Results 9,721-9,740 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Wrongful Convictions (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, on 1 April I announced that the Government had decided to advise the President to exercise his right of pardon under Article 13.6 of the Constitution in respect of the conviction in 1941 of Mr. Harry Gleeson for the murder of Ms. Mary McCarthy. Concerns had been raised over many years in relation to Mr Gleeson's conviction. Most recently, on foot of a submission...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Assets Bureau (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that there are currently 67 personnel assigned to the Criminal Assets Bureau. The staff of the Bureau comprise administrative, technical and professional staff including the Bureau Legal Officer, members of An Garda Síochána, officers of the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social and Family Affairs, under the leadership of the Chief Bureau...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service Administration (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the courts are, subject only to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions, and the conduct of any case is a matter for the presiding judge. Furthermore, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act, 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no direct role in the matter. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014 represents a very significant change in the way justice is administered by the courts. As well as introducing an option for persons to pay fines by instalment, there are also changes in the way those who fail to pay fines are dealt with, as the Act provides a range of options available to judges including recovery orders, attachment of earnings,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cross-Border Co-operation (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I maintain regular contact with the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice, David Ford, to address matters of shared interest and to enhance cooperation on all policing and criminal justice matters on this island. Cross border criminality is one of several issues which we discussed at our trilateral meeting in February which was also attended by the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Justice,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cross-Border Co-operation (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: My counterpart in Northern Ireland in respect of policing and justice matters is the Northern Ireland Minister for Justice, David Ford. The review in question was commissioned by and submitted to the Northern Ireland Director of Public Prosecutions. It was published by him late last week and it makes a number of findings and recommendations. Any actions to be taken in respect of it are,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, on 31 March 2015 I published the report by Mr. Dominic McGinn, SC, who was appointed to carry out an independent examination of the report of the Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT) relating to the Garda investigation into the death of Fr. Niall Molloy. The report was published with a number of redactions which were made following consultation with the Attorney...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: By way of background, can I explain that, prior to the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 coming into operation, whistleblowing by members of the Garda Síochána was provided for under the Garda Síochána (Confidential Reporting of Corruption or Malpractice) Regulations 2007, which provided for the appointment of an independent Confidential Recipient to whom Garda members, and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The issue of what might be referred to as "migrant quotas" is currently arising in two contexts. The first is resettlement of refugees identified by the UNHCR and the second relates to relocation within the EU of persons in need of protection. Both of these are featured in the European Agenda on Migration published last week by the EU Commission and there has been no meeting of Justice and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The mechanism that the Deputy is referring to was 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, with a view to determining to what extent and in what manner further action may be required in each case. A panel...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Spent Convictions Legislation (26 May 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: Departmental Reports (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The position is that Mr. Murphy's advice has not been published on the basis that it represents legal advice to the Attorney General and to me as Minister. As I have indicated in my response to the Deputy other question of today's date on this subject, the purpose of Mr. Murphy's examination was not to carry out an inquiry to establish all of the facts of the case at this remove but rather...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Stardust Fire (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Following a meeting with the Stardust Victims Committee last year, I appointed an official in my Department to liaise with the Committee and they have engaged with representatives of the Committee in relation to these matters. A researcher associated with the Committee has submitted material relating to these events to my Department and a meeting was held with that Researcher, and another...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware, I have undertaken to consider the issue of Community Courts in Ireland. It will be important to learn from international experience, and I have asked my Department to evaluate how the Community Court model will work in the Irish context, drawing from best practice, with a view to setting up a Community Court on a pilot basis in the Dublin city centre area. I...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cross-Border Co-operation (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I maintain regular contact with the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice, David Ford, to address matters of shared interest and to enhance cooperation on all policing and criminal justice matters on this island. Cross border criminality is one of several issues which we discussed at our trilateral meeting in February which was also attended by the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Justice,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Remit (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Protected Disclosures Act 2014 came into operation on 15 July 2014 as part of this Government's comprehensive approach to enhance the protection available to whistle blowers, including Garda whistleblowers. Section 19 of the Act inserted a new provision into the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which provides for the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) to be a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda College (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The positions referred to are that of cleaners in the Garda College who are to be recruited on fixed term contracts. I am advised that An Garda Síochána as an employer will ensure that it is not in breach of its obligations under the minimum wage requirements in respect of any contract of employment offered to persons appointed under the terms of this competition for the position of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (26 May 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, or the Taoiseach, with a view to determining to what extent and in what manner further action may be required in each case. A panel consisting...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Meetings (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The bombing at Omagh in August 1998 stands out in the minds of all right-thinking people as being among the worst atrocities ever committed on this island. The people who carried it out displayed nothing but contempt for life itself and inflicted unutterable grief on those whose lives were shattered by the bomb. While considerable efforts were made, North and South, to bring those...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders Data (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: A total of 54 Deportation Orders in respect of minors were signed during the period referred to by the Deputy. The top five nationalities were Nigeria, China , DR Congo, Mauritius and Malawi. In all cases, the minors were accompanied in the State by a parent or parents, in respect of whom Deportation Orders were also signed. The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my...