wish to note that applications of this type can take up to 6 months to be processed and that INIS is currently dealing with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 87 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including Gardaí, among the various Garda Divisions and Districts 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 89, 93 and 94 together. The Deputy will appreciate that the Office of Public Works has primary responsibility for the provision and refurbishment of Garda accommodation and I, as Minister, have no direct role in these matters. As the Deputy will be aware, a major refurbishment of Donegal Town Garda station is envisaged under the Garda Building...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting Applications (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that there is no particular delay in the Garda employment vetting process; rather there has been a very significant improvement in vetting processing times in recent months. I am informed by the Garda authorities that at present 80 percent of vetting applications are processed by the Garda National Vetting Bureau in under five working days. This...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation Provision (5 Oct 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 at...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation Provision (5 Oct 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 there...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (5 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: In relation to the holding of an inquest, the Deputy may be aware that, under the Coroners Act 1962, as amended, a coroner is a statutory officer exercising quasi-judicial functions, in relation to which he or she is independent. A Coroner is responsible for the scheduling and conduct of inquests in his or her district and it is not open to me, as Minister, to intervene in this regard. ...

Criminal Justice (Aggravation by Prejudice) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (4 Oct 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Deputies Margaret Murphy O'Mahony and Fiona O'Loughlin for introducing this Bill. No one could disagree with the purpose of the Bill which aims to ensure that where an offence is committed against a person that is motivated by prejudice or hate relating to the victim's race, colour, ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identification, motivation will be taken...