Results 5,481-5,500 of 14,127 for speaker:David Stanton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: I thank Deputy Wallace for a comprehensive series of questions and points. As I indicated, this is a global issue. I have met people from different parts of the world, including from Central America, the African sub-continent and further afield, and this is a major issue. The Deputy is correct to describe it as global in nature. The first point Deputy Wallace raised related to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: Under the relocation and resettlement programmes, there have been 630 refugees brought in to date. That is the number of people we have at the moment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: Yes. On the Calais situation, when the decision was taken in the Dáil, the French authorities had already moved people from Calais to accommodation located across France. The officials from my Department and that of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs have engaged with the NGOs who raised this matter with us. I have met some of the NGO representatives as well. We have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: We have been engaging with the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland on this issue and it has amended some of its original suggestions on that basis. We will continue to engage with it. If there are undocumented people of whom colleagues are aware, they can draw our attention to them on a case-by-case basis and we will examine them. If members have the names of anyone in Calais, which the Deputy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: A number of issues arise. There were many questions and comments and I will probably need an hour, or perhaps more, to answer all of them. On direct provision, most countries in the world face policy challenges posed by undocumented migrants. There is no doubt about that. We must try to do what is best for our country and for Irish citizens abroad. As I stated, there have been a number...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: Deputy Clare Daly mentioned fostering. Where a vulnerable child is brought to Ireland, it is important that he or she be placed appropriately. This committee would be really cross with us if we did not vet families properly and if they did not receive some training. We are talking about children from a different culture, not just about fostering an Irish child, so training, orientation and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: The Chairman has raised a lot of issues. With respect to the first point about the time spent in direct provision, I do not want to see persons residing in the State-provided accommodation for long periods. The McMahon working group did recognise that length of stay is a key challenge to be addressed in the asylum process. The implementation of the International Protection Act 2015 will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: It depends on what definition is used.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: The definition used by Ireland is five, from Greece.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: Yes. We are hoping, and trying, to up that number all the time. Tusla has gone to Athens on a number of occasions to interview them. An unaccompanied minor is a child who is totally on his or her own. Tusla has gone to the area to assess the situation and will continue to do so. We have committed to taking in 20 unaccompanied minors and we will continue to work on that. As I have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: I thank the Chairman and the members of the committee for the constructive interaction. I reciprocate by wishing all the members the compliments of the season, a happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous new year. Officials in the Department work very hard and ceaselessly to try to do the best they can with regard to the issues raised. I look forward to further engagements with the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Anti-Racism Measures (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: I am of course concerned about any level of racist incidents and particularly racist crime and can assure the Deputy that An Garda Síochána monitors this type of crime very carefully. The Deputy will appreciate that the specific investigative strategies which may be deployed in relation to such crimes are a matter for the Garda authorities in the first instance. It is of course...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Resettlement Programme (14 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was established by Government Decision on 10 September 2015 as a direct 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 the end of...

Courts Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: The objective of the scheme is to ensure that persons at risk of losing their homes due to mortgage arrears can access independent expert financial and legal advice that will help them to identify the best options for returning to solvency, with priority given to remaining in their homes where that is a sustainable option. It aims, in particular, to reach those in arrears of more than two...

Courts Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: I thank the Deputies for tabling these amendments and for their initial contributions on the first three amendments. I am afraid I cannot accept any of these amendments and I wish to give reasons. Amendment No. 4 proposes to insert a new subsection (2B) into section 67 of the Valuation Act 2001. The proposal appears to be based on a misunderstanding of the purpose of that Act and the...

Courts Bill 2016: Order for Report Stage (13 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Courts Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: I move amendment No. 1:In page 4. line 6, to delete "passing of this Act" and substitute "commencement of this section". The Minister has tabled these amendments as a consequence of the deletion of sections 1 to 3, inclusive. These sections had been drafted to deal with the implications of the Court of Appeal ruling in the Langan case. The Bill, as initiated, was intended to come into...

Courts Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: I move amendment No. 2:In page 4, line 32, to delete "passing of this Act" and substitute "commencement of this section".

Courts Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: I move amendment No. 3:In page 5, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following:"(4) This section shall come into operation on such day as the Minister for Justice and Equality may by order appoint.".

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision Data (13 Dec 2016)

David Stanton: I am advised that there are just under 850 children aged ten years or under currently residing with their families in State provided accommodation.