Results 11,201-11,220 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (18 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Recruitment competitions to An Garda Síochána are open to all who meet the eligibility criteria which are set out in the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013. For those who do meet these requirements, the Admission and Appointment Regulations provide that, as part of the competitive selection process organised by the Public Appointments Service...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Age Identity Cards (18 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda authorities that 61,471 Garda National Age Cards issued in 2013, 60,600 in 2014 and 8,165 in 2015 to date.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (18 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Children and Family Relationships Bill, which is being published this week, contains a number of changes from the General Scheme that was published in September, including in relation to the particular Heads of Bill referred to in the Deputy's question. The intention is that couples who have children through donor assisted human reproduction under the conditions set out in the Bill will...

Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Deputy Joan Collins asked about the top-up pension payments. Judge Quirke’s recommendation on top-up pension type payments is being fully implemented. I have more detail on that if the Deputy would like me to give it to her. Many of these amendments fall outside the scope of the Bill because the Bill deals specifically with the provision of health services. Many of the...

Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I have already said, the provision of an advocacy service does not require legislation and is not part of the Bill. While I understand what the Deputy is doing, Judge Quirke's specific recommendation, on page 45 of the report, was that the State would fund, establish and accommodate a small, dedicated unit to provide a range of supports to the Magdalen women. We have established such a...

Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I appreciate the Deputy's point and it is critical in terms of residential care. HIQA would have a role to play and the Assisted Decision-making (Capacity) Bill will be very helpful. One or two issues were reported to us and they were fully investigated and if anybody has any information on the care and protection of these women, they will be fully investigated and the relevant authorities...

Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: What was recommended by Mr. Justice Quirke is what the women concerned are getting. I do not think Deputy Ruth Coppinger is correct when she claims they are not getting what they expected. Many of the women who have been in contact with us believe the scheme has been extremely helpful to them. For many women, it is preferable for the Government to put in place a scheme of this nature...

Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: To date, €18 million has been paid out. The amounts range from €11,000 to someone who spent a weekend in a Magdalen home to €100,000 to other women. The women concerned are in daily contact with the Department and I have already said in the House that the advocates representing them have talked positively about the service they have received. I reject the...

Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is some confusion about the HAA card and the recommendation of Mr. Justice Quirke on the provisions he said should be applied. In that context, Deputy Niall Collins made reference to Appendix G of Mr. Justice Quirke's report. I also note the point made by Deputy Joan Collins, but the reference she made was to documentation relating to the HAA card, rather than to Mr. Justice Quirke's...

Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I stated on the last occasion, the services provided for in section 2 of the Bill are precisely those recommended by Mr. Justice Quirke on page 35 of his report - GP services; prescribed drugs; medicines; aids and appliances; dental services; ophthalmic services; aural services; home support; home nursing; counselling services; chiropody; podiatry and physiotherapy. All of these services...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Neither I nor my officials have had any contact with European Commission officials in respect of an application for funding from the Rape Crisis Network Ireland. The Rape Crisis Network Ireland requested my Department to act as an associate partner and co-funder in its application to the EU Commission for funding for a research project. My Department, having carefully considered this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 291 and 294 together. The current position is that the Bill has passed Committee Stage in the Dáil, having passed all stages in the Seanad. However, before the Bill could be taken at Report Stage, a 2013 UK Court of Appeal judgment necessitated a review of the disclosure provisions in both the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons)...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Witness Protection Programme (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The expenditure from the Witness Security Programme subhead for the years 2010 - 2014 is set out in the table below. Year Outturn 2010 €0.700m 2011 €0.700m 2012 *Nil 2013 €1.150m 2014 **€1.210m Provisional outturn* Expenses in relation to 2012 are reflected in outturn for 2013. ** The final outturn for 2014 will only be available when the Comptroller and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Suicides (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Since 2005 there have been 86 deaths in custody in prisons. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 9 12 7 11 10 11 6 5 7 8 Of the 86 deaths since 2005, 15 have been determined as death by suicide. Since 1 January, 2012, the death of any prisoner in custody or on temporary release is the subject of an independent investigation by the Inspector of Prisons. The Office of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to the Reply given to his recent Parliamentary Question No. 109 of Thursday, 29th January 2015. The status of the person concerned is as set out in that reply.I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to is the subject of a Deportation Order and therefore has no entitlement to residency in the State....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: In my response to Parliamentary Question No.105 of 29 January 2015 I set out the Department's policy in relation to providing information on individual applications for asylum or subsidiary protection. As regards the processing of subsidiary protection applications generally, the following information may be of interest to the Deputy. Responsibility for the processing of subsidiary...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: In my response to Parliamentary Question No.105 of 29 January 2015 I set out the Department's policy in relation to providing information on individual applications for asylum or subsidiary protection. It should be noted that in very many instances the delay in finalising cases is due to applicants initiating judicial review proceedings at various stages of the process. The length of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to the Reply given to his recent Parliamentary Question No. 101 of Thursday, 29th January 2015. The status of the person concerned is as set out in that reply.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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (17 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised that an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) in August, 2005 and in 2009 the then Minister for Justice decided in his absolute discretion to refuse the application. The person concerned was informed of this and the reasons for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (17 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 keeps this distribution under continuing review in the context of...