Results 10,761-10,780 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Regulations (8 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: A proposal to establish a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and amend several impacted EU Regulations was put forward by the European Commission on 16 November 2016. The relevant EU working party has completed its examinations of the proposal and the matter is currently in trilogue negotiations with the Commission, Council and European Parliament. An exchange of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Anti-Social Behaviour (8 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I share the Deputy's concern in relation to the serious public safety issues associated with the misuse of scramblers and quad bikes, and my concerns are on the public record of this House.  As the Deputy will be aware, a multi-agency approach is required to tackle this anti-social issue effectively. To facilitate this, I have written to the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Complaints Procedures (8 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Firstly, I want to emphasise that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the direction and control of the Garda Síochána. Workplace matters, including the investigation of complaints of bullying and harassment, are matters for the Garda Commissioner and, as Minister, I have no role. Nevertheless, I can advise the Deputy that the person he is referring to submitted...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Reports (8 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: In June 2015 my predecessor initiated an inquiry in accordance with Section 109 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. The decision arose following public concern after the tragic death of Sergeant Michael Galvin. Sergeant Galvin had been the subject of a GSOC investigation into Garda interaction with a member of the public who died after a road traffic incident on 1 January 2015. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child Protection (8 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The 2012 Garda Inspectorate Report on Responding to Child Sexual Abuse made a total of 29 recommendations for improving the handling of child sexual abuse from a policing perspective. In particular, the report proposed new or enhanced arrangements in areas such as training and specialisation, inter-agency working, services to victims, investigative strategies and procedures, and crime...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (8 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 to 229, inclusive, together. The Deputy will be aware that the allocation and management of Garda resources, including the allocation of funding for specialist units and specialist equipment, is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner having due regard to his operational needs. As Minister, I have no role in the matter. For the Deputy's information,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff Data (8 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The following table sets out the information requested by the Deputy. The Press Officer reports to a Principal Officer who has overall responsibility for Communications and for the Department's Corporate Secretariat as a whole. The resources assigned to the press and communications area were strengthened arising from the recommendations of the Toland Report and the implementation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff Recruitment (8 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: No panel has been established in my Department for the position of communications officer. I can confirm that arising from recommendations of the Toland Report and the implementation of the Change Programme in response to the Toland Report an officer at the grade of Principal Officer was assigned as Head of Communications in January 2015. The current occupant of this position has overall...

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I will say for Deputy McGrath's benefit that the provision of legal aid, be it civil legal aid or criminal legal aid, is a fundamental right-----

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: -----for people in this country who are not in a position-----

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: -----to afford legal representation in the private sector.

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Regarding the recent publication of the annual report on civil legal aid, we have managed in spite of some financial difficulties to ensure that waiting lists have been reduced in the past year or more, and this will continue. As far as criminal legal aid is concerned, which I understand is the point that concerns Deputy Mattie McGrath, I assure the House that a review is ongoing in order to...

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: -----with a corresponding proviso that those who can afford to pay for their legal representation do so. I expect to bring proposals to the House next term.

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I have just come from the Seanad, where I have engaged with Senators on a debate on precisely this issue, and I would be happy to do so with Deputy Broughan if he were to raise the matter by way of Topical Issue. In the meantime-----

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: -----I assure Deputy Broughan that the increased resources available to the Garda Síochána now ensure we have in excess of 150 more gardaí on the streets of Dublin than we had two years ago, and this will continue. Next week we will see a further 200 new gardaí come out of the Garda College in Templemore, which was closed for quite some time but which has now been...

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I expect to be in a position to report progress on these amendments. I firmly intend to have that legislation enacted at the earliest opportunity. We will have progress as soon as the Dáil reconvenes after St. Patrick's Day.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Garda Deployment (7 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I should say at the outset that the distribution of gardaí is exclusively the statutory responsibility of the Garda Commissioner. As Minister for Justice and Equality, I have no direct role in the matter. I am informed by the acting Garda Commissioner that in regard to the deployment of Garda personnel, a distribution model is used which takes into account all relevant factors,...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Garda Deployment (7 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: "Hands on" one day is "political interference" the next. I assure the House that the Government's focus on investment in personnel is critical. The moratorium on recruitment introduced in 2010 resulted in a significant reduction in the strength of the Garda. We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the acting Commissioner with the appropriate level of resources needed to deploy...

Seanad: Data Protection Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am willing to have a fresh look at section 32 and to bring forward amendments on Report Stage if the Senator is minded not to press the amendments to section 32 on this Stage. I remind the House that the purpose of section 32, which is entitled "Suitable and specific measures for processing", is to establish a toolbox of specific and appropriate measures to be applied in the context of...

Seanad: Data Protection Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Mar 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I acknowledge what Senator Higgins has said about our constructive relationship but I would not see today as being a starting point. I thought we already started to embark on what I felt was a very constructive relationship in the context of our debate.