Results 11,921-11,940 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Family Reunification: Family Reunification (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: Directive 2003/86/EC on the right to family reunification falls within the scope of Title V of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Ireland, like the UK, has not to date exercised its option to participate in the Directive. While the issue of Ireland's participation in is kept under review, there are no current plans to change the position. As I indicated in my press release...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that plans are currently in train for the development of a new Cork prison on the car park of the existing facility. Planning for the project is at a preliminary stage and it is not possible, at this juncture, to give any definite commitment on a time-line for delivery. My Department has already given sanction to the Irish Prison Service to proceed...

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: The information which was sought by Deputy on the 25 January 2012 is only recently to hand. I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the basic Firearms Courses delivered by the Firearms Training Unit are as follows: Course · Basic Handgun course One Week · Basic Submachine gun course One Week · Refresher Live Fire One day per member, twice a year · Refresher Fats One day per...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: In common with all other Departments, the capital budget for the Justice Vote Group covering the period 2012 to 2016 was published last November. There was considerable engagement at Departmental and Government level in relation to the budget prior to its publication. While, unfortunately, the fiscal environment within which we now operate allows very little latitude to increase the overall...

Written Answers — Gender Recognition: Gender Recognition (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I meet regularly with my colleagues in Government both collectively and on issues of bilateral interest. My Department was represented on the Gender Recognition Advisory Group established in May 2010 to advise on the question of legislation to give legal recognition to the acquired gender of transgender persons. The development of proposals in this regard is a matter for the Department of...

Written Answers — Garda Reserve: Garda Reserve (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that on the 31 March 2011 there were 766 Reserve Gardaí, and as of the 29 February, 2012 the latest date for which figures are readily available, the strength of the Garda Reserve was 935. The target strength of the Garda Reserve remains at 10% of the full time Force and I would like to assure the House that the Government are fully committed to...

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: Educational services are available at all institutions and are provided in partnership with a range of educational agencies including notably the VECs and Public Library Services. The Department of Education and Skills provides an allocation of 220 whole-time teacher equivalents. Literacy, numeracy and general basic education provision is the priority and broad programmes of education are...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: Population figures for Moyvane and Ballylongford were based on information ascertained from the 2006 Census. As Tarbert Garda Station was not a station which was identified for closure in the policing plan for 2012, the question of assessing the population covered by that station did not arise. The population of the Tarbert area is available from the Central Statistics Office website at...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am not clear as to what the Deputy means by "plans to recognise the residency of non-EEA nationals under the age of 16 years". The question would suggest that the residency of the non-EEA nationals under the age of 16 years is not recognised at present. This is not the case. While non-EEA nationals under the age of 16 years of age are not required to register their residence in the State...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Commissioner's Policing Plan for 2012, which I laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on 5 December 2011, sets out the future opening hours of Malahide and Howth Garda Stations. These are to be reduced to 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., from the current 24-hour basis. This in turn will free up gardaí during these hours from indoor duties to outdoor operational duties. It is also important...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I do not accept the premise of the question that the direct provision system does not operate in a fair and transparent way. I believe that it does. In order to meet its international obligations in the area of asylum, the Government has allocated significant resources over the years to our asylum determination structures, to reception arrangements and to the provision of services to asylum...

Written Answers — Human Trafficking: Human Trafficking (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: At the request of my Department and with a view to establishing the exact nature of alleged abuses, the Garda Commissioner was asked to provide information in response to specific questions in relation to allegations of forced labour coming to the attention of An Garda Síochána. This has been received and officials in my Department have now completed an analysis of whether the Criminal Law...

Written Answers — Prisoner Complaints Procedures: Prisoner Complaints Procedures (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: There are procedures within the Irish Prison Service for the investigation of complaints by prisoners. However, I have stated previously that I am not satisfied that the existing Prison Service procedures are sufficiently robust and independent of the local staff to meet best practice for the investigation of serious complaints. My intention is to bring forward amendments to the Prison...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: Since November 2011, I have made a decision on over 5,000 applications. I expect to make a final decision on a further 4,000 cases over the coming weeks. The prescribed fees to be paid by applicants on the issue of a certificate of naturalisation were last increased by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Fees) Regulations 2008, which came into effect on 1 August 2008. The standard...

Written Answers — Domestic Violence: Domestic Violence (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Law Reform Commission's Third Programme of Law Reform 2008-2014 provides for a general review of the law on domestic violence. I understand that the Commission has commenced its consultations and any recommendations it makes will inform the development by my Department of proposals for further legislative reform in this area. The time taken for the completion and delivery of individual...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department provides accommodation to minors only when they are accompanied by their parents or guardians. As at end February 2012, there were just over 1,700 persons under the age of 18 being accommodated in the direct provision system with their families. RIA does not provide accommodation for unaccompanied minors. This responsibility is...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Reception & Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers while their application for protection is being processed. On 4 March 2012, there were almost 5,300 persons being accommodated in 38 centres throughout the State. In fulfilling its general accommodation responsibilities, RIA does not lease or rent premises from commercial...

Written Answers — Organised Crime: Organised Crime (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: The monitoring and investigation of the various criminal activities referred to by the Deputy is a matter in the first instance for An Garda Síochána. The Garda Síochána Policing Plan 2012 sets out the key actions in tackling organised crime for the year ahead with a focus on drug trafficking, e-crime, financial crime, and the targeting of organised gangs through: Using intelligence...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I can inform the Deputy that arising from the publication of the strategy entitled "Unlocking Community Alternatives - a Cork Approach" the Irish Prison Service in co-operation with the Probation Service, statutory and non-statutory community-based services are in the process of establishing a Cork based implementation team to ensure the strategy is progressed and to develop robust community...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Accidents: Road Traffic Accidents (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that persons involved in road traffic collisions, their legal advisers or insurers or other interested parties may, on written request, be supplied with an abstract of the Garda report in respect of the collision, copies of statements of witnesses and sketches or maps of the scene. Fees are charged for these reports, to re-coup costs incurred in the...