Results 5,561-5,580 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Rights of People with Disabilities (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Programme for Partnership Government contains a commitment to review the role of the National Disability Authority. This is a good opportunity to review the role and functions of the National Disability Authority and to consider whether changes are appropriate in the context of the changes in Irish society and the position of people with disabilities since its establishment in 1999. I...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Rights of People with Disabilities (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: On 21 October 2015, the previous Government published a roadmap to Ireland’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which outlines the considerable legislative changes to be undertaken to enable Ireland to ratify the Convention, along with the estimated deadline of end-2016 for ratification. The Roadmap to Ratification, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Sign Language (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: In 2013 the National Disability Authority facilitated consultations with the Deaf Community in Ireland at my Department's request in relation to actions that could make improvements in the lives of deaf people. Submissions received as part of that process informed the National Disability Strategy Implementation Plan, which was published in July 2013. As part of the follow-up to that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting of Personnel (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to inform the Deputy that there is no question of a generalised delay in the processing of applications for persons who require Garda vetting. I am informed by the Garda Authorities that the current average processing time for vetting applications is four weeks. The primary purpose of the Garda employment vetting service is to seek to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The entitlement to Irish citizenship, as well as the conditions pertaining to a grant of Irish citizenship through naturalisation, are governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. In general a person acquires Irish citizenship through one of the following ways: (i) entitlement to Irish citizenship for certain persons born in the island of Ireland;...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and Districts. 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 use is made of these resources. As the Deputy will be aware, when the financial crisis...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested the required information from the Garda authorities in relation to the matter referred to by the Deputy and will revert to him as soon as I have it to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Garda authorities that investigations into the case referred to are ongoing and it would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to make any more detailed comment on the case. The Deputy will also appreciate that the management of particular Garda investigations is a matter for the Garda authorities in the first instance and I have no direct role in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charities Regulation (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Regulator that this issue has been brought to the Regulator's attention. While it is primarily a matter for the Revenue Commissioners, I understand that the Regulator is prepared to liaise with the Revenue Commissioners and Department of Finance to examine this further, if necessary.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Travel Documents (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned entered the State on 21 January 2001. The person concerned had permission in the State on stamp 1 basis until 19 May 2011. After this date the person concerned had no legal status within the State and in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting of Personnel (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to inform the Deputy that there is no question of a generalised delay in the processing of applications for persons who require Garda vetting. I am informed by the Garda Authorities that the current average processing time for vetting applications is four weeks. The primary purpose of the Garda employment vetting service is to seek to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charities Regulation (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Charities Regulatory Authority ('Charities Regulator') has the power to appoint additional charitable trustees under Section 43 of the Charities Act 1961 as amended by Section 14 of the 1973 Charities Act. The Deputy will be aware that I recently signed the Commencement Order to bring Part 4 of the Charities Act 2009 into effect from 5 September 2016. When Part 4 of the Act comes...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 to 163, inclusive, together. The Deputy will appreciate that management of particular Garda investigations, including the allocation of resources, and the identification of lines of inquiry, are matters in the first instance for the Garda authorities and I have no direct role in this regard. I can, however, assure the Deputy that I am aware of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Common Travel Area (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are no immediate implications for the Common Travel Area (CTA) arising from the UK referendum result. People can still travel as normal between Ireland and the UK, including Northern Ireland. The Common Travel Area has been in existence since 1922. It is an important feature of the close relationship between Ireland and the UK with long-established benefits for trade and tourism...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Communications (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Communications Centre in the Dublin Metropolitan Region is responsible for the management of all emergency calls received to the emergency line-999 within the DMR. The following table represents the number of incidents recorded in the Communications Centre for the Coolock and Raheny areas between 1st January, 2015 and 1st July, 2016: -...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of the official recorded crime statistics, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. I have asked the CSO to forward the available statistics in relation to the information requested directly to the Deputy

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Rehabilitation Programmes (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the service works in collaboration with a range of key statutory and community services to facilitate the effective and safe transition of prisoners from custody to community. The Irish Prison Service works with the Irish Association for the Social Integration of Offenders (IASIO) to provide two prison based operational services, the 'Gate'...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Drug Treatment Services (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been advised by the Irish Prison Service (IPS) that the objective of healthcare within the IPS is to provide prisoners with access to the same quality and range of health services as available to persons entitled to General Medical Services in the community. Any person on committal to prison providing a history of illicit substance misuse and testing positive for opioids is offered...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Closures (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that decisions in relation to Garda station opening hours are a matter for the Garda Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I have however, been advised by the Garda authorities that Templemore Garda Station operates on a 24-hour basis and is not closed at night time. Local Garda management keeps under continuous review the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, the Defence Forces carried out the humane cull of five animals on a farm in Co. Monaghan. It is not correct, as has been alleged, that the cattle were treated inhumanely or that this case involves the operation of debt collectors. This operation was carried out at the request of the Official Assignee in Bankruptcy who is responsible for the herd of cattle on that...