Results 6,861-6,880 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commissions of Inquiry (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: In the first instance, let me again express my sympathy to the family concerned in this tragic case. As Minister, I am very regularly engaged on this case. As the Deputy is aware, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission conducted an investigation into certain matters related to the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Shane O'Farrell. This investigation arose out of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal Funding (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will appreciate that the level of resources allocated for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal, as for any area of the Justice Vote, must be determined having regard to the overall budgetary context and the many demands for funding within the sector. Nevertheless, I can inform the Deputy that I have maintained the current level of funding for a number of years, and again...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda National Protective Services Bureau (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The establishment by the Garda Commissioner of Divisional Protective Services Units are one of the actions outlined in the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence. The strategy, which is a commitment under the Programme for Partnership Government, is a whole of Government approach, involving seven Government Departments and a number of State bodies, including...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Mental Health Services (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: It is assumed that the question refers to the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) report launched on 26 October 2018, called Progress in the Penal System 2018 which is the second in a series of annual reports benchmarking progress in Ireland's penal system. This deals with, inter alia, the issue of provision for mentally ill prisoners. Before detailing below the services that are available in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 31 and 50 together. 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 type of CCTV system...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda National Protective Services Bureau (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The establishment by the Garda Commissioner of Divisional Protective Services Units are one of the actions outlined in the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence. The strategy, which is a commitment under the Programme for Partnership Government, is a whole of Government approach, involving seven Government Departments and a number of State bodies, including...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy may be aware, a review of protections for vulnerable witnesses in the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences is currently underway. The review will examine the entire legal process around sexual offences, from the initial reporting of an offence through to the end of any court proceedings and is concerned with the treatment of complainants and vulnerable witnesses...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Prison Service (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that the total number of prisoners in custody on 26 November 2018 was 3,944 compared with a bed capacity of 4,269. This represents an occupancy level of 92%. I can also advise the Deputy that according to the most recent snapshot of the prison population taken on 31 October 2018, there has been a total of 6,612 committals since 1...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Orders (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy may be aware, Sheriffs (or County Registrars acting as Sheriffs) are responsible to the Court for the enforcement of Court Orders. The law and procedures governing the execution of Court Orders is contained in the Enforcement of Court Orders Acts, 1926 to 1940 and the Rules of Court made thereunder. Sheriffs (or County Registrars acting as Sheriffs) are officers of the Court...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. The resourcing of each Garda division and Garda personnel assigned throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategies, are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. The resourcing of each Garda division and Garda personnel assigned throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategies, are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Community Policing (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drugs Seizures (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Information relating to the quantity and value of drugs seized by An Garda Síochána is set out in their Annual Reports. The Annual Reports for the years 2007 to 2017 are available on the Garda website (www.garda.ie). The information provided in the Annual Reports is prepared on the basis of records maintained by Forensic Science Ireland based on the quantity of drugs analysed...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Legislation (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 46 together. The Deputies will be aware that road traffic legislation is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Mr Shane Ross, T.D. I can inform the Deputies that I wrote to my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Mr Shane Ross, T.D., on 15 January this year to request a progress...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Surveillance Operations (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The details of the allegations which were published last week in the Irish Examiner are contained in an affidavit to Court by a prison officer in relation to a personnel issue. The House will understand that I am constrained in what I can say about these proceedings before the courts. That said, these allegations raise serious issues which need to be addressed. I have asked the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: In the first instance, I want to clarify that it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the allocation of the very substantial resources that An Garda Síochána receives. The allocation of Garda resources are a matter for the Commissioner, in light of his identified operational demands. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seeker Employment (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018, which I signed into effect from 30 June 2018, includes access to the labour market for qualified international protection applicants. My Department provides confirmation in writing to any qualified applicant of their entitlement to access the labour market, for use when they apply for a job or become self employed. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. The resourcing of each Garda division and Garda personnel assigned throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategies, are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Code of Ethics (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is statutorily responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána. I am informed by the Commissioner that the development of a Garda Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2018-2021 is at an advanced stage and is expected to be completed in the near future. The strategy will aim to recognise, acknowledge and respect diversity in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (29 Nov 2018)

Charles Flanagan: In the first instance, I wish to state that it is vitally important that victims of sexual assault feel able to report the matter to An Garda Siochana. And it is equally important that complainants in sexual assault cases are spared any unnecessary distress in the investigation and prosecution of such cases. As the Deputy has noted, a review of protections for vulnerable witnesses in the...