Results 11,421-11,440 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (31 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 191 together. As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Transfers (31 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I have been advised by the Irish Prison Service that as of 31st December 2017 there were 28 applications from prisoners in other jurisdictions who wish to transfer to this country to serve the remainder of their sentence, under the provisions of the Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners Acts, 1995 -1997.   The practical effect and implications of the Supreme Court judgement on 12...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (31 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the processing of the application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy is on-going, with a view to establishing whether the conditions for naturalisation, such as good character and lawful residence, are satisfied. On completion of the necessary processing...

Order of Business (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: There is no change in the law. The Ceann Comhairle will appreciate that there is a certain reluctance on my part to discuss individual cases on the floor of the House. However, I acknowledge a matter that Deputy Byrne has brought to my attention. I have asked that the matter be reviewed and sought a report on it. I do not have it to hand but I would be happy to engage further with Deputy...

Order of Business (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I would be keen to ensure that as much information as possible would be given to people who have made complaints or who have grievances. On the specific case referred to by the Deputy, he will be aware the issue is the subject of an investigation by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC. It would, therefore, be unwise for me to make a comment at this stage but I...

Order of Business (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: The Ceann Comhairle might give consideration to supplanting Taoiseach's questions with questions to the Minister for Justice and Equality. Deputy Fitzpatrick raises an important point. During the course of my tenure as Minister for Justice and Equality, I intend to ensure a separate family law division within our courts system. I refer to the family courts Bill, the heads of which are...

Order of Business (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy is aware, there is provision in law for the type of tagging referred to by the Deputy. I assure the House that this matter is receiving important attention. An expert working group is sitting to consider the various legal aspects and the practice that would be involved to ensure the monitoring is in accordance with best international standards. I expect that working group to...

Order of Business (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy and Members will be aware, it is ten years this year since we signed the UN declaration and it is important that we now proceed to ratify it, with a view to having all matters fully completed by the end of this year. It involves a number of Departments and I assure Deputy Howlin that, following the decision at Cabinet today, there will now be an accelerated process with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 267 together. It is open to any individual who may wish to become an Irish citizen to lodge an application for citizenship through naturalisation if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory conditions as prescribed in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. Detailed information on Irish citizenship and naturalisation,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Data Protection (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: Under the EU's data protection framework, any country other than the EU and EEA Member States is deemed to be a "third country." Personal data can only be transferred to a third country when an adequate level of protection is guaranteed.  The "safe harbour" framework referred to was an agreement between the EU and USA which has been subsequently replaced by the Privacy...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification Applications (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 269, 270, 312 and 313 together. I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service INIS) of my Department that statistics are not maintained in a way which identifies unaccompanied or separated children in family reunification application outcomes. As the Deputies will appreciate it would take a disproportionate amount of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Support Services (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 271 to 273, inclusive, 277, 281 to 286, inclusive, 302, 303, 308 and 309 together. During the course of the debate in the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice & Equality, and last week in the Seanad and the Dáil I outlined the proposal and rationale for opting into the EU (recast) Reception Conditions Directive under the terms of Protocol 21,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 274 to 276, inclusive, together. As the Deputy will be aware, the International Protection Act 2015 was commenced on 31 December 2016.  Every effort is being made to process applications efficiently and in a timely manner, in the context of implementing new processes and procedures and dealing with the transitional arrangements under the new Act. Added...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: On 3 October 2017 the Government approved my proposals for a new Communications (Retention of Data) Bill to replace the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011.  In accordance with procedures in place, I wrote to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice and Equality on 3 October 2017 to ask it to undertake pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Eligibility (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As I advised the Deputy in my response to his recent Parliamentary Question number 130 of 18 January, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. The Act provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for naturalisation if he is satisfied that the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: If an application for asylum or subsidiary protection has been made in the State, for confidentiality reasons it is not the practice to comment on such applications and the applicant or their designated legal advisor should contact the International Protection Office directly either by email toinfo@ipo.gov.ie, by telephone to the IPO Customer Service Centre at 01 6028008 or in writing to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Graduate Support Schemes (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I can inform the Deputy that my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Education and Skills, announced changes to the Third Level Graduate Programme in May 2017. This is an immigration programme aimed at facilitating high-performing non-EEA graduates to remain and work in Ireland after their graduation from an Irish Higher Education Institute.   The Graduate...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification Applications (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person in question made an application for family reunification under the provisions of the Refugee Act 1996 in February 2016. The case has been finalised and a decision letter issued to the applicant on 4 August 2017. It is open to Irish citizens and those outside...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: UN Conventions Ratification (30 Jan 2018)

Charles Flanagan: In May 2017, my Department completed the initial consultation phase with stakeholders on the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture. Since then, my Department has participated in the round table discussion and launch of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission's research into how OPCAT can be implemented in Ireland.  Having now considered this...