Results 11,921-11,940 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 to 91, inclusive, together. Section 18(3) of the Coroners Act, 1962, places an obligation on an Inspector or Officer of the Garda Síochána, if he or she becomes aware of the death within the district of a coroner of any person in whose case a medical certificate of the cause of death is not procurable, to inform the coroner of such death. This...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Coroners Service (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that I have no role in relation to the conduct of individual inquests. The legislation governing coroner matters is the Coroners Act, 1962. Under this legislation, a coroner is a statutory officer exercising quasi-judicial functions in relation to which he or she is independent. The conduct of the inquest and the release of documents prior to the inquest is solely...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Funding for organisations that support and assist victims of crime generally is provided under the aegis of my Department. Among the services funded is a national help-line which is there to provide emotional support and information and where relevant to refer people to support services in their local area. Financial support is also provided for court accompaniment, accompaniment to sexual...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 to 97, inclusive, and 110 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that under the terms of the Scheme of Compensation for Personal Injuries Criminally Inflicted, applications for compensation under the Scheme are decided by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal, who are entirely independent in the matter of individual applications under the Scheme. I...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: In common with victims of crime generally, families of homicide victims can, on request to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, have that Office: - take their views into account when deciding whether to prosecute - look again at a decision it has made with which the family do not agree - arrange for the family to talk to the prosecution solicitor and barrister before the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Coroners Service (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the Coroners Bill 2007 is before the Seanad, having been restored to the Order Paper on the initiative of the previous Minister for Justice and Equality. The Coroners Bill, as published, provides for the comprehensive reform of the existing legislation and structures relating to coroners and for the establishment of a new Coroner Service. The Bill incorporates...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Coroners Service (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy may aware, the legislation governing coroner matters is the Coroners Act, 1962. Under this legislation, the coroner is an independent officer charged with the investigation of certain reportable deaths. The primary public expression of that investigation is the inquest which seeks factually to discover the circumstances of the person's death. I am satisfied that the inquest...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Administration (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 to 107, inclusive, together. It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to complaints made by members of the public concerning the conduct of members of the Garda Síochána. The Garda Síochána Act 2005 established the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) to receive complaints from members of the public concerning the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Liquor Licensing Laws (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the matter referred to by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy directly as soon as the report is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Agreements (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The requirements for which countries are visa required to come to Ireland are kept under regular review in consultation with my colleague the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. Currently, there are no plans to implement the changes referred to by the Deputy. The Government is pursuing a strategy of greater co-ordination and co-operation on visa issues with the UK authorities in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Procurement Contracts Data (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Irish Prison Service (IPS) issued an invitation to tender for Construction Consultancy Services under a Multi Operator Framework in June 2009. The tender documents provided details of the services to be procured, outlined the procurement process, provided details of the evaluation procedure and associated criteria together with the proposed contractual arrangements. Tenders were...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Procurement Contracts Data (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The redevelopment of Limerick Prison will see the replacement of the 19th century A and B wings, and the provision of a new female prison block. I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that the tendering process is currently underway and that no contract has yet been awarded. The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the likely value of the contract...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Fuel Oil Specifications (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that details of the number of complaints of petrol stretching received by An Garda Siochána for the Garda Districts in counties Mayo, Galway, Roscommon-Longford, and Sligo-Leitrim for the period June to December 2014 to date (as at 10 December) are provided in the appended table. I am further informed that to date no files have as yet being...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Penalty Points System (10 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: For ease of reference, the information originally sought by the Deputy is as follows: 'To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide details in tabular form by county the number of penalty points issued to persons as a result of detection by the speed camera vans since their introduction; the amount of revenue that has been raised as a result; if all the revenue has been...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (10 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...

Confidence in Taoiseach and Government: Motion (9 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: To speak in favour of this motion, expressing confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government, offers an opportunity to answer one of the easiest and one of the most damaging accusations that can be put to a politician, which is "You’re all the same." By its actions in recent weeks, Sinn Féin has established how untrue that accusation is. We are not all the same. We are not even...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Services Regulation (9 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: During the Second Stage debate on the Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011, the Dáil was informed of the decision taken in May 2011 not to proceed with the appointment of a Legal Services Ombudsman. This is because the oversight model proposed in the Legal Services Ombudsman Act of 2009 does not meet this Government’s policy commitment to greater independence in the regulation of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Promotions (9 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 253 to 262, inclusive, together. I am currently reviewing the range of issues referred to in your questions and where relevant I have requested responses from the Garda Commissioner. I will respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (9 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, one of the primary functions of the Garda Commissioner under the Garda Síochána Acts, is to direct and control An Garda Síochána. In this regard, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (9 Dec 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, including Community Gardaí, 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. The Deputy will...