Results 9,801-9,820 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commercial Rent Reviews (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 171 together. Section 132 of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009 prohibits upward only rent reviews in respect of leases entered into on or after 28 February 2010. Following extensive consideration of this matter, the Government announced in December last that it had decided not to proceed with legislation to abolish upward only rent...

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

Alan Shatter: The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, throughout the Garda Síochána and the Minister has no direct role or function in that matter. In drawing up arrangements for the policing of the State each year the Commissioner and his senior management team take all relevant factors into account,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Agencies (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: I wish to refer the Deputy to the following reports which were prepared during the last decade: - The Kopp Report (Review of Resource Needs in the Forensic Science Laboratory and the Wider Scientific Context in Ireland) ]; and - The Law Reform Commission's Report on the Establishment of a DNA Database [ ] Neither of the above mentioned reports make any reference to a merger of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Services Regulation (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011 repealed the Auctioneers and House Agents Acts 1947 to 1973 which previously governed the licensing of auctioneers and house agents. The new legislation provides for the establishment of the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA) to licence, control and regulate Property Service Providers (i.e. auctioneers/estate agents, letting agents and...

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

Alan Shatter: The Garda Síochána Act 2005 provides for the establishment of the Garda Reserve. The first intake to the Garda Reserve in Templemore Garda College was on 30 September 2006. Members of the Garda Reserve provide invaluable services to the organisation and its current strength is just over 900. I would like to place on record my appreciation of the members of the Reserve who give...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Agreements (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The criminal law elements of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography have largely been implemented by the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 and the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008. Legislative proposals to enhance the protection of children against sexual abuse and exploitation,...

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

Alan Shatter: The Deputy may recall my announcement in September 2011 that the Government had approved my proposals for new legislation on the regulation of gambling. Work has been underway in my Department since then on the preparation of the Heads of a Bill. I expect I will be in a position to bring the Heads to Government later this term for its approval and agreement to proceed to formal drafting. ...

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

Alan Shatter: Peace Commissioners are appointed under section 88 of the Courts of Justice Act, 1924. On the date of their appointment, Peace Commissioners are issued with a Warrant of Appointment which is signed and sealed by the Minister for Justice and Equality. As such Warrants are considered to be a unique document, it is not the practice to issue copies or replace those which have been lost or...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. One such condition is that I must be satisfied that the applicant is of good character. In relation to the good character requirement, a background check is...

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

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of Gardaí, by rank, who have left the force this year up to 31 August and who have declared their intention to leave from 1 September to 31 December is as set out in the table hereunder:- 2012 Com D/Com A/Com C/Supt Supt Insp Sgt Gda Total Jan 1 3 6 27 37 Feb 1 5 14 12 66 131 229 Mar 3 10 13...

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

Alan Shatter: The Garda authorities have in place a range of measures designed to address problems of anti-social behaviour and crime in Dublin city centre. Incidents of public disorder and other anti-social behaviour are dealt with by way of juvenile or adult caution, fixed charge penalty notice or by initiating criminal proceedings. Operation Pier commenced in 2008 within the Pearse Street Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: As the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008 came into effect on 7 June 2008, there are no recorded figures for victims of human trafficking prior to this date. Between 7 June and 31 December 2008, 36 alleged victims of human trafficking were encountered by An Garda Síochána. No further breakdown of the 2008 figures is available. On 1 January 2009, the Anti-Human...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Prosecutions (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008 came into effect on 7th June 2008 and an Anti-Human Trafficking Unit was also established in my Department in that year. On 1 January 2009, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of my Department initiated a data collection strategy for the purpose of gaining a more in-depth understanding of the nature and extent of human trafficking in Ireland. To...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Witness Intimidation (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy will be aware that there is in place a significant body of legislation underpinning the work of An Garda Síochána in targeting serious and organised crime. Included in this legislative framework is provision for an offence relating to intimidation of witnesses and jurors. Section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1999 makes it an offence to harm or threaten, menace or in...

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

Alan Shatter: While I share the Deputy's concerns about violent crime, it is important to note the latest crime statistics show a reduction in most categories of recorded crime including homicide, sexual offences, assault and public order offences. As the Deputy will appreciate, violent crime manifests itself in a number of different ways, and An Garda Síochána analyses and addresses each using...

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

Alan Shatter: Each year by the end of October the Commissioner prepares a Policing Plan for the coming year. In preparing the Policing Plan, the Commissioner reviews all aspects of the Garda Síochána’s policing model, including the deployment of personnel, the utilisation of modern technologies and the operation of Garda stations, both in terms of opening hours and possible closures. The...

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

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that as of 31 July 2012, the break down of An Garda Síochána, by rank and gender, was as set out in the table below. These resources are augmented with 911 Garda Reserves and over 2,000 civilians. Rank Male Female Commissioner 1 0 Deputy Commissioner 1 1 Assistant Commissioner 9 0 Chief Superintendent 37 4 Superintendent...

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

Alan Shatter: I am advised by the Garda authorities that there are 424 Garda network locations in the country and they have also indicated that the current arrangements meet their requirements. The extension of the Garda network to additional locations is reviewed on an ongoing basis in the light of operational demands. Considerable resources are required to link stations to the Garda network and all...

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

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that, as of 31 July 2012, the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána was 13,547. These resources are augmented by 911 Garda Reserves and over 2,000 civilian staff. The Deputy will be aware that the Commissioner is responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, throughout the organisation and I have no direct...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Education Service (19 Sep 2012)

Alan Shatter: The statistics requested are not readily available and would require a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and effort that could not be justified where there are other significant demands on resources. As I have said before in response to previous Questions, the Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes that include education, vocational...