Results 13,241-13,260 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child Protection (15 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have asked the Garda Commissioner for information on this case and I will write to the Deputy when it comes to hand. I understand, however, that in accordance with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, protocols and procedures are in place between An Garda Síochána and Tusla (The Child and Family Agency) with respect to liaison and sharing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (15 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is important to point out that no person is compelled to reside in asylum seeker accommodation provided by the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA). Such accommodation is made available to persons who claim not to have the means to source their own private accommodation and so as to ensure that such persons do not become homeless. This position applies to the third country national...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Relations Contracts Expenditure (15 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: During the period in question my Department, and agencies funded from my Department, had the following expenditure on Public Relations firms: 2013 € 2014 € Department 3,275 1,374 Agencies: Insolvency Services Ireland 40,832 15,909 It is my Department's policy to use in house resources as much as possible and to restrict the use of external groups to a minimum

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (15 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under current legislation applications for international protection in Ireland are dealt with in a sequential manner. An application is first examined in order to determine if the applicant is eligible for refugee status. If the applicant is found not to be a refugee then a follow-on application can be made to determine if the person is eligible for subsidiary protection.By contrast, under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (15 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been advised by the Garda Commissioner that all members of An Garda Síochána are tasked with the investigation of criminal activity. Investigations and complaints are normally investigated in the Garda District where the report was received and/ or an investigation commences. Members of An Garda Síochána who are investigating child pornography can avail of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (15 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that recruitment to An Garda Síochána is in accordance with the Public Service Management (Recruitment Appointment) Act 2004. The Public Appointments Service was established under that Act as a central recruitment agency and the Public Appointments Service undertook the initial stages of the recruitment process for Garda Trainee. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (15 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned has applied for a right of residency in the State, accompanied by a right to work, based on their parentage of an Irish born minor citizen child, and based also on the principles of the Zambrano Judgment. The person concerned has not, to date, provided all of the documentation...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Investigations (15 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Síochána Act 2005 established the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission to, among other matters, receive complaints from members of the public concerning the conduct of members of the Garda Síochána. The Ombudsman Commission is independent in the exercise of its functions and I am not in a position, therefore, to comment on individual complaints which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Security Checks (15 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The company contacted my Department prior to publication and was requested not to disclose certain statistical information in its report. This was done for sound reasons of public policy related to national security and the investigation of serious crimes which may be hindered by the publication of such information. Particular concerns arise in Ireland given the small size of the...

Court of Appeal Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: On Tuesday next.

Court of Appeal Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank all the Deputies who contributed to this debate. Some of them will have been in the House this time last year. If they checked their diaries from that time they will have seen it is precisely one year to the day when the Second Stage debate on the Thirty-third Amendment of the Constitution (Court of Appeal) Bill 2013 took place. At that time it was indicated that an establishment...

Court of Appeal Bill 2014: Second Stage (11 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The matter is before the courts.

Court of Appeal Bill 2014: Second Stage (11 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The reform proposals were favoured by those who engaged in the consultation process on the issue. They will also ensure the Supreme Court will only hear cases that merit its attention and make certain that there is coherence to the courts architecture, which is not the case currently. It is worth recalling that there has been continuing growth in High Court litigation, which has seen the...

Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will answer Deputy Collins's question first. It became apparent since the publication of the Bill in 2011 that there was a lack of clarity on the persons to whom the Bill should apply. We needed to set out who, among all the people in the State who have legal qualifications, ought to be subject to the authority's regulatory regime and be subject to the payment of the levy that will fund...

Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The point is that, in regard to solicitors, the matter is already long defined. There was no question of unravelling that definition, which is in the Acts already. The definitions we are including today on barristers are consequent to our having examined the legislation in quite a number of other countries. This is not unique to Ireland. What is to be included is a straightforward...

Court of Appeal Bill 2014: Second Stage (11 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." Deputies will recall that the programme for Government indicated that the necessary steps to create a permanent court of appeal would be taken during the lifetime of the Government. On foot of that commitment, a referendum was held on 4 October 2013 and the proposal to establish a court of appeal was agreed to by the people. During the...

Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move amendment No. 2:In page 10, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following:“ “legal advice” means any oral or written advice—(a) on the application of the law (whether the law of the State, another state or the European Union, international law, or a combination of these) to any particular circumstances that have arisen or may arise in relation to a...

Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will reply unless somebody else wishes to contribute.

Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Deputies for their contributions. I repeat that there are a number of critical elements within in the provisions I am proposing in the form of codes. I want to make the point again about balance. We are discussing the role of the new independent regulatory authority in regard to the professions. What I am proposing in order to achieve the type of balance about which Deputies are...

Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The amendment provides for a change in terminology from "code of conduct" to "code of practice". This is an outcome of further consideration of the Bill with the Parliamentary Counsel. There are various codes currently applied in respect of the legal professions and we have to comprehend them in the Bill. For example, under the new and independent professional conduct regime, reliance...