Results 6,361-6,380 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Restoration of Birthright Citizenship) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the Deputies for their observations and contributions. In response to Deputy O'Loughlin, I am very happy to continue to engage with her and her party colleagues as well as with other Deputies on these issues. I want to respond in the first instance to comments made by Deputy Barry, who is no longer in the Chamber. He described direct provision as a "racist policy". I say to him...

Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Restoration of Birthright Citizenship) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: -----and is based on ideology rather than reason. Under EU and international law, Ireland, like other countries, is obliged to examine the claim of any person who comes here and claims international protection or asylum under clearly defined grounds. If we believe in the integrity and the concept of asylum, then we should wish to have claims tested and to preserve the right of genuine...

Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Restoration of Birthright Citizenship) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: There is no system under which individuals can buy citizenship.

Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Restoration of Birthright Citizenship) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The enactment of this Bill would represent a reversion to an older system which was unfit for purpose. This was the opinion of the masters of our maternity hospitals, as referred to by Deputy O'Callaghan. It was also the opinion of the Irish people when put to them in a referendum. Comparatively speaking we have a relatively open immigration and citizenship regime. Since 2010, 130,000...

Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Restoration of Birthright Citizenship) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I very much welcome the opportunity to discuss this issue and make a contribution. A country's citizenship laws are not only important but critical to the integrity of the state and the rights of its people. It is important, therefore, we have an opportunity to debate these issues, as we are doing this evening. It is also very important that when we discuss these matters we are guided by...

Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Restoration of Birthright Citizenship) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: -----that if the proposed amendment were passed by this House and had the direct consequence of attracting more people to the State to achieve residency status through the birth of a child here, the consequential strain on our State services, including existing immigration provision, housing, education, medical services and welfare, would need to be most carefully assessed. In light of this,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Insurance Fraud (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 91 together. The Deputy is aware that the Cost of Insurance Working Group (CIWG) proposed exploring the possibility that a specific unit, funded by the insurance industry, be established within the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) to tackle insurance fraud. The Deputy will also be aware that the GNECB has engaged with Insurance...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will be aware that CCTV systems installed for the purposes of crime prevention and as aids to policing in areas to which the general public routinely have access, such as town centres, fall into two distinct but complementary categories, namely Garda CCTV systems and community-based CCTV systems. Neither may be established without authorisation by the Garda Commissioner under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service Properties (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: 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, a number of developments in relation to Courts Service accommodation requirements are outlined in the Government's recent...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 96 together. As the Deputy will be aware, there are specific legislative provisions in place, under section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1999, to protect witnesses and victims of crime from any form of intimidation in their reporting of crime and in their assisting An Garda Síochána in crime investigation. Under this Act, it is a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Wards of Court (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy is aware, the High Court has jurisdiction in wards of court matters and management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions under the Courts Service Act 1998. At this time, I am not minded to remove wards of court funds, which are not public funds, from the control of the High Court. As the Deputy is aware,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the processing of the application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy is ongoing. On completion of the necessary processing the application will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. Should further documentation be required it will be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the information provided by the Deputy is not sufficient to establish the correct identity of the individual concerned in order to provide a response on the matter. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that, in response to a notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the partner of the person named has not submitted written representations. The position in the State of the partner of the person named will now be decided by reference to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can only be made after an application is received. It is open to any individual...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: The new address of the person concerned has been noted on his case file. Given that the person concerned had no valid basis to remain in the State, he was, by letter dated 20 November 2012, notified that the Minister proposed to make a Deportation Order in respect of him. He was given the options, to be exercised within 15 working days, of leaving the State voluntarily, of consenting to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the persons concerned have no valid basis to remain in the State. They were notified, by letter dated 20 December 2018, that the Minister proposed to make a Deportation Order in respect of them. They were given the options, to be exercised within 15 working days, of leaving the State voluntarily, of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that, as indicated in my response to the Deputy's Parliamentary Question No. 94 of the 13 December 2018, the application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. If further...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that, as indicated in my response to the Deputy's Parliamentary Question No. 95 of the 13 December 2018, the person referred to by the Deputy was invited to attend a citizenship ceremony which took place on 21 May 2018 in The Killarney Convention Centre, Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry but failed to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (17 Jan 2019)

Charles Flanagan: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned has permission to reside in the State on Stamp 4 conditions as a dependant of an Irish national. This permission is valid until 28 November 2019 and may be renewed, subject to compliance with the relevant conditions, with the person's local Immigration Officer. I am also...