Results 9,741-9,760 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy will be aware that under the Irish Constitution judges are appointed by the President on the advice of the Government. Such appointments are dealt with by the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board which was established pursuant to the Courts and Court Officers Act 1995. Under section 16 of the Act, where a judicial office stands vacant or before a vacancy in a judicial office...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Reception and Integration Agency of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. Lisbrook direct provision accommodation centre in Galway is part of RIA's portfolio of direct provision accommodation. RIA made a decision to close the Lisbrook accommodation centre on the expiry of its 18...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: As of the 31 July 2012 there were 13,547 members of the Garda Síochána, along with 911 Reserve Gardaí and over 2,000 civilian staff. As the Deputy will be aware, public expenditure must be reduced to a sustainable level. This means, among other things, reducing expenditure on public service pay, whether by reducing headcount or otherwise. This is particularly so in those...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Penal Policy Review Group (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: You may be aware that the establishment of a working group to conduct a strategic review of penal policy has just been announced. The establishment of this group is in line with the recommendations of the Thornton Hall Project Review Group which published its Report last year. The Thornton Group recommended that an all encompassing strategic review of penal policy should be carried out....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Reception & Integration Agency of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers while their application for protection in the State is being processed. Since end 2010, the number of persons availing of direct provision services has reduced from 6,107 person to 4,996 persons at 9 September 2012, a drop of 1,111 persons or 18%. There has been an 8% drop in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Illegal Moneylenders (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: Offences relating to illegal money lending are currently provided for in Part VIII of the Consumer Credit Act 1995. Persons who engage in money lending and who do not hold the necessary licence granted by the Central Bank are committing an offence under section 98 of the Act, which provides for a prohibition on engaging in the business of money lending without a licence. A person who is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Garda Commissioner is committed to introducing reforms and efficiencies in the Garda Síochána with the objective of continuing to deliver an effective policing service within current budgetary constraints. New Garda rosters have been introduced, better matching the availability of Gardaí with policing demands. The Garda station network is being rationalised so as to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Juvenile Offenders (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: I can advise the Deputy that on 18 September, 2012, there were 28 prisoners aged 17 detained in St Patrick's Institution and of these 2 prisoners were subject to a restricted regime. Persons under protective custody (Rule 63) must be interviewed and reviewed by prison management each month. The findings and comments of the prisoners are recorded each and every month along with the decision...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Closures (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 24 together. The Garda Commissioner is currently engaged in an assessment of the potential for improved efficiencies in the structure and organisation of the Garda Síochána as part of the preparation of the draft policing plan for 2013, which under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 is due to be submitted to me by the end of October this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Powers (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: Persons suspected of involvement in white collar crime may be detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 for up to 24 hours (excluding night-time rest periods) where this is necessary for the proper investigation of the offence concerned. As the Deputy will be aware the introduction of the Criminal Justice Act 2011 has facilitated more effective use of the detention period...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Garda Commissioner has advised me that the Garda investigations in relation to Anglo Irish Bank are substantially complete. A number of Garda investigation files have been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions and in July 2012, following her directions, three persons were charged with several breaches of the Companies Act 1963. Further directions are awaited from the Director...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. In relation to the RIA's decision not to renew the contract for direct provision services at Lisbrook accommodation centre, Galway, the background circumstances relating to that decision are being considered in the light...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sentencing Policy (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy will appreciate that judges are independent in the matter of sentencing as they are in other matters concerning the exercise of judicial functions, subject only to the Constitution and the law. In accordance with this principle, the traditional approach to sentencing is for the Oireachtas to lay down the maximum penalty and for a court, having considered all the circumstances of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 30 and 31 together. I am sure Deputies will agree that these so-called 'dissident republicans' are no more than criminal terrorists using violence in pursuit of their own, often personal, ends. These groups maintain more than just a nodding acquaintance with organised criminals in funding themselves and their activities. Indeed, these paramilitaries...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Statistics (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. I have requested the CSO to provide relevant statistics directly to the Deputy. An Garda Síochána's Policing Plan for 2012 reflects the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service Issues (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: Several pieces of legislation have implications in terms of mandatory reporting of child protection concerns. The Criminal Justice (Withholding of information on offences against children and vulnerable adults) Act 2012 was commenced on 1 August 2012 making it an offence for a person to fail to notify the Garda Síochána if they know or believe that a serious offence has been...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Reception & Integration Agency of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers while their application for protection in the State is being processed. Since end 2010, the number of persons availing of direct provision services has reduced from 6,107 person to 4,996 persons at 9 September 2012, a drop of 1,111 persons or 18%. There has been an 8% drop in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gambling Legislation (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am unable at this time to indicate a date on which the Bill providing for a new comprehensive regulatory system for gambling, including all forms of betting, will be introduced. However, I am pleased to tell the Deputy that work on the preparation of the Heads of the new Bill is at a very advanced stage in my Department and I hope to bring those Heads to Government later this term for its...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalene Laundries (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: I understand that the Inter-Departmental Committee is satisfied that it already has the necessary resources available to it to complete its task and that the allocation of further resources is not required nor would it speed up its work. While the Interim Progress Report of the Committee expressed the hope and intention that the Committee could conclude its work by mid-2012, it did point out...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Diversions (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Prison Inreach and Court Liaison Service (PICLS) arranged the following number of diversions to community in-patient and outpatient services from 2006 to end 2011: Year Total Number admitted to General Psychiatric Hospitals Number diverted to Community Treatment facilities Total number of diversions 2006 24 17 41 2007 35 36 71 2008 24 67 91 2009 30 74 104 ...