Results 7,701-7,720 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: It relates mainly to the capital expenditure on communications equipment which had been reprioritised to offset additional ICT investment in A2 administration, non-pay.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There was nothing in particular earmarked for it. Given that we knew the ICT money would be coming on stream, we were doing the work in the working group and were expecting to be able to allocate it.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Tetra radio system, for which there is a lease contract every year. It cost less than expected. While there are ongoing licence costs which we pay, there was no extra investment in it this year.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The €25 million I mentioned in my opening statement relates to the three Garda headquarters. Not as much was spent on them this year as expected at the beginning of the year. We can transfer only a certain amount of the capital to next year. The rest has been reallocated. There are large, multi-year capital projects which commenced in 2015 and the precise details of each project...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Let me respond.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: These are operational matters. Every politician can be approached if there are concerns about activity in their areas, which I understand. We want operational decisions that put gardaí where they are needed. The best way of doing this is to have proper assessments, data and the kind of resources I have been talking about. As the Deputy said, an additional two sergeants and 25...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: While I take the Deputy's point, investment has begun again, after having stopped because of the situation.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: If there are particular needs in a given area, we need to have greater flexibility regarding moving gardaí to where crime trends are accelerating or there are particular hot spots, and the Garda Commissioner has shown that. This is the idea behind Operation Thor and other initiatives. The Border area was the focus of discussions, and there have been some very good successes regarding...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There have been very good figures from the Revenue and the Customs and Excise this year regarding it.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The sum is €35.2 million.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Deputy O'Dowd refers to the finance legislation which is going to come into effect. The courts have been setting up an IT system to manage it effectively and it is taking a few months to do that but they will be ready to start in early January 2016. Once we have that legislation enacted it will make a substantial difference to the situation outlined whereby people are being brought to prison.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The total ECF for the Prison Service is a staffing level of 3,265. At the start of 2015 the actual wholesome equivalent figures stood at 3,381, which was 116 above the ECF figure. At the end of October 2015 the staffing level is 3,321 which is 56 above the ECF.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Deputy. I will give Mountjoy Prison as an example. The investment in Mountjoy Prison has enabled the elimination of the slopping out practice there and allowed significant reductions in overcrowding, as have capital programmes of investment in Cork Prison and Limerick Prison. Preliminary works have started in Limerick Prison which involved a boundary wall to facilitate the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The prison system is under total capacity by approximately 200, which is the latest figure. The total figure of 3,671 prisoners were in custody on 8 October 2015. That is an occupancy level of 89% of the IPS bed capacity of 4,126, and 92% of the 3,982 Inspector of Prisons' recommended bed capacity.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy has asked a relevant question and an open prison for females is needed. The Prison Service is examining models that would be best suited for female prisoners who could use an open setting. I have received a preliminary report on the options that might be available. Some countries are using much smaller settings now for suitable female prisoners but it is a project that needs to...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The reduction in prisoner numbers has also contributed to the cost savings in this subhead as well as what the Chairman has mentioned, cost efficiencies relating to the usage and supply of items such as cleaning materials, catering supplies and other large expenditure items. One is seeing good management here.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The savings are linked to the decrease in prisoner numbers.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I have said, the saving is mainly due to the overall decrease in prisoner numbers as opposed to any change in what is available to prisoners. We are very conscious, as is the Prison Service of the absolute importance of work and training opportunities and education. There is a strong emphasis on that. Education services are available in all the institutions and are provided in...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20: An Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: That reduction is not because there has been a reduction in any of those services. It is linked simply to the reduction in prisoner numbers with the focus on community returns for those who have all minor offences.