Results 9,041-9,060 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Member of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Motion: Minister for Justice and Equality (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am pleased to attend the committee to discuss the nomination of Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring for appointment by the President to the position of chairperson of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. I believe that Ms Justice Ring will be an excellent chairperson of GSOC. The Government is proposing Ms Ring to fill the vacancy of chairperson of the ombudsman commission arising...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Member of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Motion: Minister for Justice and Equality (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I think it indicates that the work of GSOC is becoming well known as is the procedure and process by which complaints can be made. One of the issues I have been pursuing with both An Garda Síochána and GSOC, is whether a mechanism could be developed - which both sides would like to see - but we have not come up with a mechanism yet. Every complaint is serious but I have raised...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Member of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Motion: Minister for Justice and Equality (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: One would not expect the relationship between an oversight body like GSOC and An Garda Síochána to be without tension. I would expect tensions in that relationship. It is, after all, the body to which one makes a complaint and which subsequently investigates that complaint, calling people to account. It follows a tough and analytical procedure in which people and events are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Member of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Motion: Minister for Justice and Equality (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The reply to many of the Deputy’s questions is actually what is laid down in the legislation. I am following the same procedure that was followed very successfully in 2006 by a previous Government. Then, a Circuit Court judge, the late Kevin Haugh, was appointed and, as is allowed under the Act, became a judge of the High Court. Everyone will agree he that did an excellent job as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Member of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Motion: Minister for Justice and Equality (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: We established a panel. I asked for expressions of interest. We had a panel consisting of Tom Arnold, Sylda Langford and Frances Ruane. We had a number of names from that panel, but the Government decided to nominate Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Member of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Motion: Minister for Justice and Equality (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Judges tend not to apply to such panels.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Member of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Motion: Minister for Justice and Equality (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: We set up an expressions of interest panel, and the people I referred to were to compile a shortlist from these.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Member of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Motion: Minister for Justice and Equality (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: No. They are independent. Tom Arnold was the head of the Constitutional Convention. Sylda Langford is a former assistant secretary general of the Department of Justice and Equality and director general of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in the then Department of Health and Children. Frances Ruane is the former director of the Economic and Social Research...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Member of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Motion: Minister for Justice and Equality (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: No. They just looked at the expressions of interest.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Member of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Motion: Minister for Justice and Equality (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been seeking time in the Dáil to introduce the Bill because it is ready to proceed. The Deputy may have noted that the position of chief executive officer of the new policing authority was advertised two or three weeks ago. We also intend to establish a panel of individuals to be appointed to the authority. I expect that the legislation will be debated as a priority as soon as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Member of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Motion: Minister for Justice and Equality (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank members for their support for the nomination of Ms Justice Ring, who will do an excellent job. There is no doubt that she is assuming a challenging role. It is very important that members of the public have confidence in the Garda Síochána, as Deputies McFadden and Anne Ferris noted. It is equally important that members of the public and the Garda have confidence in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Member of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Motion: Minister for Justice and Equality (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have recently used section 109 of the legislation in response to a tragic recent case. This section, which had not been used previously, permits a Minister to order an investigation. It could potentially be used for the investigation of serious matters. If concerns were to arise about the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, members of the public would probably avail of a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that this person applied for and was issued with a multi-entry visa, valid from 16 December 2014 until 31 October 2015. This person had also been issued with two previous short-term visas. These applications were made in the visa office in London. This person is currently a student in the UK. Should this...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: One of the primary functions of the Garda Commissioner under the Garda Síochána Acts is to direct and control An Garda Síochána and as such, the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. I have no direct role in this function. I can inform the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Medical Treatment Complaints (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to advise the Deputy that matters relating to medicinal trials come within the remit of the Department of Health. The Deputy will also be aware that, in February 2015, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs announced the establishment of a Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters. I understand this Commission will examine a broad...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department, that the person referred to by the Deputy currently has an application pending for residency in the State, since 4th June, 2015, arising from their De Facto Relationship with an Irish national. Applications of this type are dealt with in chronological order and a decision will issue on their...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child and Family Agency Remit (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I indicated in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 103 of 23 April 2015, "[...] 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. My Department is working on an implementation plan for those areas which I will...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (15 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 to 165, inclusive, together. I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that it is not possible to extract a statistical breakdown of study visas by type of college or course from its automated systems. Prior to the introduction of the system in 2008 only limited statistical information was recorded at individual offices...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, 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 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, 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...