Results 8,501-8,520 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Misconduct Allegations (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am assuming that the two whistleblowers the Deputy is referring to are the same cases raised in his parliamentary question in May. In the first instance, I again make the point that all of us in this House must be careful, and the Deputy has not mentioned individual names, in discussing individual cases of whistleblowing. Protection for whistleblowers rightly prioritises the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Misconduct Allegations (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is a process under way that is a statutory framework now in terms of investigations where whistleblowers make a claim. Cases that are currently active are involved in that process. That is the first point I would make. The process is not completed. Deputy Wallace has made claims in regard to cover-up and drugs offences. If he has that evidence about drugs in the Athlone area, as he...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Cross-Border Co-operation (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Obviously, it is important that there be absolute clarity from all of us on how we view these issues. Cross-Border crime continues to be a very significant issue. These matters are kept under constant review at an operational level in light of the various changing operational demands and the analysis of crime trends. Certainly, it is an operational decision as to whether another task force...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Cross-Border Co-operation (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is zero tolerance of these activities. There are currently two dedicated cross-Border enforcement groups. I assure the Deputy that this will continue. If there is any reason to take further operational decisions on the exact format of the response, they will be taken.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Independent Review Mechanism (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy mentioned them, though.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Independent Review Mechanism (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I remain open to whatever recommendation comes to me from the independent panel - for example, a commission of investigation into a particular case. However, the process is not yet complete. I have asked for a full report to analyse the process and describe the types of case that the supervising counsel considers appropriate to be brought to my attention in terms of recommendations. I will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Cross-Border Co-operation (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Combatting organised crime in whatever guise is among the policy priorities that the Government set out this year and is an operational priority for An Garda Síochána and the Revenue Commissioners. It is well recognised that organised crime seeks to exploit the Border. Cross-Border crime and the people involved pose serious issues. I have held many discussions with the Northern...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Independent Review Mechanism (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is obviously the Deputy's decision, but it is not appropriate to come to the House and talk about individual cases.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Independent Review Mechanism (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am not at liberty to talk about individual cases. In fact, I am not going to make any comment as to what stage of the process some of the cases that were referred to in the RTE programme were or were not at; one could make the assumption that they were all at different stages of the process. The process is not complete. I will make a full statement when the process is complete and give...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Independent Review Mechanism (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy is referring to the mechanism established for the independent review of certain allegations of Garda misconduct or inadequacies in the investigation of certain allegations, which have been made to me, as Minister for Justice and Equality, the Taoiseach and other Deputies. The decision to establish the independent review mechanism was an unprecedented process initiated by the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised that the number of burglary and related offences recorded in the CSO official crime figures for the Tipperary Garda Division in each of the years in question was 737 in 2011, 693 in 2012, 755 in 2013, 637 in 2014 and 269 in 2015 up to 30 June. While the number of incidents in Tipperary is down over the past year, I recognise that burglary is a persistent and highly damaging...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Mediation Bill, which is currently being drafted in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, will introduce an obligation on solicitors and barristers to advise any person wishing to commence legal proceedings to give consideration to mediation as an alternative to legal proceedings. It will also provide that a court may, following the commencement of proceedings, on its own initiative...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Misuse of Drugs (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I fully appreciate the concern the Deputy raises regarding the illegal trade in prescription drugs. Sadly, it is the case that prescription drugs such as the z-drugs and benzodiazepines feature prominently in illicit drug markets in this jurisdiction and are contributing to the problems and harms associated with drug misuse - far from their intended purposes. I am aware of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Inspector of Prisons Reports (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: In April 2014 the Inspector of Prisons, Judge Michael Reilly, was asked by the then Minister for Justice and Equality to carry out an independent investigation into all the circumstances surrounding the recording of telephone conversations between prisoners and their solicitors. The Inspector was asked to carry out his investigation pursuant to section 31 of the Prisons Act, 2007. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Closures (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The formulation of proposals in relation to the opening and closing of Garda stations is a matter, in the first instance, for the Garda Commissioner in the context of annual policing plans, as provided for in section 22 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. In this regard, the Deputy will be aware that the Garda Síochána carried out a comprehensive review of its district and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I have outlined in my earlier response today to a Parliamentary Question on this subject, I am advised by the Garda authorities that a comprehensive review into this case has in fact been ongoing since 2011, under the direction of the Assistant Commissioner for the Northern Region. All aspects of the original investigation and subsequent reviews have been examined by the Garda Review...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, including new Probationer Gardaí, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of resources. This Government...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: This Government is committed to the ongoing recruitment of trainee Gardaí, and to this end the first intake since 2009 of new recruits commenced training at the Garda College, Templemore, in September of last year. To date there have been four intakes of Garda Trainees to the Garda College, giving a total intake of 400. A further 150 recruits will enter college by year end, bringing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of resources. I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (20 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The particular case to which the Deputy refers is amongst those considered under the mechanism established for the independent review of certain allegations of Garda misconduct, or inadequacies in the investigation of certain allegations, which have been made to me as Minister for Justice and Equality, or the Taoiseach, or other public representatives with a view to determining to what extent...