Results 12,001-12,020 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Asylum Support Services (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: -----comprehensive legislation which allows decisions to be made on all aspects of the issues that arise and that by developing a single decision making process matters will be dealt with more speedily. If this becomes the case, people will not be in direct provision for as long. An interesting issue arises once the new legislation is enacted in respect of whether there should be some...

Asylum Support Services (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. RIA currently provides accommodation to approximately 5,300 persons throughout 38 accommodation centres. When asylum seekers make their initial asylum applications, they are referred to RIA for...

Asylum Support Services (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am always happy to look at anything that may contribute to how we should properly deal with these matters within the resources I have available to me and to ensure that people are treated correctly and properly and that if difficulties arise, be they health or other difficulties, they are fully and properly addressed.

Residency Permits (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 82 together. The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS, of my Department operates a flexible, pragmatic and humane approach to the status of non-EEA nationals, both men and women, who are in situations of domestic violence. Any person in such a situation can approach the INIS directly or through An Garda Síochána or a non-governmental...

Residency Permits (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am very anxious to ensure that if any individuals are a victim of domestic violence or are threatened with domestic violence, they will know this flexibility exists and that appropriate arrangements can be made. I have no difficulty with looking at the legislation mentioned by Deputy Stanton. If a person in the State, whether a citizen or here on a visa, is a victim of domestic violence,...

Crime Statistics (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 63 together. Beginning with the Deputy's crime statistics queries, I am informed by the Central Statistics Office, which has the statutory responsibility for the production of crime statistics, that the recorded crime statistics for 2011 are expected to be published at the end of this month. This reflects a new publication layout and schedule, as a...

Crime Statistics (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: To take the first question first, the Garda is very conscious of the reality that more incidents tend to occur at weekends than during the week. I expect the new Garda roster will be of considerable assistance in this context and it is expected that it will start to operate from 1 April. That will allow for the organisation of gardaí in order to focus a concentration of gardaí in urban...

Crime Statistics (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: -----and I believe they will be successful in bringing to justice those responsible.

Crime Statistics (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: Recent legislation is being fully used by the Garda to target these gangs. Gardaí are applying all appropriate resources to bring to justice those who are responsible for the deaths that have occurred. I do not believe it is acceptable that we have gangs who believe they can take life with no accountability or responsibility. I have absolute faith in the work gardaí are doing to bring to...

Criminal Prosecutions (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Government is very well aware of its obligations under the UN instruments to which it is a party and which have as their core the protection of fundamental human rights. Those rights are also guaranteed by Bunreacht na hÉireann. Nevertheless the Constitution recognises there are circumstances in which the functioning of the justice system may be undermined unless strong measures are...

Criminal Prosecutions (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I have no intention of seeking to repeal the Offences Against the State Act. The Deputy knows the remaining and continuing threat from what are sometimes referred to as dissident organisations. I regard them as urban terrorists intent on destroying the peace process in Northern Ireland and on the whole island of Ireland. This State needs to have available to it the mechanism of the...

Criminal Prosecutions (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy cannot have it every which way. He cannot want to bring an end to the violence continuing to be perpetrated in Northern Ireland, particularly by recalcitrant terrorists, and bring an end to gun crime as engaged in by organised crime in the Republic. The Deputy cannot want all of that and at the same time want to repeal the Offences Against the State Act because it is part of the...

Magdalene Laundries (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Government considered the circumstances of women and girls who resided in the laundries at its meeting on 14 June 2011 and decided that it was essential as a first step to fully establish the true facts and circumstances relating to the Magdalene laundries. A number of actions were agreed. This included the setting up of an inter-departmental committee to establish the facts of State...

Magdalene Laundries (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I remind the Deputy that in November 2010 the Irish Human Rights Commission in its assessment of human rights issues arising in regard to the Magdalene Laundries stated: ... a statutory mechanism be established to investigate the matters advanced by the JFM, Justice For Magdalenes, and in appropriate cases to grant redress where warranted. Such a mechanism should first examine the extent of...

Magdalene Laundries (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am not going to prejudge what is in the report.

Magdalene Laundries (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: The reason that work is being done is so that there is a full and accurate narrative which people can rely on as being truthful and correct. The issues the Deputy raises are not issues directly derived from the conduct of the State. There are particular issues in the context of the religious orders. A number of women who entered Magdalene laundries and remained there throughout their lives...

Proposed Legislation (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: Under our criminal law, it is an offence, inter alia, to use words, to publish or distribute written material, or to broadcast any visual images or sounds that are threatening, abusive or insulting and are intended or, having regard to all the circumstances, are likely to stir up hatred. The word "hatred" is defined as "hatred against a group of persons in the State or elsewhere on account...

Proposed Legislation (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy is correct that judges have discretion but, in determining sentencing with regard to any crime once there is a conviction, a judge should take into account the overall background circumstances. Certainly, where there are aggravating circumstances, be they related to a racist motive, incitement to hatred or other matters, one would expect the Judiciary to take them into account....

Proposed Legislation (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: The response was based on the appropriate response for the Government to make in consultation with various Departments. I want to make it absolutely clear that there is no acceptance of racism, nor should there be, by any of us in this State, the Government or on the Opposition side. We do not want racism in our country and neither do we want people engaging in it. The very essence of the...

Proposed Legislation (13 Mar 2012)

Alan Shatter: Other legislation can be utilised, for example, as detailed in the reply, in circumstances of assault. There will be no tolerance of racism. Both the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, and I will continue to do what we can do within our remit to ensure racism, so far as it can be stamped out, is stamped out. Other Departments and various civil society bodies have an important role to...