Results 13,441-13,460 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Districts (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel and Garda 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. Decisions in relation to the...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Mutual Legal Assistance (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: In 2013, Ireland made 200 requests for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. Of these, 129 were transmitted to other Member States of the EU and 71 to other countries. In the same year, Ireland received 583 requests for assistance, of which 516 were received from within the EU and 67 from outside the EU. Under the provisions of the Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Act 2008,...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: It is open to a visa required national to make a visa application for any purpose, the onus resting with the applicant to satisfy the Visa Officer as to why the visa should be granted. All information that the applicant wishes to have taken into consideration should be included with his or her application. Visa applications for family reunification purposes will be considered in accordance...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cycling Policy (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that members of An Garda Síochána enforce the law on cycling on footpaths as part of their normal duties on an ongoing basis including at the location referred to. In addition to the day to day enforcement of the relevant provisions of the Road Traffic Acts, breaches of the legislation are regularly targeted by way of specific Garda operations which take...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Services Regulation (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: Under the current regulatory regime, the Law Society of Ireland, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and the Office of the Independent Adjudicator are the independent statutory bodies charged with investigating or resolving complaints against solicitors under the Solicitors Acts 1954-2011 and their attendant regulations. Under these statutory complaints structures the Law Society is,...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Subsidiary Protection Applications (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that there is no record of an application for subsidiary protection having been received from or on behalf of the person concerned. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Safety (1 Jul 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: UN Conventions Ratification (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to the response given by my colleague, Minister of State Kathleen Lynch on 27 February 2014, in which she informed the House that the Government intends to proceed to ratification of the Convention as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to ensure all necessary legislative and administrative requirements under the Convention are met. As the Deputy may be...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to advise the Deputy that there is no arrangement in place whereby vetting reports are valid for fixed periods of time. The primary consideration in any vetting process is to ensuring the safety of children and vulnerable adults and as such vetting processes demand rigorous procedures to ensure their integrity and to maintain the highest level of confidence by the public and...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Oversight (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware the Government has indicated that an Independent Garda Authority will be established by the end of the year. The measures to be put in place in respect of the new Authority are complex and it is not possible at this stage to indicate the specific staffing arrangements that will be made. However, I can assure the Deputy that the overall project is a major priority...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: The person referred to made an application on 4 May, 2014 which is currently being considered in line with standard procedures. When consideration is complete, I will make a decision and the person concerned will be informed in due course.
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 405 and 407 together. The Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) is the statutory independent body charged with processing asylum applications at first instance. I am informed by the Commissioner that, in general, the target time for processing asylum applications is 9 to 10 weeks. The Refugee Applications Commissioner is statutory independent...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision Data (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 406 and 422 together. The direct provision system is managed by the Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, of my Department. Its function is to provide accommodation and related services to those who have sought international protection and who have no means of supporting themselves otherwise. More than 53,000 such persons have availed of RIA's services to...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision Expenditure (1 Jul 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. As at 8 June 2014,...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum / protection applicants in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. As at 8 June 2014, there were 4,353 persons availing of direct provision accommodation and supports in 34 accommodation centres across 16 counties. Policy in relation to access to higher...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: The direct provision system is managed by the Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, of my Department. Its function is to provide accommodation and related services to those who have sought international protection and who have no means of supporting themselves otherwise. As at 8 June 2014, there were 4,353 persons availing of direct provision accommodation and supports in 34 accommodation...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Consultations (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: The Consultation Seminar on Justice Reform at Farmleigh followed on from the public consultation process undertaken by the Government in May in relation to the establishment of an Independent Policing Authority. In that context many of the participants comprised persons or representatives of organisations from whom submissions were received during the consultation process. In the course...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Numbers (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: Around 10,300 applications by Chinese nationals for Irish short-stay and long-stay visas were received worldwide in 2013. Of these, 79% of applications were made in China, the vast majority of which were decided on in the Visa Office in Beijing, 12% in the UK and 9% throughout the rest of the world. Of applications by Chinese nationals decided in 2013, around 9,800 were granted and about...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 414 to 416, inclusive, together. Visa applications for Chinese nationals living in China are handled by the dedicated Irish Visa Office in Beijing, which is a sub-office of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department.This office handles all aspects of visa applications, including appeals, locally. Over 50% of visit visas worldwide,...
- Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (1 Jul 2014)
Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel 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 Donaghmede area is policed by Coolock Garda...