Results 9,801-9,820 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the number of hours the library in each prison is scheduled to be open, and the percentage of hours they are open, is set out in the table. The libraries for Arbour Hill, Dóchas, Mountjoy, Wheatfield East Wing and the Training Unit are open as the demand requires. Scheduled Opening Hours (per week) % hours open January - December 2014...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the Education Unit in each of the prisons offers a broad and flexible programme of education to prisoners, ranging from basic literacy classes to Open University courses. Education Units in prisons are involved in the development and implementation of a wide variety of courses catering for the needs and interests of prisoners. While Open...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: For data protection reasons, I am not in a position to discuss any individual member's pension entitlements. I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that, in general, when a member retires from An Garda Síochána pension payments will be composed of part State pension and part An Garda Síochána pension. If on retirement, a member does not have insurable...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Reserve (26 May 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 fully support the important role of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda National Immigration Bureau (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I assume the Deputy is referring to the services provided by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) public office in Burgh Quay, Dublin 2. The GNIB provides registration functions for all Non-EEA persons who intend to reside in the State for longer than 90 days. These functions are provided from the Burgh Quay offices in respect of the Dublin Metropolitan Region. The office also...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Insolvency Service of Ireland Data (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Insolvency Service of Ireland has provided the figures for the numbers of bankruptcies annulled or set aside in the years from 2011 to date in 2015 and these are in the table. The figures show that there are very few annulments each year. It is the High Court who decides on any 'overturning' of a bankruptcy which can occur in a number of different ways. These include: (1) "Show cause"...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Insolvency Service of Ireland Data (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Official Assignee in Bankruptcy in the Insolvency Service of Ireland that from the years 2011 to 2013 a total of 10 family homes or Principal Private Residences were surrendered. I am advised that an annual breakdown for that period is not available. From the period 1 January 2014 to 8 March 2015, 177 bankrupt persons surrendered their family home or Principal Private...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Assisted Decision-Making Capacity Bill is scheduled for Dáil Committee Stage on 17 June with a view to enactment later this year. The Bill proposes a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity difficulties. Its aim is to enable these persons to exercise decision-making autonomy to the greatest extent possible. To this end, the Bill provides...

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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Organised Crime (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are a range of mechanisms established at European level through which information in relation to Member States' approaches to tackling organised crime and the policing practices deployed are exchanged across the European Union. Such mechanisms include European bodies such as Europol (European Police Office) and CEPOL (European Police College) and also information exchange through...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the deployment of Garda resources, including personnel in Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. I am advised that Garda management keep the distribution of resources under continuing review so that the best possible use is made of these resources. In this regard I am advised that local Garda management closely...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The question of providing for an offence of membership of a criminal gang, in a manner similar to the approach taken in the Offences Against the State Acts with regard to membership of a proscribed organisation, has arisen from time to time. In this regard, it is important to understand the issues which arise in seeking to simply outlaw membership of a criminal gang in such a manner....

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána on the 31 March 2015 the latest date for which figures are readily available was 12,734. The Deputy will be aware that the first intake since 2009 of 100 new recruits entered training at the Garda College, Templemore, on 15 September 2014. As part of Budget 2015, a further intake of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (26 May 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...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána on the 31 March 2015 the latest date for which figures are readily available was 12,734. As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions and Districts, the various Garda national units and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: All applications for refugee status are processed by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) in accordance with the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended). I am informed by the Commissioner that each application is decided on its own individual merits and the elements considered during the determination process include: the facts and circumstances of the application (including any...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Bail Law (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The drafting of the General Scheme of a Bail Bill to modernise the law on bail is at a very advanced stage in my Department. I intend to bring proposals to Government on the matter in the near future. The Deputy will be aware that a decision to grant bail in a particular case is a matter for the court, which is, subject only to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of its...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Investigation (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the deployment of Garda resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of identified operational demands. I am assured by the Garda authorities that all incidents where a person has been reported missing remain open and under investigation until such time as the person is located. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the function of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Firearms Licences (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: In light of public safety concerns highlighted by An Garda Síochána, a joint Department of Justice and Equality/An Garda Síochána Working Group was established by the Department of Justice and Equality to review firearms licensing. The report of this Working Group was published on 13 November 2014 and submissions on the report were sought from stakeholders and the public...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Rehabilitation Programmes (26 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the guiding principle which underpins education and work and training services in prisons is to make available, work, work-training, education and other purposeful activities to all those in custody. Training and education activities are chosen to give as much variety as possible and also to give opportunities for those in prison to acquire...