Results 11,381-11,400 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes, probably a consortium. The pre-qualification process for potential tenders was completed over the summer. Four consortia pre-qualified to tender for the bundle of projects. An invitation to tender was issued to them in October 2014 and a series of consultation meetings on technical, legal, commercial and insurance issues is under way. Tenders will be submitted in next month following...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government has not decided yet on the approach to the nomination of the chairman of GSOC.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I know from previous experience as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs that Garda youth diversion projects are a valuable input. There has been a good decrease in the numbers of young people, for example, who are in detention or coming into contact with the Prison Service. Youth diversion programmes are working well. A value for money study was conducted on them some time ago. I am...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes. There is always room for improvement and one of the issues that came up in the value for money study was that, for example, the location of the projects needed to be based on a series of criteria. Useful work has been done on analysing the areas where the projects should be run and it is based on a research project by a team that works on youth diversion. The locations for the new...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: What works best in an organisation such as An Garda Síochána is ongoing seamless recruitment, which is the phrase I use, because that allows the college in Templemore to plan its work and training, including the supervised work the trainees are doing, and then make arrangements for them to go out into the community. We have to be careful. We need to be aware that the Garda...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy is speaking about something that is extremely relevant, which is the need to have an increased focus on the victims of crime. I did not say this when I spoke earlier. Out of the Dormant Accounts Fund, we are allocating an extra €233,000 to victims of crime and the various helpline services. That is something we have been able to do with the dormant accounts. I think...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: That is an interesting way of putting the question. Obviously this has come up before and there has been an approach that all members of An Garda Síochána wear the same uniform. As I understand, other forces have taken a different view and there was a long discussion in the UK on the matter. As Ireland becomes more multicultural, with members of different communities getting...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I understand that.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Deputy O'Dowd for raising this issue. We need a particular approach for women prisoners, and members have mentioned Dóchas and the need to find a new site. Deputy O'Dowd was speaking primarily about aftercare for women and an effective response for them. As he said, in March last year, a women's strategy, entitled An Effective Response to Women Who Offend, set out how the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: One of the areas that has been greatly enhanced is inter-agency work between the Probation Service and the Irish Prison Service, and I pay tribute to both services on that. This is a key initiative. I have had a number of meetings with the Probation Service and attended a number of its conferences, and I have been struck by the new initiatives taken. One excellent initiative is focusing on...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Deputy O'Dowd is right to identify this as an area needing attention. Prevention is also important. Many women are taken into custody for reasons to do with debt or drug addiction, which are key factors. In terms of prevention, it is key that the Courts Service and the Probation Service work together on this. If people are released from prison, we must try to prevent them from reoffending...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: We are finalising the position with the Courts Service. The numbers are down but there are still issues. I am in the process of issuing a letter seeking information on from the Courts Service regarding progress on ensuring that an effective system is in place for the payment of fines. The Deputy is probably aware that we have been working on this, as the committee discussed the Bill....

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: To provide an update on the situation, this relates to the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014, which had the objective of supporting the administration of justice when fines are imposed to ensure that the fines imposed by the courts are collected and to reduce to the minimum possible the number of people committed to prison for the non-payment of fines. There is work to be done to...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: It will be this year. It is a question of months. We all want to see this in action, but procedures need to be put in place, for example, for the courts accounting system and the criminal case tracking system. Computer and accounting systems need to be put in place. We did not have these systems in place previously because we did not have this more sophisticated approach to dealing with...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The increased funding provided to the Department of Justice and Equality under dormant accounts funding means we have an increase of €233,000 for victims of crime. We want to get people to use the helpline service. Part of the money will go to ensuring the helpline is available and accessible to victims. We are giving €50,000 to recruit and train volunteers, which will help....

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am not sure if I have the information to hand but I can make it available.

Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Referral to Select Committee (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality pursuant to 82A(3)(a) and 126(1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business and paragraph (8) of the Orders of Reference of Select Committees.

Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank all of the Deputies for their contributions to the debate on the Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2014, and for the broad support that has been expressed for the technical but important changes it will effect. Taking up some of the points that Deputy Murphy and others have made, last year the Government committed to reviewing both the implementation of the Central Bank mortgage...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting Applications (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer further to Parliamentary Question No. 146 of 21 January 2015. In my reply I outlined the position that the primary consideration in any vetting process is to ensuring the safety of children and vulnerable adults. There is no arrangement in place whereby vetting reports are valid for fixed periods of time. Full vetting checks are conducted by the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU)...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commissions of Inquiry (4 Feb 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 300 of 27 January 2015 on this matter. The position is unchanged.I met with family members of the victim in the case to which the Deputy refers and their legal representative to hear directly from them of their concerns surrounding the case and their call for an inquiry. The Deputy will be aware that this tragic case of murder was one which was...