Results 5,541-5,560 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The commission is an expert body that has been brought together to consider the evidence, receive submissions and examine the legal framework nationally and internationally, which we need to do. The commission has been asked to do this work and make recommendations. It is an expert body. I do not accept what the Deputy said about it. It will examine all the evidence and bring it together,...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: On the Deputy's first question about compliance, I am informed that the annual compliance statements have been signed by the agencies. The Department is providing another layer to examine, with external consultants, the area once again. Further work is being done to review the position again. As I said to the Deputy about what he described as overpayments, the Minister for Public...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Reviews of all section 38 providers are being conducted by external consultants. These are under way by the Department of Health at present. The purpose of these reviews is to establish the standard of governance in place in these organisations and to confirm independently the very points raised by the Deputy, that governance practice and procedures accord with those set out in the...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The first point I have to repeat is that there is no completed report at this point. The Minister has not received a report, so the Deputy is operating on the basis of a report in regard to the committee's work, which is not finished. Of course, it will go to the all-party committee on health for discussion when it is available. The Minister has been very keen to show that he wants to work...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: We do not have a national policy in regard to trauma and the management of patients who suffer in this way. This is about giving excellent care to people who find themselves in these circumstances. The report is examining how best to do that. The implementation of the hospital groups provides an opportunity for hospitals to work together to develop an optimal configuration of trauma...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: -----unless by statements in here that raise anxiety unnecessarily.

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The work is ongoing and it will be received. I would also put on the record of the House that the current fragmented arrangements for dealing with trauma in hospitals in Ireland have long been a point of discussion, and trauma services are one of those service areas that require a national policy direction. That is what is being worked on at present. To say anything else, or to say that...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is no draft report that is at present available to the Department. What I can give the Deputy a reassurance about, of course, is that once the report is available, the Minister will make it available to the health committee. It should rightly form part of the discussions at the health committee. In the meantime, as I said, there is no threat to emergency departments. In fact, what...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy is a former Minister for Health and knows that we must examine how trauma patients can best be dealt with. That is what the study is about. It is important not to raise unnecessary anxiety. I have outlined the position in emergency departments. It is not about closing them or diminishing services. Currently, there are no plans to close or remove trauma services from hospitals....

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: That is what we are talking about; that is what the Deputy raised. He then proceeded to talk about the possible closure of other departments, which is not on the agenda, as I have repeatedly said. What is on the agenda is a discussion about the best care to be provided. The report has not yet been received by the Minister. When it is, it will be considered.

Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is important to reassure people that the work which is under way to develop a national trauma policy is about getting the best outcomes for a particular small category of patients who sustain traumatic injuries. The Minister has not yet received that report. It is probable that he will not get it until towards the end of the year. There is no question of closing accident and emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification Policy (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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. In announcing the Programme, the Government recognised the importance of addressing the position of unaccompanied...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Disability Act Employment Targets (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 sets a statutory 3% target for employment in the Public Sector. The National Disability Authority (NDA) reports each year on progress made towards the target. The most recent report published in 2015 shows that at the end of 2014, 3.5% of staff employed in public sector bodies are people with disabilities. This is an increase from 3.4% in 2013 and is the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that section 5(1) of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 states that the principle function of the Legal Aid Board is, inter alia, to provide legal aid and advice in civil cases to persons who satisfy the requirements of the Act. The Board has always interpreted the word ‘persons’ to mean natural persons only and not to include legal persons. Section 29(1) of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to providing investment in CCTV systems at key locations along the road network and in urban centres. I am very conscious of the value that communities, especially rural communities, place on CCTV as a means of deterring crime and assisting in the detection of offenders. With this in mind, I instigated a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the application referred to by the Deputy was received by the Visa Office in Dublin on 09/09/2015. Each case is examined on its individual merits and some cases take longer than others depending on its complexities. A decision will be issued to the applicant in this case as soon as possible. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Consultancy Contracts Data (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated and verified in the Department. The information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Funding (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Generally, such advances automatically occur in respect of a portion of funding when a proposal has been accepted for funding by the EU Commission. Under the current round of EU funding, my Department has received two advance payments from the EU Commission, as follows; European Social Fund (ESF) €1.7m Asylum, Migration & Integration Fund (AMIF) €6.8m It is not...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Agencies Board Appointments (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to advise the Deputy that the information sought regarding the number of positions and vacancies on the Boards and Agencies under the remit of my Department is set out in the following table: Name of Board Number of positions Number of vacancies When vacancy occurred Classification of Films Appeal Board 9 0 n/a Censorship of Publications Board 5 0 n/a Censorship of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Visiting Committees Appointments (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that Visiting Committee members are appointed for a period of three years by the Minister for Justice and Equality under the Prisons (Visiting Committees) Act 1925 and Prisons (Visiting Committees) Order 1925. There are fourteen Visiting Committees in existence – one for each institution. Each Visiting Committee comprises no more than six members, and only...