Results 11,101-11,120 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (24 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: My response to Parliamentary Question No. 357 of 10 February, 2015 set out the Department's policy in relation to providing information on individual applications for asylum or subsidiary protection. As previously notified to the Deputy, responsibility for the processing of asylum and subsidiary protection applications rests with the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC). ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff Careers (24 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The management of internal promotion competitions is a matter for my Department's Human Resources Division. I do not have a role in this regard. The Deputy may wish to note, however, that my Department has been successful in securing the agreement of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to hold a number of internal promotion competitions, some of which are ongoing. Different...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (24 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As previously stated in my answer to Parliamentary Question No. 123 on 23rd October 2014 the person referred to by the Deputy has not made an application to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service. This person was first registered in the State on 30/01/2012 as a student and was granted permission to remain in the State until 22/01/2013. The person concerned has not renewed...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (24 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the persons concerned, having no valid basis to remain in the State, were, by separate letters dated 20th November, 2014, notified of the proposal to make deportation orders in respect of them. These communications advised the persons concerned of the options open to them as a result which were to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (24 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned has been granted permission to remain in the State for the three year period ending 6th February, 2018. This decision was conveyed in writing to the person concerned by letter dated 6th February, 2015. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charities Regulation (24 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Charities Regulatory Authority is not currently accepting applications for charitable registration from education bodies within the meaning of the Charities Act 2009 and this has been signalled on the Authority's website, www.charitiesregulatoryauthority.ie. I am advised that the Authority will be meeting with the Department of Education in the near future to discuss future arrangements...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Children and Family Relationships Bill, which is going through second stage in the Dáil this week, will not change the position of any child born as a result of assisted human reproduction in a non-clinical setting. There is case law concerning the parentage of a child born in such circumstances, and it is very clear that the natural father has parental rights and responsibilities in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation Provision (24 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 345 and 346 together. As the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions. The Government Infrastructure Stimulus Programme includes a Courts Bundle...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Stardust Fire (24 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information referred to by the Deputy is currently the subject of examination in my Department and a response thereto will issue in due course. I wish also to inform the Deputy that the submission of other, related, reports concerning this matter, which were compiled by another researcher associated with the Stardust Victims' Committee, is the subject of ongoing communications with that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Disciplinary Proceedings (24 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 349 together. I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda Commissioner and on receipt I will write directly to her.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (24 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: With regard to meeting with the Ombudsman Commission, which is a statutory independent body, I can inform the Deputy that, as Minister for Justice and Equality, I meet with the Commission from time to time during which a wide range of issues may be discussed that relate to our respective roles. The last such meeting which was attended by Mr O'Brien was in October 2014. I previously...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Bankruptcy Applications (24 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There has been a significant increase in the number of seriously indebted persons seeking bankruptcy by self adjudication since the reduction of the automatic discharge period from twelve years to three. There were four hundred and forty eight (448) bankruptcies during 2014 compared with fifty eight (58) in 2013. It is expected that this increasing trend will continue. There has also...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (24 Feb 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. The first intake since 2009 of 100 new...

Other Questions: Online Defamation (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: This is an increasing focus among the providers. They are taking many more initiatives than people are aware of, where there is any indication of criminal activity online. For example, more efforts are being made to keep the online evidence, which can effectively be, as the Deputy describes it, a crime scene - we have to think about it like that. There are more and more initiatives coming...

Other Questions: Spent Convictions Legislation (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I recognise the interest in this House in the Bill and the need to have it enacted. I intend to bring the amendments to the House before the summer. There was a new situation, following on from the case to which the Deputy referred, before the Bill could be taken on Report Stage. A 2013 UK Court of Appeal judgment necessitated a review of the disclosure provisions in both the National...

Other Questions: Spent Convictions Legislation (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I agree with the Deputy. This is a very important Bill, particularly for people who may have been convicted of a minor offence many years ago in a District Court, which has hung over their entire life. That is why we have brought in this legislation and I will have the amendments before the House in this term. Section 3 provides that certain employments are exempt from the Bill. These...

Other Questions: Terrorism Threats (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: We take the opportunity to express our sympathy with to those impacted by the appalling terrorist activity in Europe in recent days, weeks and months. Considerable concern has been expressed at the meetings of the Justice and Home Affairs Council where this item is top of the agenda for discussion in terms of security across Europe. Hundreds of young Europeans have gone to fight and some...

Other Questions: Terrorism Threats (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Let me repeat what I said because we want to be accurate in regard to this. Like any country with democratic values, Ireland is not immune to a threat from international terrorism. An attack on Ireland is possible, but it is not assessed as likely and there is no specific information on a threat to Ireland. However, as I have said and as all other Minsters at the Justice and Home Affairs...

Other Questions: Online Defamation (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, the law on defamation in the State was reformed in the Defamation Act 2009. It is important to say the Act draws no distinction between online, print or broadcast media and provides for a number of remedies. The primary relief under the Act is an award of damages with a jury deciding the amount to be awarded if the defamation action is successful. Either nominal or...

Other Questions: Redress for Women in Certain Institutions (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Deputy. I want to ensure that the health legislation we passed in the Dáil will progress through the Seanad in order that the relevant health services will be made available to the women as quickly as possible.