Results 5,761-5,780 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commencement of Legislation (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 was signed into law by the President on 30 December 2015 but has not yet been commenced. It was indicated during the debates on the Bill in the Oireachtas that commencement of the Act is planned for the latter half of 2016 and this remains the position. Deputies will appreciate that careful planning and groundwork, and not just funding,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: In my capacity as Minister for Justice and Equality, I have responsibility for equality legislation, which provides for retirement ages in line with the relevant EU Directive provision that differences of treatment on the grounds of age are permissible if, within the context of national law, they are objectively and reasonably justified by a legitimate aim including legitimate employment...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised 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 that Region. The number of incidents recorded in the Communications Centre for the Tallaght and Rathfarnham areas between 1 January 2016 and 31 May 2016 is as follows: Tallaght and Rathfarnham...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Sittings (28 Jun 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, I have had enquiries made and I am informed that the District Court in Tallaght court...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy refers to a case which has been the subject of a review carried out under the Independent Review Mechanism set up by the Government to consider complaints of Garda misconduct received by the Taoiseach and myself. In the case referred to in the Deputy's question, counsel recommended a non-statutory inquiry. I accepted this recommendation and informed the complainant of my...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that I do not have a direct role in relation to the management of particular Garda investigations. To be of assistance I have asked the Garda authorities for a report on the matters referred to and I will contact the Deputy directly when the report is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Disability Act Employment Targets (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Implementation of Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 is monitored on an ongoing basis by the National Disability Authority. The Authority reports each year on progress made towards the current statutory 3% target for employment in the public sector. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Data (28 Jun 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: Garda Deployment (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including both sworn and civilian personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that personnel assignments throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person mentioned by the Deputy was granted permission on 9 July 2011 to allow them to work as a Volunteer in the State. Under the Immigration Arrangements for Lay Volunteers, where permission was granted on or after 1 January 2011, such permission is granted for 12 months at a time for a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015, which completed all stages in the Seanad in January 2016, provides for two new offences of purchasing sexual services, in the context of prostitution. The purpose of these offences is to target the demand for prostitution. The first is a general offence of paying to engage in sexual activity with a prostitute which carries a penalty of a fine of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Anti-Social Behaviour (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised that the Garda authorities engage regularly with local authorities and other relevant bodies, including those referred to, as well as business and community interests in relation to the management of public events, gatherings in public places and the maintenance of public order, including in relation to the misuse of alcohol and under-age drinking. Gardaí also implement...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Private Security Industry Regulation (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Private Security Appeal Board (PSAB) is an independent body established under the Private Security Services Act 2004, as amended, to consider appeals against decisions of the Private Security Authority. It is independent in the performance of its functions in accordance with the Act. I wish to inform the Deputy that the necessary arrangements are currently in train to appoint a new...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed Circuit Television Systems (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to provide investment in CCTV systems 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 review of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. As the Deputy will be aware, when the financial crisis hit, the Government of the time introduced a moratorium on recruitment and the four year National Recovery Plan, published in 2010,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 65 together. I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that it received 6,183 EU1 applications for residence permits by family members of EU citizens exercising free movement rights in 2015 and 2,595 up to 23 June, 2016. Insofar as the current processing time referred to by the Deputy is concerned,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: In September 2015, I published the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015, as approved by Government. The Bill includes wide ranging provisions to enhance the protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation including through more effective targeting of acts of child sexual grooming. When enacted, the Bill will facilitate full compliance with the criminal law provisions of a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continual review taking into account crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources. In regard to the deployment of Garda personnel, a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Section 10 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 provides that any person who, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, by any means including by use of the telephone, harasses another by persistently following, watching, pestering, besetting or communicating with him or her, is guilty of an offence. Harassment is deemed to occur where a person seriously interferes with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (28 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of her identified operational demands and the availability of resources and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I am informed that the number of official Garda vehicles fitted with ANPR as of 1 March for the years 2014 - 2016 is...