Results 9,941-9,960 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (7 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that I have no direct role in operational road traffic enforcement which is principally a matter for An Garda Síochána. I can, however, assure the Deputy that one of An Garda Síochána's strategic objectives is to provide a safe environment for all road users, including pedestrians, and I have brought the Deputy's particular concerns regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed Circuit Television Systems (7 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: CCTV systems installed for the purposes of crime prevention and as aids to policing in areas to which the general public routinely have access, such as town centres, fall into two distinct categories: Garda CCTV systems and community-based CCTV systems. A community-based CCTV Scheme was launched in 2005. This scheme provided financial assistance to qualifying local organisations towards...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Sector Staff Increment Payments (7 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is not possible to disaggregate the cost of increments from the overall pay bill. However, I can inform the Deputy that the number of increments awarded to staff of my Department is set out hereunder: Year Number of staff in receipt of an increment 2008 1523 2009 1597 2010 1335 2011 1191 2012 1069 2013 913 2014 655 2015 (to date) 191 As the Deputy will be aware, increments are...

Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Second Stage (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to have this opportunity to introduce the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2014 to this House. The Bill was initiated in the Seanad and completed its passage through that House on 5 November last. I am glad to say that it received general, cross-party support there. There is no doubt that this is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commercial Leases Database (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that a Commercial Leases Database is maintained by the Property Services Regulatory Authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 87 of the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011. The Act provides for the establishment of the commercial leases database. The legislation applies to all commercial property leases entered into on or after 3 April 2012,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Personal Debt (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will recall, a very substantial change to Ireland's bankruptcy regime was made by the Personal Insolvency Act 2012, which reduced automatic discharge from bankruptcy from 12 years to 3 years. This Government has also greatly reduced the costs of bankruptcy - from around €1400 in total in 2012, to just €270 euro from 1 January 2015. While bankruptcy used to be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Upward Only Rent Reviews (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, in December 2011 the Government took the difficult decision not to proceed with the commitment in the Programme for Government to abolish upward only rent reviews in so called "legacy leases", i.e., those entered into before 28 February 2010. For leases entered into on or after that date, section 132 of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009 has the effect...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Policing Authority Establishment (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: In total, 33 written submissions were received in the course of the public consultation process undertaken by the Government during May 2014. With the Government approval I will very shortly publish a Bill to provide for the establishment of the Independent Policing Authority and the submissions have been taken into account in the preparation of this legislation. I look forward to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Order Offences (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Legislation in relation to public order and detention powers of the Garda Síochána is kept under continual review in my Department. The question of the Garda Síochána detaining persons for their own safety, such as due to intoxication, is currently being examined in that context. In relation to defibrillators, I understand that a policy on the deployment and use of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Data (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 to 239, inclusive, together. I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that a breakdown of access to in-cell sanitation, including the number required to slop out, the number required to use toilet facilities in the presence of others and the number that are the sole occupants of a cell that has a normal flush toilet or have access to normal toilet...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Data (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 240 to 242, inclusive, together. I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that some of the information requested by the Deputy cannot be answered in the way the Deputy has asked. Such an examination 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....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Data (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy a full breakdown to include monthly average number of prisoners in custody per institution, bed capacity and Inspector of Prison's bed capacity is set out in the following table. May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Bed Capacity Bed Capacity per Inspector of Prisons Institution Mountjoy  (Male) 545 543 550 525 515 518 526...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Building Programme (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that there are no plans at present for the further development of the facilities at either Cloverhill, Dublin or Loughan House, Co Cavan.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Transfers (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that there are no plans to alter the current use of Harristown House. The Deputy will be aware that Harristown House, on the grounds of Castlerea Prison, opened in 2013 for use as a step-down facility for prisoners coming towards the end of lengthy sentences as a means of assisting them in re-integrating into society upon release. I am further...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Building Programme (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that a business case for the modernisation of facilities in Limerick Prison has recently been approved in principle by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform – meaning that the proposed development can now proceed to detailed design & tender stage. Consequently, the Irish Prison Service is now preparing the statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Building Programme (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that their Strategic Plan 2012-2015 includes a commitment that the Irish Prison Service will, in conjunction with other key stakeholders, devise specific strategies for older prisoners. The main reason for this is because there has been a significant increase in the number of older prisoners in the prison system. Information collated from the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Closures (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. I will be in contact with the Deputy when this information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders Data (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: A total of 452 Deportation Orders were signed during the period referred to by the Deputy. The top five nationalities were China (76), Sudan (37), Pakistan (34), Nigeria (28) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (17). In order to provide a more complete picture of the situation regarding the expulsion of non-Irish nationals from the State during the period in question, it should be noted...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Process (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The current position is that before the Act could be commenced, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (6 May 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 252 together. 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...