Results 10,601-10,620 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Northern Ireland Issues (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The matter to which the Deputy refers has come to prominence in recent months following allegations that have been made publicly about the sexual abuse of children by members of the Provisional IRA and allegations of cover ups of these crimes. This continues, of course, to be a matter of considerable public concern and the matters are the subject of ongoing investigation by the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Firearms Licences (24 Mar 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: Firearms and Ammunition Security (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 469 and 470 together. The Deputy refers to the increasing number of unlicensed firearms in the State. It is however impossible to accurately state how many illegal firearms are currently in the hands of criminals in the State or whether this figure is increasing. An Garda Síochána tackles the issue of illegal firearms on a daily basis at both local...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Controls (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: A major reform of the delivery of immigration services is underway including the transfer of registration functions from the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS). This presents opportunities to streamline both registration and visa re-entry services and INIS will be introducing on-line services as part of this process. In...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (24 Mar 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 however been informed by the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Equality Issues (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: If the referendum on the 34th Amendment of the Constitution is approved by the people, marriages contracted by same-sex couples outside the State would be recognised as marriages in Ireland, in the same way as the marriages of opposite-sex couples.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Communications (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As an organisation the Garda Síochána takes its responsibility for the control of the information it possesses about individuals very seriously. Unauthorised disclosure of information can impede the investigation of an offence and the apprehension or prosecution of suspected offenders and can seriously undermine public confidence in the ability of the Garda Síochána to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware the Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014, which was passed by the Oireachtas earlier this month, makes special provision for free access to health services for women who were resident in Magdalen Laundries and similar institutions. The services being provided are precisely those recommended by Judge Quirke. Judge Quirke made no comment,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware a Dedicated Unit was set up in my Department to process applications and to make lump sum payments. Officials in the Dedicated Unit also provide assistance and advice to the applicants on any aspect of the Scheme in a helpful and sensitive manner. Priority has been given to processing applications, providing cash payments and other benefits to the women. To...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Magdalen Laundries (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 477 to 480, inclusive, together. Judge Quirke recommended the establishment of a dedicated unit which would assist women getting their entitlements and advocating on their behalf. As the Deputy will be aware a Dedicated Unit was set up in my Department to process applications and to make lump sum payments. Officials in the Dedicated Unit also provide...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gambling Legislation (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are two fundamental concepts underpinning the General Scheme of the Gambling Control Bill, namely that all gambling is illegal unless licensed, and that any one providing a gambling service in Ireland must have a licence. As provided for in the General Scheme, all licensing will come under the remit of a single national authority, i.e. the Minister for Justice & Equality....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Prosecutions Data (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. I have asked the CSO to forward relevant statistics directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Freedom of Information Requests (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the procedures followed by my Department in the processing of Freedom of Information requests are governed by the provisions of the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2014. A deciding officer at the rank of Assistant Principal Officer rank or occasionally at the rank of Higher Executive Officer is normally assigned to each request. In instances where the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (24 Mar 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 been informed by the Garda Commissioner...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drugs Crime (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Drug related violence and intimidation is one of the most insidious and harmful features associated with the illegal trade in drugs. This was a key issue of concern raised during the consultation phase in the development of our National Drugs Strategy 2009- 2016. Under action 5 of the National Drug Strategy An Garda Síochána is charged with leading on the development of a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Assisted Human Reproduction (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The issue of transitional provisions was raised in the debates on the Children and Family Relationships Bill. I have made a clear commitment, with the agreement of the Minister for Health, that Parts 2 and 3 of the Bill will not be commenced for a minimum period of one year after enactment, to provide sufficient time for an orderly transition without affecting the treatment of couples...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 487 to 489, inclusive, together. A new National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking in Ireland is at an advanced stage of drafting in my Department. I anticipate that this draft plan will be issued for consultation to civil society organisation active in this field in the near future. This new Plan seeks to build on progress made to date in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: On 27 November, I published the General Scheme of a Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill which includes two new offences of purchasing, in the context of prostitution, sexual services. The first is a general offence of purchasing sexual services which carries a penalty of a fine of up to €500 for a first offence and fines of up to €1000 for a second or subsequent offence....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will recall, I am informed that, following the examination by An Garda Síochána of the report of the Moriarty Tribunal, the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions was sought with a view to determining whether or not a full Garda investigation should be commenced. The Deputy will also recall that the Garda authorities have also been engaged in an examination of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Reports (24 Mar 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that the report referred to was published by me on 27 January, 2015. The report is entitled 'Garda Professional Standards Unit Examination of the Procedures, Policy and Decision Making Processes in Relation to Cancellations on the Fixed Charge Processing System of Road Traffic Related Offences' and is available on my Department's website www.justice.ie. To be of...