Results 6,201-6,220 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commencement of Legislation (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 provides a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity difficulties. The Act was signed into law on 30 December 2015 but has not yet been fully commenced. New administrative processes and support measures, including the setting up of the Decision Support Service within the Mental Health Commission (a body...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Contracts Data (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I wish to inform the Deputy that in the time available it has not been possible to gather all of the necessary data to respond in full on this matter. My Department has contacted the relevant Justice sector agencies to collate the necesssary information and I will forward this as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 134 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of all crime statistics. The table shows the number of crime incidents which are recorded as having at least one offender on bail for the years 2013-2017. The Deputy will have received...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Bail Law (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, recent changes to the bail laws were introduced in the Criminal Justice Act 2017, with the aim of strengthening the bail system and making the law as effective as possible in protecting the public against crimes committed by persons on bail. The court has the power to refuse bail where there are reasonable grounds to believe the person is likely to commit a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of all crime statistics. The table provides a breakdown of relevant offences by victim gender and Garda Region. However, the CSO has advised that it is not in a position to provide the breakdown at county level. I am further advised that is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Organised Crime (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I can assure the Deputy that tackling organised crime activity is a key ongoing priority for the Government and An Garda Síochána. The Government, for its part, is committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the necessary resources to tackle this, and all, forms of criminality in our State. Given the fluid nature of criminal groupings, it is extremely difficult...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Refurbishment (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: Very significant capital investment is being made in An Garda Síochána, in support of the Government’s commitment to ensure a strong and visible police presence throughout the country, to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. Investment of €342 million is being made in Garda ICT infrastructure between 2016 and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Rehabilitation Programmes (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes to those in custody including education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and spiritual services. Engagement in such programmes offers purposeful activity to those in custody while serving their sentences and encourages offenders to lead...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drugs Crime (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The illicit drugs market has evolved in recent years, with pharmaceutical and technological advances contributing to the diversity of substances emerging. Changing patterns in drug use that have become evident include a significant shift in use from cannabis resin to cannabis herb. Other notable trends in drug use are the increasing prevalence of poly drug use, often involving a combination...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution under review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities to ensure optimum use is made of the resources. I am informed by the Commissioner that as of the 31 December 2018 the overall...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gender Balance (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am informed by the Commissioner that the total number of women in all ranks of An Garda Síochána as of the 31 December 2018, the latest date for which figures are currently available was 3,759 or 27 % of the total strength. This compares favourably with 3,130 or 21.7% of the total strength on 31 December 2008. While this is broadly in line with other police services in England...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Promotions (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I have requested the information sought from the Garda Commissioner and I will write to the Deputy on receipt of same.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy is aware, the manner in which the resources of the Garda Síochána are deployed is solely a matter for the Garda Commissioner and his management team and I, as Minister, have no direct role in this regard. I am informed by the Commissioner that Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Refurbishment (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, there has been unprecedented investment in An Garda Síochána in recent years, in support of the Government’s commitment to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement and provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. The resources provided by Government to An...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service Staff (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am informed that the Irish Prison Service administer internal promotional competitions on an ongoing basis to fill vacancies at all levels of the organisation as they arise. In addition to such promotional competitions, the Irish Prison Service also engages in external recruitment, either directly as a recruitment licence holder, or through the Public Appointments Service, for certain posts...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Inspector of Prisons (30 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: A prisoner complaints system was introduced in November 2012 based on a model recommended by the late Inspector of Prisons, Judge Michael Reilly. The system is categorised according to the nature and seriousness of the complaint and ranges from the most serious 'Category A' complaint through to a 'Category F' complaint. The late Judge Reilly, who was independent of Government in his post of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Accidents Data (29 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: You will appreciate that I, as Minister for Justice and Equality, have no role in relation to the collation of road traffic collision data, which is the responsibility of An Garda Síochána. However, to be of assistance, I have asked An Garda Síochána for a report on the matter. An Garda Síochána has provided the following table, which shows the number of road...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (29 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The fees to be paid by an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation are governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 569 of 2011). The application fee, stipulated at €175, is payable on application for a certificate of naturalisation and a certification fee is payable on the issue of a certificate of naturalisation. The standard...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (29 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I understand that the Deputy wishes to refer to Filipino nationals. I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that Filipino nationals, including those married to Irish citizens living abroad, are required to obtain a visa in order to travel to Ireland. In circumstances where the applicant is visiting, the person concerned may apply for a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Accommodation (29 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I wish to advise the Deputy that Cork Prison is the main committal prison for male prisoners from the counties of Cork, Kerry and Waterford. My officials in the Irish Prison Service have informed me that the current operational capacity figure for the Prison is 296 and that in 2018 the average daily population figure was 288. The prison system is, of course, subject to peaks and...