Results 10,361-10,380 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I should say at the outset that the distribution of Garda personnel, including the allocation of newly attested Gardaí, is exclusively the statutory responsibility of the Garda Commissioner. Notwithstanding the Commissioner's responsibility, I have provided for the record, in tabular form, the detailed information requested by the Deputy.  I am informed by the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems Expenditure (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to supporting investment in CCTV systems at key locations along the road network and in urban centres.  This commitment is being progressed in a number of ways. In pursuance of this commitment, a Community-based CCTV grant-aid Scheme was launched by my Department in April 2017 to assist groups in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I should say at the outset that the distribution of Garda personnel, including the allocation of newly attested Gardaí, is exclusively the statutory responsibility of the Garda Commissioner. Notwithstanding the Commissioner's responsibility, I have provided for the record, in tabular form, the detailed information requested by the Deputy.  I am informed by the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Operations (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Records management procedures in my Department are aimed at ensuring that, whatever their provenance, letters/emails receive appropriate attention; any decisions taken, particularly by the Minister or the Secretary General, are recorded; and minutes are taken of meetings.  However, officials throughout my Department have very frequent contact with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Law Cases (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The purpose of the in camera rule in family law and child care proceedings is to protect the identity of the parties and any child to whom the proceedings relate. While the general principle as set out in Bunreacht na hÉireann is that justice be administered in public, the underlying concern is that family law proceedings relate to matters which are sensitive and private to the parties...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Diplomatic Representation (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I can assure the Deputy that the Government affords the highest priority to the State’s security. An Garda Síochána carries out a range of functions in safeguarding our national security, including actions to counter terrorist threats, to support international security and to protect the State and its vital interests, where necessary, from espionage and unlawful acts of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65, 70, 76, 79, 80, 89, 581 and 582 together. As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Information and Communications Technology (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will be aware that there is regular, detailed and structured engagement between my Department and An Garda Síochána in relation to governance and the Garda reform programme generally, including ICT matters. I am advised that the Garda Information and Communications Technology Governance Board was established in November 2016, building on a recommendation of the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Community Policing (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will appreciate that it is the Garda Commissioner and his management team who are responsible for the distribution of all Garda resources, including personnel, and I as Minister have no role in such matters. However, I am informed by the Garda authorities that as of 28 February 2018, the number of Gardaí assigned to the Laois/Offaly Division was 340. Since the reopening of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Communications (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Access for all staff of my Department to web based emails is restricted by security infrastructure. The Department provides a secure remote access service to staff who require access to Departmental systems including emails outside of work hours.  Like most people, officials in the Department would have personal email accounts and may occasionally use personal email accounts for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 85 together. As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the records show that the most recent correspondence from the persons referred to by the Deputy were received on 22 December 2017 and 17 December 2017 respectively. Both were acknowledged on 4 January 2018 and the contents of the correspondence is being taken into account in the consideration of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy is aware, my Department has launched a Community-based CCTV grant-aid scheme to assist groups in the establishment of community-based CCTV systems in their local areas. There has been an increasing level of enquiries relating to the scheme. Some 11 applications have been received to date and I understand that a number of other applications are currently...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the processing of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy, is still under consideration and has not yet reached a conclusion. The application will be submitted to me as expeditiously as possible. As the Deputy will appreciate, the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Independent Review Mechanism (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy is referring to five Statutory Inquiries which were established, under Section 42 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, on 15 May 2017.  These inquiries, each of which is presided over by a retired judge, arose out of the recommendations of Counsel of the Independent Review Mechanism in respect of five complaints considered by it. As the Deputy will be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will be aware, recruitment to An Garda Síochána is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and is governed by the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013, and I, as Minister, have no direct involvement in the matter. The Commissioner has assured me that a concerted effort is being made to encourage women and minority communities to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Data Protection (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The position is that while the data protection rights and protections that generally apply to adults under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) also apply to children, the GDPR acknowledges that the personal data of children merit specific protection and it includes a number of specific measures for the protection of children in addition to the "digital age of consent".  ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned is required to present on arrival to an immigration officer for permission to enter the State. In terms of travel document requirements, the person should be in possession of a valid passport or other equivalent document, issued by or on behalf of an authority recognised by the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries Report (17 Apr 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Last week the Taoiseach and I, together with our officials, met the Ombudsman to discuss my proposals to implement the recommendations in his report.  The meeting was positive and constructive, and today I briefed my Cabinet colleagues on these recommendations and the steps I am taking to implement them as quickly as possible.  This will involve a review of cases...