Results 11,841-11,860 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charities Regulation (17 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 to 123, inclusive, together. The aim of the Charities Regulatory Authority, established under the Charities Act 2009, is to provide for the better regulation of charitable organisations through a framework of registration, regulation and support. The initial focus of the newly established Authority is on the development of a Register of Charities, upon...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cyber Bullying Issues (17 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Office for Internet Safety (OIS) is an Executive Office within my Department. The OIS has been engaging with the issue of counteracting cyberbullying on an ongoing basis and has issued a series of booklets on internet safety including one dedicated to the topic of cyberbullying. A total of 18,459 copies of the cyberbullying booklet have been distributed to parents, teachers and youth...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Mortgage Resolution Processes (17 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to inform the Deputy that, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions, which include the provision of information on the courts system. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Rehabilitation Programmes (17 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 to 129, inclusive, together. I can inform the Deputy that the Incentivised Regimes Policy was introduced on a phased basis across all prisons in 2012 and is now operational in all institutions. Incentivised Regimes provides for a differentiation of privileges between prisoners according to their level of engagement with services and quality of behaviour....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Releases (17 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to advise the Deputy that the application by the prisoner (details supplied) for enhanced remission was considered under Rule 59 (2) of SI 252 of 2007 (the Prison Rules). This occurred prior to my recent amendment to the Rules. While the prisoners incentivised regime level was not taken into account, the application was considered by reference to a number of other factors including...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Location of Victims' Remains (17 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (ICLVR) was established by the Irish and British Governments in 1999 to facilitate the location of the remains of a number of people who were killed and buried secretly by paramilitary organisations during the troubles. They have become known as the disappeared. The ICLVR was among the actions taken in the context of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Promotions (17 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Promotion competitions within An Garda Síochána are run in strict compliance with An Garda Síochána (Promotion) Regulations 2006, as amended. I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that all members who apply for and are eligible for promotion are invited to take part in a competency based interview. This interview is conducted by an independent interview board...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (17 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am aware that an increasing number of complaints of petrol stretching have been reported to Revenue's Customs Service and An Garda Síochána during 2014. This is a matter of serious concern as petrol stretching, like all forms of fuel fraud, results in losses to the Exchequer, threatens legitimate businesses and potentially can cause significant damage to the vehicles of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (17 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The policy of my Department with regard to the provision of information in respect of individual applications for asylum or subsidiary protection and the legal basis underpinning this policy was fully explained in my letter to the Deputy dated 31 May, 2014. That letter referenced Section 19 (1) of the Refugee Act, 1996 which states that "The Commissioner, the Board, the Tribunal, the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Military Aircraft Landings (17 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am aware of reports going back some time that Irish airports, particularly Shannon, have been used for the unlawful inter-state transfer of detainees (‘extraordinary rendition’) by the US authorities. The Government has repeatedly made it clear that extraordinary rendition is an illegal practice which Ireland will not accept. The US authorities have provided clear and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid Applications (16 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to advise the Deputy that a person who has received legal aid for a family law matter may apply for further legal aid to appeal the decision of the Court. The application must satisfy a merits test, subject to the provisions of the Civil Legal Aid Act, 1995. The Solicitor and/or Barrister acting for the person would provide an opinion on making the appeal, in particular that there are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (16 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of information on the courts system. The Road Traffic Act 2006...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Land Ownership (16 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that under the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006, the Property Registration Authority (PRA) was established as and from 4 November 2006. The PRA replaced the Registrar of Deeds and Titles as the registering authority in relation to property registration in Ireland and, subject to the above Act, is independent in the performance of its functions. The Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (16 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The General Scheme of the Children and Family Relationships Bill establishes how parentage of a donor-conceived child will be assigned. Where the fertility treatment leading to pregnancy was carried out in a clinical setting, parentage will be assigned in accordance with clear rules and subject to the informed consent of the couple undertaking treatment and of the donor. The reason that the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (16 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The thousands of lives lost, people injured and families bereaved was the tragic cost exacted on the people of this island over the course of the troubles. The atrocities perpetrated against innocent men, women and children in Dublin and Monaghan in May 1974 stand out in our collective memory as particularly bloody episodes in the history of conflict on this island. The impact of the very...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Light Pollution (16 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, I am not in a position in my capacity as Minister for Justice and Equality to give advice in relation to a specific case. I am informed by my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government that there is no environmental legislation at either EU or national level on light pollution. However, it appears that some steps have been...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Prosecutions Data (16 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Law enforcement in relation to the smuggling of tobacco products and the sale of illicit or counterfeit tobacco products within the State is primarily a matter for the Revenue Commissioners. Penalties for these offences are set out in the Finance Acts and are a matter for the Minister for Finance. In targeting the illicit tobacco trade there is close cooperation between the Customs Service...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Schemes (16 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Significant progress has been made on the implementation of the Magdalen Scheme. To date, a decision has been made on up to 88% of the applications received and 488 applicants have been paid their lump sum at a cost of €17.8m. Each application is assessed on an individual basis, by my officials in the Restorative Justice Implementation Unit, taking into account any available...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Matters (16 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy is referring to the mechanism established for the independent review of certain allegations of Garda misconduct, or inadequacies in the investigation of certain allegations, which have been made to me as Minister for Justice and Equality, or the Taoiseach, with a view to determining to what extent and in what manner further action may be required in each case.   A panel...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (16 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned, is the subject of a Deportation Order made on 18 November 2009. Representations were received from the person's legal representative, pursuant to Section 3 (11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), to revoke the Deportation Order. The Deputy might wish to note that any...