Results 11,161-11,180 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence Policy (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: While there is already a range of legislative provisions available for the protection of persons in domestic and other situations it is important that we learn from the particular circumstances of every such tragic death so that we might improve our legislative provisions where necessary. The Government is committed to introduce consolidated and reformed domestic violence legislation to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence Policy (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: My intention is to seek Government approval for Ireland to sign the Istanbul Convention this year. This is a matter of priority for me. My Department has been working to establish precisely the actions which would need to be taken in order to ratify and implement the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence - the Istanbul...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: This Government, as part of its response to the report by Seán Guerin SC, took the initiative to have an independent review carried out of the allegations of Garda misconduct, which had been submitted to my Department, to the Office of the Taoiseach and a number of other public representatives. This unprecedented decision was taken with a view to getting an objective and independent...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Decisions in relation to the provision, allocation and fit out of Garda vehicles are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of her identified operational demands and the availability of resources. In that context, the additional €10 million which I recently secured for investment in the Garda fleet will provide for a significant number of new Garda vehicles. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Parole Boards (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 415 dated 14 January 2015, which dealt with the report referred to by the Deputy. In relation to the Parole Board, proposals are being prepared to put it on a statutory footing. In September last year, I published the report of the Penal Policy Review Group which was tasked with carrying out a strategic review of penal policy. As...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Reception & Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the provision of full board accommodation and certain ancillary services to asylum seekers in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision. There are currently approximately 4,300 asylum seekers in 34 centres around the State. Aside from full board accommodation services provided by RIA,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that following a comprehensive and thorough examination of the asylum claim and application for subsidiary protection, and a detailed examination of the representations she submitted for consideration under Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), a Deportation Order was signed on 18 December...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the Government approved the General Scheme of the Gambling Control Bill in July 2013, at which point it was published on my Department's website. The Scheme was subsequently referred to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel for drafting. As per the Government's current Legislative Programme it is not possible to indicate when the Bill is likely to be published.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Data (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Irish Prison Service calculates the average annual cost of an available staffed prison space for inclusion in the Annual Report. For 2013, the latest year for which a figure is available, the cost was €65,542. This equates to an average daily cost of €179.57 per available staffed prison space. Once finalised, the 2014 figures will be published on the Irish Prison Service...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Committals (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 102 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that a breakdown of the number of persons by gender who were committed to prison solely for non-payment of fines for each of the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 is set out in the following table. In the case of 2014, these figures are provisional pending the publication of the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the examination of crime prevention measures such as the one mentioned by the Deputy is a matter in the first instance for the Garda authorities, including with respect to any legal issues arising in relation to such schemes. An Garda Síochána is proactive in encouraging the public to protect their property, including bicycles, and a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (19 Feb 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 requested the CSO to provide available statistics directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned is currently registered in the State under Stamp 4 conditions granted to them on the basis of their marriage to an Irish national. This permission is valid until 11 August 2015 and is renewable by attending at their local immigration office accompanied by their Irish spouse....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Organised Crime (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 109 together. Under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of available Garda resources. This includes personnel, Garda vehicles and the various technologies utilised to support frontline Gardaí and intelligence led operations against organised crime. This process takes account of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: One of the primary functions of the Garda Commissioner, under the Garda Síochána Acts, is to direct and control An Garda Síochána. The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel and vehicles, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (19 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. I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Organised Crime (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 111 together. The Policing Plan 2015 of An Garda Síochána sets out the continued commitment of An Garda Síochána to pro-actively target groups and individuals engaged in criminal activity, including organised criminal activities. It is unfortunately the case that gun crime has for some time been an inherent part of organised...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Policing Plans (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Síochána Act 2005 contains provisions the purpose of which are to endeavour to ensure that the Garda Síochána operates to the best standards in line with the police services of other comparable jurisdictions. Section 24 of the Act provided for the establishment, by the Garda Commissioner, of a Garda Professional Standards Unit (GPSU) with the specific remit...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Decisions in relation to the provision, allocation and fit out of Garda vehicles are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of her identified operational demands and the availability of resources. In that context, the additional €10 million which I recently secured for investment in the Garda fleet will provide for a significant number of new Garda vehicles. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (19 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the function of the Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT) is to assist Senior Investigating Officers assigned to the case in question in bringing investigations to a successful conclusion by identifying further investigative opportunities and ensuring that investigations conform to approved best practice guidelines. At the conclusion of each review a...