Results 12,821-12,840 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Direct Provision system is managed by the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department. For the most part, this represents a cashless system with the State assuming responsibility for providing suitable accommodation for asylum seekers on a full board basis. RIA currently provides full board accommodation and ancillary services to just over 4,300 persons in 34 centres across...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Officials in the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) inform me that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's question. Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister may, in her absolute discretion, grant an application...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda authorities that all criminal records available to the Data Protection Processing Unit can be found within the Unit with the exception of historical records that may be in existence but have not been made available by other prosecuting agencies and or the Court Service or criminal records imposed externally to Ireland. An Garda Síochána are capable of...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for disciplinary issues in the force and I have no direct function in the matter raised. It is also the case, as I understand it, that the matter is currently the subject of legal proceedings and it would not be appropriate to comment on it.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Remit (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is an independent statutory body established under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. The objectives, functions and powers of the Ombudsman Commission are governed by the 2005 Act. The Act also provides that the management and control generally of the officers, administration and business of the Ombudsman Commission is the...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service provides to those in custody a wide range of rehabilitative programmes that include education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and spiritual services which have the dual purpose of providing prisoners with purposeful activity while serving their sentences and encouraging them to lead law...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 108 together. I wish to inform the Deputy that the number of prisoners granted early release prior to March 2012 is not readily available. However, I can inform the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service introduced a new Prisoner Information Management System (PIMS) on 03 March, 2012 and it is therefore possible to provide the information requested...

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 530 or almost 14% were serving sentences for drugs related offences. A full breakdown of the offences, taken from the most recent snapshot of the prison population conducted on 31st August 2014, is set out in the following table. The figures include the length of the...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to inform the Deputy that it is not possible to give figures as to the number of prisoners currently serving sentences arising from organised criminal gang activity. Membership/allegiance to criminal gangs fluctuates on a continuous basis with some persons breaking links and others becoming affiliated. The emergence in recent years of criminal gangs has had significant implications...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Juvenile Offenders (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Irish Prison Service publishes on its website (www.irishprisons.ie) prisoner population figures for all institutions on a daily basis. I wish to advise the Deputy that on Monday 22 September, 2014, there were five 17 year old prisoners detained on remand at St Patrick's Institution. In line with recommendations of the Inspector of Prisons to effect changes in regime and culture and to...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I presume the Deputy is referring to the system whereby members of An Garda Síochána can report instances where they believe there may be corruption or malpractice within the Garda Síochána. The Garda Síochána (Confidential Reporting of Corruption or Malpractice) Regulations 2007 provided for the appointment of an independent Confidential Recipient to whom...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The operation and deployment of Garda resources, including equipment, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. In that regard I am informed by the Garda authorities that they are continually looking to ensure that the latest information, communications and forensic technologies are sourced and deployed to achieve their strategic objectives as set out the Policing Plan for 2014, which includes...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that the number of prisoners deemed to have absconded from the custody of the Irish Prison Service in each of the past five years to date is set out in the table below: Year Number of Absconders 2009 133 2010 112 2011 86 2012 63 2013 18 2014 7 As on 22 September 2014, Irish Prison Service records indicate that of the 419 persons who absconded...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The provision and allocation of Garda transport is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of identified operational circumstances and the availability of resources. In that context, the Deputy will be aware that an additional 438 new Garda vehicles were purchased in 2013 at a cost of €10 million. In addition,€4 million has been made available for the purchase and fit...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the first intake since 2009 of 100 new recruits entered training at the Garda College in Templemore on Monday 15th September 2014. This marked a positive step forward for policing in Ireland. It is my intention that there will be ongoing recruitment and I am discussing the details of this with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The scheduling of court cases and the allocation of court business is a matter for the Presidents of the courts and the presiding judge who are, under the constitution, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions. The Presidents monitor waiting times across all court lists and seek to ensure the optimum use of court time. The Deputy may wish to refer to Section 6 of the recently...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the function of the Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT) is to assist Senior Investigating Officers assigned to the case in question in bringing investigations to a successful conclusion by identifying further investigative opportunities and ensuring that investigations conform to approved best practice guidelines. At the conclusion of each review a...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that an open competition for the selection of the next Garda Commissioner is currently under way and an information booklet setting out all the details is available on the website of the Public Appointments Service. Applications are invited from any person who believes they possess the requisite competencies, skills and experience to carry out this very challenging...

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: Student Visas Applications (24 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: A further notice regarding the 2004 Student Probationary Extension was published on the INIS website on 25 August 2014. This updated notice set out the next steps for those students currently registered on the 2004 Student Probationary Extension. The updated notice also outlines how the application process will operate and states that the immigration levy/ application fee which will apply is...