Results 5,841-5,860 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Defence: EU Presidency Agenda (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 96 together. The EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy forms an integral part of the Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. In the area of Common Security and Defence Policy, the role of the Presidency is now limited to supporting the High Representative and the European External Action Service in this regard. However, that said,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Archives (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The mission of the Military Archives is to acquire, preserve and make available to the public the documentary heritage of the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence. The Military Archives also provides advice and other services to the Defence Organisation, assisting in the administration and management of its records. From as early as 1924, the Defence Forces undertook to preserve...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: EU-IMF Programme of Support Issues (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: In the context of the very serious economic crisis that this country is experiencing, all elements of Defence expenditure have been critically reviewed in order to deliver savings. The required savings of recent years, in both pay and non-pay, have necessitated a flexible and adaptive approach from the Defence Organisation. A key focus has been the prioritisation and maintenance of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Secretary General of NATO, Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, visited Dublin on the 12th and 13th February this year. He did so at the invitation of the EU High Representative and myself to participate in the informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers which was held at Dublin Castle, as part of Ireland’s EU Presidency. During his visit Mr. Rasmussen expressed his appreciation for the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98,100 and 109 together. A Seminar titled “Challenges and Opportunities in Maritime Security and Surveillance for Effective Governance and Innovation in the EU’s Maritime Domain” was hosted in April. High level representatives from the European Commission, European External Action Service, the European Defence Agency, NATO and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Emergency Planning (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capacity of the Defence Forces is maintained to the greatest extent possible. Whilst the Defence Forces are not a Principal Response Agency, as defined in the Framework for Major Emergency Management, they provide the fullest possible assistance to the appropriate Lead Department in the event of a natural disaster or...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 104 together. Seven (7) members of the Permanent Defence Force continue to serve with ISAF which was established under Security Council Resolution 1386 on 20 December 2001. Planning for the drawdown of ISAF generally is currently ongoing and the withdrawal of the Defence Forces personnel from the mission will be coordinated within the context of the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103, 105 and 306 together. I also met with Major General Iqbal Singh Singha of India, the Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). I was briefed on security issues in that area, especially the growing risks flowing from instability in Syria and the impact of the refugee crisis in the region. I was also...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Value for Money Reviews (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: Arising from the implementation of the recommendations of the VFM Review of the Reserve Defence Force, direct expenditure on the Reserve will reduce to €11 million in 2013. This reduction has arisen largely due to the PDF Cadre support staff being reduced to 57. The budget for Reserve training activity is €3.243 million for 2013. In order to sustain a Reserve Force at...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting Applications (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda Authorities that no vetting application has been received in respect of the individual concerned. In the circumstances, I can only suggest that the person contacts the registered organisation involved.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Personal Insolvency Act (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Personal Insolvency Act 2012 does not require that a person's employment be affected by entering into an insolvency arrangement. However, certain professions may be governed by bodies where personal finances may be subject to regulation requirements. Therefore, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the possible consequences of a person entering into an insolvency arrangement....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Coroners Service (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: Under the Coroners Act, 1962, a Coroner is a statutory officer exercising quasi-judicial functions in relation to which he/she is independent and neither I nor my Department has any role in the coronial process. I understand that many factors influence the time it takes for post-mortem reports to be received by a Coroner from the pathologist concerned. In this particular case, I am advised...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: DNA Database (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Bill, which is included in the Government Legislation Programme for this term, will provide for the establishment of a DNA database to serve as a source of high quality intelligence for criminal investigations. Work on the preparation of the legislation is well advanced but has been delayed due to the need to address some...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that there is no legal requirement for members of An Garda Síochána to use marked vehicles when conducting speed enforcement, or that the vehicles be visible to oncoming traffic. As a matter of Garda policy safety camera vans operated by the outsource service provider, GoSafe, are fully marked when enforcing speeding offences. I am further...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Staff (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 283 together. Legislation to set up the new Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) is expected to be published before the end of the summer term and, in the meantime, the members of the new Commission will take up their positions on the two existing bodies that are being merged, the Equality Authority and the Human Rights Commission....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Supreme Court Rulings (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Supreme Court in its judgment in Fleming v Ireland and Others (delivered on 29 April last) upheld the constitutionality of section 2(2) of the Criminal Law (Suicide) Act 1993. Section 2(2) provides for the offence of assisted suicide. While acknowledging the tragic situation of the appellant, the Court held that there is no constitutional right to commit suicide or to arrange for the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Statistics (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that it is not possible to provide the number of individual reports taken by Gardaí relating to charitable clothes bins across the State as they are not recorded on PULSE in a specific incident type. I am further informed that each offence would have to be examined manually to identify if it related to a clothes bank or not and would require a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Statistics (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The General Crime Counting Rules and the Technical Notes referred to in my reply to Parliamentary Question 900 of 16 April 2013 provide detailed information on the recording of crime. The most recent publication in which this information is provided is the CSO Recorded Crime for the fourth quarter of 2012. As stated previously, supervisory ranks within An Garda Síochána review all...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service Issues (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I have requested reports from the Garda authorities and the Courts Service in relation to the matter referred to by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy directly as soon as the reports are to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Corruption (7 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I have sought the relevant information from the Garda authorities and I will communicate further with the Deputy as soon as it is available.