Results 9,981-10,000 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Garda Station Opening Hours (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can assure the Deputy that I am very conscious of the concerns which exist in relation to these sorts of crimes and their impact on householders and communities. The specific policing strategies which are deployed in relation to these of types of crimes are of course a matter for the Garda Commissioner to determine. In this regard I am advised that local Garda management closely monitor...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Court Procedures (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may be aware, existing provisions under the Judicial Separation and Family Law Reform Act 1989 provide that Family Court proceedings in all courts shall be as informal as possible and that neither judges nor barristers or solicitors shall wear wigs or gowns; this applies generally to a range of child and family proceedings in the District Court. Similar provisions apply to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Garda Promotions (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Promotions up to and including Assistant Commissioner are covered by the Garda Síochána (Promotion) Regulations 2006. I have been informed by the Commissioner that the Code of Practice issued by the Commission for Public Service Appointments formally applies to all competitions within An Garda Síochána up to and including Inspector rank. Procedures that apply to more...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Investigations (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The incident referred to by the Deputy has been investigated by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. As the Deputy is aware the Ombudsman Commission is an independent body which was set up to receive complaints made by members of the public concerning the conduct of members of the Gardaí and I have no function in relation to the processing of individual complaints which are...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Garda Oversight (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that on 19 April, 2015, a Garda from Pearse Street Garda station participated in a photo-call with a retired Supreme Court Judge at the front of Pearse Street Garda Station to highlight the fact that people should register to vote for the upcoming referenda. While the event was held in good faith to promote the fact that people can register at...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Garda Equipment (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the deployment of Garda resources, including air support, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the context of her identified operational requirements. In that context I am advised by the Garda authorities that the Garda Air Support unit provides a 24 hour service in support of Garda specialist units and operational Gardaí on the ground. Personnel in the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Citizenship Applications (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that a valid application for a certificate of naturalisation has been received from the person referred to by the Deputy, who currently has permission to reside in the State until 24 November, 2015. As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ground Rents Payments (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that I am not in a position as Minister for Justice and Equality to comment on any specific case of payment of a ground rent by the holder of the leasehold interest to the owner of the freehold interest. The general position regarding ground rents is that section 2 of the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) Act 1978 introduced a prohibition on the creation of new...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: EU Directives (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: In June 2013 the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament adopted measures to complete the second phase of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). Included in the measures adopted were recasts of the Directives dealing with reception conditions, procedures for the processing of applications and the qualification and status of persons as refugees or as persons who otherwise...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Spent Convictions Legislation (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Before the Spent Convictions Bill 2014 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...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Aircraft Landings (30 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I have indicated to the Deputy in my response to Question No. 110 of 23 April 2015 and in previous Questions, the Garda Authorities consider fully in accordance with the law information in respect of any request to search an aircraft. An Garda Síochána remains fully committed to investigate all alleged breaches of criminal law involving the use of aircraft at Shannon Airport. I...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Courts Service (30 Apr 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 with a view to setting up a Community Court on a pilot basis in the Dublin city centre area. I envisage an initial project where...

Spring Economic Statement (Resumed) (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Last Thursday, I attended at the Garda College in Templemore on a sunny and very happy day for all those in attendance. It was a day of hope because last Thursday was the day on which 99 recruits attested as new members of An Garda Síochána with full policing powers. They are now being dispatched to communities nationwide. These 99 were the first new gardaí to attest in over...

Spring Economic Statement (Resumed) (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: -----that led us into the situation where the Government had to rescue the economy because those 99 were the first new gardaí to attest in over five years. No organisation can expect to flourish if it is not recruiting and bringing in new people. Policing is, of course, ultimately about people. The most important resource which An Garda Síochána has at its disposal is its...

Spring Economic Statement (Resumed) (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: We will not let it close again to new recruits.

Spring Economic Statement (Resumed) (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I note that 300 recruits have already started their training while 250 more will enter the Garda College over the coming months. That is 550 in total, which is right. The country needs to see those new recruits being brought in. I promised seamless ongoing recruitment and that is what I am delivering. Our communities need to see more gardaí providing a visible, responsive presence...

Spring Economic Statement (Resumed) (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: What has happened now is that the Government has started to make that investment. We have set up a working group to outline the overall strategic needs of An Garda Síochána in relation to ICT. It is really important to have that plan in place. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, and I will shortly announce a new multi-annual capital investment...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Any instance of an assault against a child, including where that child might be particularly vulnerable, is a cause of great concern. In that regard I can assure the Deputy that An Garda Síochána places an emphasis on tackling crimes against children as well as proactive cooperation with all relevant Departments, organisations and agencies to improve the safety of children....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Juvenile Offenders (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Children Act 2001 sets out the framework under which the youth justice system deals with all youth crime. The youth justice system should be considered in its entirety, from the Garda Diversion Programme through to the Children Courts and the Children Detention Schools. It is not a simple question of choice between diversion, community sanctions and detention. The principles of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charities Regulation (29 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The aim of the Charities Regulatory Authority, established on a statutory basis on 16 October 2014, is to provide for better regulation of charitable organisations through a framework of registration, regulation and support. The initial focus of the Authority has been on the development of the statutory Register of Charities in accordance with the Charities Act 2009. Some 8,500 CHY charities...