Results 6,881-6,900 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (14 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can assure the Deputy that tackling organised crime activity is a key ongoing priority for both the Government and An Garda Síochána. An Garda Síochána's Policing Plan sets out the priorities of An Garda Síochána in this regard including its continued commitment to proactively target groups and individuals engaged in criminal activity, including organised...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (14 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and Districts, and I as Minister have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keep this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (14 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department does not provide grants specifically for the acquisition of new equipment. However, the cost of new equipment can be included as appropriate, and on a case-by-case basis, in grants in the areas of gender equality and migrant integration. Where EU funding is concerned, regard must be had to the relevant rules.

Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed) (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The second vote by this House addressing the issue of Government formation has now concluded. As has been said by many speakers, 40 days have elapsed since the people cast their ballots and gave us this new Dáil and each of us our mandates. It is a very diverse result and, in the formation of Government, we need to respect that diversity, in particular in terms of the kind of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: National Traveller-Roma Integration Strategy (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that there is a comprehensive consultation process underway, led by my Department, to develop a new National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy to improve the situation for the Traveller and Roma communities. Phase 1 (identification of key themes for the new Strategy) and Phase 2 (identification and agreement of high level objectives under each agreed theme) of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Remuneration (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 and 377 together. The Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA) represents the agreed structure for industrial relations and pay within the public service until 2018. It provides for the gradual unwinding of the pay reduction measures imposed on public servants at a cost of €844m over three years. It is underpinned by the Financial Emergency Measures in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Rights of People with Disabilities (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: On 21 October 2015, I published a roadmap to Ireland’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which outlines the considerable legislative changes to be undertaken to enable Ireland to ratify the Convention, along with the estimated deadline of end-2016 for ratification. The Roadmap to Ratification, which is available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Disability Support Services (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government published a Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities last October. The Strategy sets out a coordinated ten-year approach with rolling three year action plans to ensure that people with disabilities, who can and want to work, are supported and assisted to do so. It involves a whole of Government approach aimed at bringing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Disability Services Provision (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am taking it that the Deputy is referring to the National Disability Strategy Implementation Group (NDSIG) and to the group overseeing the implementation of Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities published by Government in October last. The NDSIG, chaired by the Minister of State with responsibility for disability policy, comprises representatives from across...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Valuation Act 2001 provides that all buildings used or developed for any purpose are rateable unless expressly exempted under Schedule 4 of the Act. Paragraph 16(a) of Schedule 4 is the relevant provision in this case. The position under the Valuation Acts regarding claims from whatever source for exemption on charitable grounds, requires consideration of two issues. In order for a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: National Traveller-Roma Integration Strategy (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that there is a comprehensive consultation process underway, led by my Department, to develop a new National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy to improve the situation for the Traveller and Roma communities. Phase 1 (identification of key themes for the new Strategy) and Phase 2 (identification and agreement of high level objectives under each agreed theme) of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Spent Convictions (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is intended to commence the Spent Convictions Bill from 29th April 2016. The effect of the Act will be that where persons are applying for employment, (other than employment which is exempt from the provisions of the Act), the person will not be obliged to disclose certain convictions which are over 7 years old. In accordance with the provisions of the Act the following convictions will be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Missing Persons (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Garda authorities that a thorough and comprehensive review of this case has been ongoing since 2011 under the direction of Assistant Commissioner, Northern Region. All aspects of the original Garda investigation and subsequent reviews have also been examined by the Garda Review Team. The Garda Review Team is endeavouring to advance the investigation into the disappearance...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Data (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 347 to 349, inclusive, together. I can inform the Deputy that no prisoner telephone calls were destroyed during the capital works at the new Cork Prison as a result of the building works. The policy of the Irish Prison Service in relation to the retention of telephones calls provides that the retention period for recorded phone calls on the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that I have no direct role in the enforcement of road traffic legislation which is an operational matter for the Garda Síochána. I am advised that detailed information in relation to Fixed Charge Notices (FCNs) issued for parking on double yellow lines is available at Divisional level only. For the Deputy's information, the number of such FCNs issued by...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and Districts, and I as Minister have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keep this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Law Society Complaints Mechanisms (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: Pending commencement this year of the relevant provisions of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, under the current regulatory regime the Law Society of Ireland, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and the Office of the Independent Adjudicator are the independent statutory bodies charged with investigating or resolving complaints against solicitors under the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that the legislation in question is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Health. I have sought a report from the Garda authorities on the specific matters referred to and I will contact the Deputy directly as soon as it is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the visa application in respect of the person referred to by the Deputy was refused on 6th of October 2015. This decision was appealed by the applicant and the original decision was upheld. A letter advising of this decision was issued on the 29th of January 2016. It is of course open to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (6 Apr 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned is the subject of a Deportation Order made on 15 December, 2009. Representations were received from the personconcerned pursuant to Section 3 (11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), to revoke the Deportation Order. I am also advised that the person concerned applied for a...