Results 12,801-12,820 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Rights Committees (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I headed the delegation representing Ireland at the UN Human Rights Committee dialogue on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which took place in Geneva on 14 and 15 July, 2014. At that time, I was unaware of any aspect of what is now known as the Miss Y case. As the Deputy is aware, the Health Service Executive has appointed a four person Inquiry Team to establish all...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Support Services (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department advises me that two applications for temporary travel documents were received during 2012 to facilitate travel for the purpose of termination of pregnancy. Both applications were granted. No applications for temporary travel documents were received during 2011, 2013 and 2014 to facilitate travel for the purpose...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Bench Warrants (24 Sep 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: Cabinet Committee Meetings (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Cabinet Committee on Justice Reform has met on four occasions since its establishment and I have attended the three meetings of the Cabinet Committee that have taken place since my appointment as Minister for Justice and Equality.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Section 9(4)(b) of the Refugee Act 1996 provides that applicants for international protection shall not seek or enter employment or carry on any business, trade or profession during the period before the final determination of their application. The Deputy may be aware of the Government commitment to establish an independent Working Group to report to Government on improvements with the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, including assigning members to Drugs Units, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Mediation Bill, which is currently being drafted, will promote mediation as a viable, effective and efficient alternative to court proceedings, thereby reducing legal costs and speeding up the resolution of disputes. It will introduce an obligation on solicitors and barristers to advise any person wishing to commence court proceedings to consider mediation as a means of resolving the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Penalty Points System (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Inspectorate Report, entitled The Fixed Charge Processing System: A 21st Century Strategywas published on 12 March, 2014 and represented a major review of the operation of the fixed charge processing system including with respect to the enforcement of penalty point offences. The recommendations from that review are currently being taken forward by the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of protection applicants in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. Direct provision provides for full board accommodation supports while a final decision is awaited by a person on their protection or any related leave to remain application. Currently, just over...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of protection applicants in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. Direct provision provides for full board accommodation supports while a final decision is awaited by a person on their protection or any related leave to remain application. Currently, 4,330...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am examining the recommendations made by the Joint Committee on Justice Defence and Equality, the advices of the Attorney General and the views of the Minister for Health regarding a new approach to prostitution legislation. As you will be aware, prostitution raises a wide spectrum of issues. When I have had the opportunity to complete consideration of the issues, proposals will be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Controls (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the Syrian Humanitarian Admissions Programme applications are currently being examined and that decisions will issue in the near future.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy may be aware that the General Scheme of the Gambling Control Bill is currently with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel awaiting formal legal drafting. As per the Government's Autumn 2014 Legislative Programme, published in the last few days, the Gambling Control Bill is scheduled for publication in mid 2015. It would be my intention to bring the Bill before the Oireachtas...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Agreements (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Visa applications from Russian nationals living in the Russian Federation are lodged at the Irish Embassy in Moscow and processed by the dedicated Irish Visa Office in Moscow, a sub-office of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of my Department. This Office handles all aspects of the visa process for persons applying from that jurisdiction, including appeals. It is open to a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Closures (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, the Courts Service Act 1998 provides that management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions, which include the provision of accommodation for court sittings. However, in order to be of assistance I have had enquiries made and have been informed that the Courts Service has been reviewing all aspects of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Data (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can advise the Deputy that on the 31 August 2014 there were 3,792 prisoners in custody across the prison system. Of this 3,286 or almost 87% were Irish. The second largest nationality group was Polish which accounted for 81 or 2.14% of the number in custody. A full breakdown of the nationalities, taken from the most recent snapshot of the prison population conducted on 31st August 2014,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to inform the Deputy that major capital projects being progressed under the auspices of my Department include: Agency Description Status Irish Prison Service Cork Prison Work Ongoing Irish Prison Service Wheatfield Prison Work Training Work Ongoing Irish Prison Service Mountjoy D Wing refurbishment Work Ongoing Irish Prison Service Mountjoy D Wing Workshops Tender Evaluation...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service Administration (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The budget allocation, including supplementary estimate adjustments as appropriate, for the operation of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) including wages and salaries and running costs was €52.5m, €43.5m, €49.5m and €47.5m respectively for the years 2011 to 2014. The staffing levels of INIS which forms part of the Department of Justice and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision Expenditure (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of protection applicants in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. Direct provision provides for full board accommodation supports while a final decision is awaited by a person on their protection or any related leave to remain application. Currently, there are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Legal Costs (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Asylum related legal costs incurred by my Department arise from the provision of legal services by the Refugee Legal Service to asylum seekers and judicial review proceedings taken against the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal (RAT) which are determined by the courts in favour of applicants or settled by the State. Costs in these respects...