Results 7,521-7,540 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Bankruptcy (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am very pleased to introduce the Bankruptcy (Amendment) Bill to the House today and I look forward to hearing Deputies' contributions. I would like to begin by highlighting the main objectives of this Bill. First, it provides for several key changes to bankruptcy law in Ireland. These are that the normal duration of bankruptcy is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Section 1 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 provides for the commencement of different Parts of the Act by different Ministers, because the Act addresses policy responsibilities of several different Ministers. As the Deputy may recall, Minister Varadkar and I jointly committed that the provisions of Parts 2 and 3 of the Bill would not commence for a minimum of one year from...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: 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 and the case will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are already a number of offences under Irish law which address the trafficking of persons for the purpose of exploitation (including sexual exploitation) and which can attract significant penalties. Under the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008, any person found guilty of trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation shall be liable to imprisonment for a period up to life....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have sought a report from the Garda authorities on the matters referred to and I will contact the Deputy directly as soon as it is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 275 together. As the Deputy is aware the primary purpose of section 63 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 is to ensure that the driving licence number of individual offenders is recorded to enable the application of appropriate penalty points to the licence on conviction by the court. The Courts Service has confirmed that where an accused is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 267 and 268 together. I can advise the Deputy that responses in relation to his queries are being finalised at present and will issue in the very near future.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to my letter dated 10 December 2015 which set out information sought by him.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following table provides the number of Fixed Charge Notices issued to drivers for the offences requested by the Deputy for the period 31 July to 30 September 2015. Number of Fixed Charge Notices issued for the offences listed for the period 30 July 2015 to 30 September 2015 Parking in a cycle track during its period of operation...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of information on the courts system. In my response to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service Data (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of information on the courts system. However, in order to be of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service Data (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of information on the courts system. However, in order to be of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that a response in relation to his query is being finalised at present and will issue in the very near future.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review taking into account crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources. I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the number of Gardaí...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Correspondence (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that it is the Department's standard practice for safety and security reasons to ensure that the front doors of the building remain closed during protests. Where a letter is intended for the Minister, the Garda on duty outside accepts delivery and passes it, via the service staff, to the Minister's Office. That is what happened on 22nd of September when a protest was...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The opening of Garda stations is in the first instance a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the context of preparing her annual policing plan under section 22 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which requires any proposals relating to the opening or closing of Garda Stations to be included in the plan. The Policing Plan 2015 does not contain any plans in relation to the opening of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Staff (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to advise the Deputy that the only prison with on-site accommodation for staff is Loughan House Open Centre in Cavan. In this case, there are 8 rooms available to staff of all grades in the Prison, including the Governor. There is an agreed transfer protocol for prison officers who wish to seek a transfer to another prison. Vacancies are filled in each location as they arise in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have asked the Garda authorities for the information requested and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Appointments to State Boards (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that my Department does not operate a policy of the kind referred to in his question. Appointments to Boards are made according to the terms of reference contained in the relevant Act of the Oireachtas establishing the Board in question. Boards established on a non-statutory basis operate in accordance with the terms of reference drawn up for those Boards. I can...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Properties (15 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that there are a number of properties attached to the Courts Service that are liable for Ground Rents. The information sought is currently being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible. There are no other properties under my remit that incur Ground Rents.