Results 5,041-5,060 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that it is open to any visa required national to apply for a visa for any purpose.  Each visa application is considered on its individual merits with the Visa Officer having regard to all of the information and documentation available.  The onus rests at all times with the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Disability Act Employment Targets (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 228 together. As the Deputy will be aware, Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 provides for a statutory report on the employment of people with disabilities in the public sector.  This report is compiled by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, from information provided by all public bodies staffed by civil servants, and gives...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the deployment of equipment to members of An Garda Síochána. I have asked the Commissioner for the specific information requested and when I receive it I will write directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 231 together. I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that it is open to any visa required national to apply for a visa for any purpose.  Each visa application is considered on its individual merits with the Visa Officer having regard to all of the information and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: 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 with the final stages of the recruitment process in which candidates are vetted, complete a physical competency...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I refer to your Parliamentary Question No 108 for answer on 7 March 2019. At the time I responded that I would request the information sought by you from an Garda Síochána and that I would write directly to you on receipt of same. I did so at the end of last week. The substance of that response is now repeated below. As you will appreciate, it is solely the Garda Commissioner...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Inspector of Prisons Reports (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy is aware,  the Inspector of Prisons has furnished me with a copy of the report of her investigation, carried out under section 31 of the Prisons Act 2007, into allegations of improper surveillance and other wrongdoing in prisons.   In line with standard practice, I am considering the report in consultation with the Attorney General with a view to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Tribunals of Inquiry (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Disclosures Tribunal was established to inquire into a number of matters relating to allegations of misbehaviour within An Garda Síochána.  The Tribunal is independent and operates under its own rules of procedure and I have no role whatsoever in that regard. Furthermore, it is for the Tribunal alone to decide who should be a party or...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Controls (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will appreciate, every State has a duty to protect its borders and to refuse entry to those persons not entitled to enter the State. This is a fundamental exercise of State sovereignty necessary to protect the security of the State and to prevent illegal immigration. The exercise of powers in this area is subject to the law and respect for individual rights. I would...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Data (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 to 239, inclusive, together. As the Deputy will be aware, the resources provided by Government to An Garda Síochána have reached unprecedented levels, with an allocation for 2019 of €1.76 billion.  Very significant capital investment is also being made in An Garda Síochána, including a total of €46 million...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As outlined in my response to the Deputy in Parliamentary Question 491 of 26 March 2019, my Department wrote to the Garda authorities in February to seek an update on the recent work of An Garda Síochána in tackling knife-related crime, and in particular the progress being made by Gardaí to improve the quality of knife crime...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended.  All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act.  A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy is aware, the manner in which the resources of the Garda Síochána are deployed is solely a matter for the Garda Commissioner and his management team and I, as Minister, have no direct role in this regard. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Private Security Industry Regulation (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Working Group Report, on the regulation of private security firms assisting in enforcing court orders, was published on my Department’s website on Tuesday 9 April.  On that day, the Government endorsed the proposals I brought forward for legislative change. The key recommendation in the report is that the necessary legislative amendments are made to the Private Security...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Prison Service (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that the Human Resource functions for all administrative grades in the Irish Prison Service have transitioned from the Department of Justice and Equality to the Irish Prison Service. Accordingly, I wish to advise that the Personnel Officer for all administrative grades in Irish Prison Service,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child Abduction (16 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 248, inclusive, together. I have sought a report from An Garda Síochána on the matters the Deputy has raised, and I will respond to him when this report is to hand.

Courts (Establishment and Constitution) (Amendment) Bill 2019: Referral to Select Committee (11 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Justice and Equality pursuant to Standing Orders 84A(3)(a) and 149(1).

Seanad: An Bille um an Ochtú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Scaoileadh ar Phósadh) 2016: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Dissolution of Marriage) Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I will check to see who was in the Chair because I am sure that eminent chairperson will, like Senator Higgins, have a recollection of the first time this issue was put to the people back in 1986. Senator Higgins says she was nine.

Seanad: An Bille um an Ochtú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Scaoileadh ar Phósadh) 2016: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Dissolution of Marriage) Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Senator was 11, to be accurate for the record of the House. I remember that campaign quite well and, in particular, an extraordinary incident during its course. I do not wish to digress but I was a keynote speaker on behalf of the newly-formed Divorce Action Group in my constituency of Laois-Offaly on a date between April and June. I believe the referendum was held on 23 or 24 June. I...

Seanad: An Bille um an Ochtú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Scaoileadh ar Phósadh) 2016: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Dissolution of Marriage) Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (11 Apr 2019)

Charles Flanagan: -----as tongue-in-cheek. I recall however - and I say this in the context of all referendums - opinion polls in April and May 1986, which showed that in excess of 60% of the Irish people were in favour of change. When the preferences were counted in June, the percentage in favour had fallen from 61% to 36%. A total of 63% of the electorate rejected the proposition at that time. When we,...