Results 9,321-9,340 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (2 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to is the subject of a Deportation Order and therefore has no entitlement to residency in the State. The effect of the Deportation Order is that the person concerned must leave the State and remain thereafter outside the State. The enforcement of the Deportation Order is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (2 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that an application for a certificate of naturalisation has been received from the person referred to by the Deputy. Further information was requested from the applicant and a response has been received. Processing of the application is ongoing and the case will be submitted to me for decision as...

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank and commend Senator Lorraine Higgins, and Senators Bacik and Whelan, on bringing this Bill before the Seanad. There is a strong imperative, as Senators have been saying, to ensure that our legislation is fit for purpose and keeps up with the pace in terms of the challenges of technology and new media. Indeed, there are implications for many pieces of legislation posed by the...

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: -----and there is a question of how they are kept and made available. The Internet companies are proactive in terms of safety. The vast majority of them now have safety officers, and they are conscious of this issue. They are working on it within their companies and are working with governments. At the recent meeting of the justice and home affairs Ministers, one of the agreements...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that I have received sanction from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for two further intakes of 125 Garda recruits later this year. The Public Appointments Service (PAS) is managing the recruitment process for the Garda Commissioner and I have no direct involvement in the matter. The position in relation to the current competition is as follows....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that the problem of drug misuse has significant implications for the criminal justice system and the agencies that work therein. Services such as the Prison, Courts and Probation Services all deal with drug related matters as part of their core daily services involving costs which would be difficult to quantify. Having said that certain data is collated for EU data...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drugs Dealing (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that the illicit nature of such markets make it difficult to quantify their value. Having said that I have referred the Deputy's question to An Garda Síochána to provide any available information in this regard. I will be in further contact with the Deputy when that information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Meetings (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 adopts a comprehensive and pillar based approach to the problem of drug misuse, across the five pillars of drug supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. The Strategy is founded on a partnership approach with Government Departments, State Agencies and the Community and Voluntary sectors working...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Penalty Points System Data (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda authorities that safety camera vans are capable of detecting motorbikes. I am further informed that the number of Fixed Charge Notices issued by An Garda Síochána in respect of individual categories of vehicles, including motorbikes, is not available.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Migration Data (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I assume the Deputy is referring to the increase in asylum applications in 2015 to date compared with the same period last year. 1,147 new asylum applications were received to the end of May this year compared with 492 for this period in 2014. On average 230 applications have been received per month in 2015. The top five source countries for applications in 2015 are Pakistan, Bangladesh,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Firearms Licences (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As part of the consultation process for the ongoing review of firearms licensing I have given a commitment that I would not make any decisions until I had met the key stakeholders, including the organisations who represent those who use firearms for sporting purposes. I had a useful meeting with the key stakeholders on 29 April 2015. Consideration of the issues involved, including the Sports...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Before the Spent Convictions Bill could be enacted, a 2013 UK Court of Appeal judgment necessitated a review of the disclosure provisions in both the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 and the Spent Convictions Bill. That review has been completed and amendments to the Vetting Act and consequential amendments to the Spent Convictions Bill are currently being...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that the deployment of Garda resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the first instance. However, I am informed by the Garda authorities that Operation Irene is a policing plan designed to address issues along the lines referred to, which commenced on 1 June 2015 and will run until 30 August 2015. I am further informed that Operation Irene will...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have sought a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the Deputy's query and will contact her again when further information is to hand. As the Deputy will be aware, it is open to any person who wishes to make a complaint in relation to Garda actions to do so to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Civilian Staff Numbers (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The number of civilians in An Garda Síochána has increased in recent years from 1,688 at the end of 2007 to approximately 2,032 (whole time equivalents) as of the 30 April 2015. Civilians are employed in a wide range of management, administrative, technical and operational duties, including Chief Administration Officer, Executive Director of Finance, Executive Director of Human...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Civilian Staff Numbers (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that An Garda Síochána does not maintain a central record of civilian staff who apply to transfer to another Government Department. The information requested by the Deputy can only be obtained in the format outlined by the disproportionate expenditure of Garda time and resources relative to the information sought. I am further...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Reception & Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers in accordance with the Government Policy of direct provision until such time as their status is resolved to finality. That is to say, they remain in RIA accommodation until such time as they are either removed from the State or are granted some form of status allowing them...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (1 Jul 2015)

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

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (1 Jul 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 to 162, inclusive, and 166 together. As the Deputy will be aware the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the publication of recorded crime statistics. The Deputy will also be aware that the CSO has recently published new crime statistics up to end of the first quarter of 2015 and are best placed to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (1 Jul 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 continuing review in the context of 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...