Results 12,921-12,940 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders Re-examination (18 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that the person referred to by the Deputy is the subject of a Deportation Order, issued on the 30th of August 2011. Judicial review proceedings have been lodged in the High Court challenging the making of the Deportation Order, and therefore, as the matter is sub judice, I do not propose to comment further. I can add...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (18 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned was granted permission to remain in the State in August, 2007 for an initial three year period, valid to 14th August, 2010. This permission to remain was renewed for a further three year period in August, 2010, valid to 14th August, 2013. The renewal decision letter referred to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (18 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned was granted permission to remain in the State on 24th January, 2006, on student conditions, for the period to 24th January, 2007. There is no record of the person concerned having sought to renew that permission. In the event that the person concerned wishes to apply for a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Records (18 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together. I can inform the Deputy that this Department does not employ an archivist to examine records or archives and there are no plans to do so. Advice is obtained from the National Archives Office as required and the National Archives Guidelines 2004/1 on the transfer of paper Departmental records to the National Archives are adhered to. ...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Deputy Shatter for raising on Topical Issues the completion last week by GSOC of its investigation into an alleged leak of confidential information concerning the public interest investigation into the alleged surveillance of its offices and its decision not to publish its report into the matter. The House is familiar with the background to this matter, which the Deputy has outlined,...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have made it clear that I have a copy of the report, which was prepared by a senior counsel for GSOC. GSOC has made it clear that it was not intended originally for publication. The Deputy will appreciate the legal point that full publication may give rise to personal data issues.

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: There may be implications for third parties, such as defamation and there will be some issues relating to operational matters. I understand the point made by the Deputy that redaction can be problematic from a practical perspective in respect of the coherence of the overall report if and when redactions are made. From a legal perspective, redactions must be made if there was an infringement...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department is always seeking ways in which the visa system can be developed to facilitate legitimate travel to the State while, at the same time, maintaining reasonable immigration controls. An example of this was the introduction by the Government in July 2011 of the Irish Short-stay Visa Waiver Programme. This Programme allows...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that a valid application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy. A final decision on this application has been deferred until July 2016. The person concerned was notified of this decision and the reasons for it in a letter issued on 25 July, 2014. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Justice Working Group (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the Criminal Justice (Fixed Charge Processing System) Work Group was established in March 2014 to take forward the recommendations in the Garda Inspectorate report on the operation of the system. I, along with my colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, received the Group's first progress report in July. The report sets out substantial progress...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Assistance Treaties (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The bilateral treaty between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United States of America on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters signed on 18 January 2001 has been given effect in the Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Act 2008. A copy of the treaty is contained in Schedule 14 of the Act. The question of seeking assistance in a particular case is one for the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (17 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: Naturalisation Applications (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can inform the Deputy that the application has entered the final stage of processing and I intend to grant citizenship. The person concerned has been invited to attend the next citizenship ceremony on 22nd September 2014, at which he will make a declaration of fidelity to the Irish Nation and loyalty to the State and receive his certificate of naturalisation. Queries in relation to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel and vehicles, 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. I have been...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Non-EEA Student Registrations (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of my Department that reliable statistics for the information sought by the Deputy are available from the year 2009. The table below sets out the number of non-EEA national students registered with the Garda National Immigration Bureau as at March in each of the years in question. Year New Registration Registration...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Closures (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: In 2012 the then Garda Commissioner, with the approval of the Minister, closed 39 Garda stations, many of which had not been opened for several years and most of which were closed for the most part of the day. In 2013, 100 Garda stations were closed. There are still 564 Garda stations in the State. The tables below set out all of the closed stations, both rural and urban.2012 Region...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel and vehicles, 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. I have been...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Prosecutions Data (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 558 and 559 together. The Deputy will be aware that, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of information on the courts system. However, in order to be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (17 Sep 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy is referring to the mechanism established for the independent review of certain allegations of Garda misconduct, or inadequacies in the investigation of certain allegations, which have been made to me as Minister for Justice and Equality, or the Taoiseach, with a view to determining to what extent and in what manner further action may be required in each case. A panel consisting...