Results 10,221-10,240 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (15 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No.161 of 12 March 2015, protection applicants are issued with a temporary residence permission pending a final decision on their application. If an applicant is determined to be eligible for refugee or subsidiary protection status they are then granted permission to remain in the State. The taking by an applicant of Judicial Review...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (15 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by An Garda Síochána that the incident referred to by the Deputy relates to the murder of a man who was shot in Dundalk on 11 December, 2011. The suspect offender later died by suicide in a holding cell at Cloverhill District Court. The suspect offender was the owner of three licensed firearms. Previous to 2011, his firearms certificates were granted and later...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Firearms Licences (15 Apr 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: Immigration Status (15 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 20 December, 2016. The application is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (15 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to is the subject of a Deportation Order made on 15th July 2011, and therefore he has no entitlement to residence in the state. Representations were received from the person's legal representative asking that the Deportation Order be revoked, in accordance with the provisions...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Student Visas Eligibility (15 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: My Department does not accredit English language schools. Its role, and mine as Minister, in this area is to put in place an appropriate immigration regime to deal with applications from non-EEA students seeking permission to come to Ireland for the purpose of attending English language programmes. That includes ensuring that students are fulfilling the conditions of their permission, that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (15 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Decisions regarding the deployment of automated number plate technology within the Garda fleet are a matter for the Garda Commissioner, based on operational requirements. In that context I am informed by the Garda authorities that the operational target number of vehicles fitted with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) for the years 2013, 2014 and 2015 is 120. However, this number...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (15 Apr 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 received the information from the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (15 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána on 28 February 2015 the latest dates for which figures are readily available was 12,763. There are also 1,082 Garda Reserves and over 2,000 Civilians attached to An Garda Síochána. As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Northern Ireland Issues (15 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 411 and 412 together. I would like to express my sympathy to the families of Patrick Stanley and Geraldine O'Reilly on the tragic loss of their loved ones in the Belturbet bombing. It was a senseless and brutal act of violence which tragically took the lives of two innocent young people. One can only imagine the pain and suffering the families have...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (15 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the matters referred to by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy directly as soon as the report is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Semi-State Bodies Dividends (15 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am assuming that the Deputy is referring to semi-State bodies who have a significant element of commercial or trade activities within their remit. The bodies and agencies attached to my Department provide public services in the broad Justice area, and, as such, do not engage in any significant commercial activity.

Other Questions: Garda Complaints Procedures (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: We are the first Government to take a group of cases like these about which people have had concerns and to put a process in place to examine them in good faith. It is an independent process. All of the information that is available on each of the cases can be made available to the panel and it can seek extra information if there is some stand-out issue that has not been addressed. In the...

Other Questions: Prison Staff (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Prison management may make a request for an armed escort based on a risk assessment of a prisoner who is due to be escorted outside the prison. It is sent to the operations directive and then forwarded to An Garda Síochána where it is given careful consideration to determine if the escort is to be granted. Armed escorts are requested for prisoners who pose the highest security...

Other Questions: Prison Staff (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The director general of the Prison Service has established an implementation group, chaired by the governor of the Prison Service escort corps, to implement several actions including the purchase of personal protection equipment, provision of training and the identification of high-risk escorts. The transportation of high-risk escorts is to be reviewed and improved lines of communication are...

Other Questions: Garda Station Refurbishment (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is based on accommodation priorities established by the Garda Síochána. The programme is advanced in close co-operation with the Office of Public Works, which has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. Funding for such works is provided for in the Vote of the Office of Public...

Other Questions: Garda Station Refurbishment (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will raise that issue with the Garda Commissioner. Clearly, these are operational decisions. The fact, however, that there are 550 recruits going through Templemore training college will help in this matter, ensuring local community policing, including in Gaeltacht areas, which is necessary and essential for a proper policing service to protect the community and interrupt crime.

Other Questions: Garda Complaints Procedures (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I was not using the time as an excuse. I was pointing out these are complex cases that have been through many different procedures. The very point of the review mechanism is to establish if there has been, as the Deputy described it, a fault in the process used at the time such as if there were a miscarriage of justice, unacceptable behaviour, some issue not explored properly or the...

Other Questions: Judicial Appointments (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I absolutely agree with the Deputy that it is vital. The Judiciary and the courts are at the heart of the justice system and are constitutionally independent in their operation. Under the Constitution, judges are appointed by the President on the advice of the Government. As the Deputy knows, the current process for the appointment of judges in Ireland is set out in Part IV of the Courts...

Other Questions: Judicial Appointments (2 Apr 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The courts are independent.