Results 1,341-1,360 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Other Questions: Compensation Schemes (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is clear that there has been substantial support for the victims in these particular circumstances. It was a huge part of the overall funding available to my office. If there are particular ongoing needs at this point, it may be possible to see if there is some appropriate funding mechanism. However, it was not possible for my Department to continue the funding beyond the point that I...

Other Questions: Drug and Alcohol Testing (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested the specific information from the Garda authorities. As soon as I have it, I will make it available to the Deputy. While An Garda Síochána has been testing Irish drivers for drugs with the assistance of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety since 1999, my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, commenced the drug driving...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Inquiries (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have to make it very clear to Deputy Kenny that there are a number of considerations. One of the considerations is the finalisation of the GSOC report.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Inquiries (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are often such situations. I do not like discussing individual cases on the floor of the Dáil. Nevertheless, there are various reasons a case might take extra time. For example, it might arise if new information is put before GSOC that adds to the information it has or it changes the inquiry somewhat. It may mean GSOC has to make further investigations and inquiries. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Inquiries (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I do not accept what Deputy Kenny says in respect of the action I have taken. I referred this to the independent review panel. That was an independent body and it has examined the matter. That body independently made a recommendation to the effect that GSOC was the relevant body and that it should take up the complaints made and investigate them. GSOC is already doing this. We call...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Inquiries (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Let us be clear. If we set up independent bodies, then let us allow them to do their work.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Prisoner Transfers (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the current law on the transfer of prisoners is set out in the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Acts 1995 and 1997 and in the Transfer of Execution of Sentences Act 2005. These give effect to the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons made in Strasbourg on 21 March 1983 and its additional protocol. Subsequent to these enactments an EU...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Prisoner Transfers (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I imagine the Deputy will be familiar with the O'Farrell, Rafferty and McDonald case. In July 2016, the Supreme Court made a determination in the case and dismissed the State's appeal. I will not go into the details because I do not have time. However, to answer Deputy Pringle's question, in September 2014, the High Court ordered the men to be released after finding that it could not...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Prisoner Transfers (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I take the point that Deputy Pringle has made. I will try to ensure we are able to move ahead this year in respect of the legislation. To give the Deputy some other information, in 2016 one prisoner transferred in and ten prisoners transferred out of the State. The most recent published figures on such transfers, which are up to the end of 2016, show that a total of 154 prisoners have...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Garda Misconduct Allegations (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am, of course, aware of the recent television programme referred to; indeed, it was discussed in the House previously. The events at Omeath in October 2015, which resulted in the death of Garda Tony Golden, were a tragedy. While it is self-evidently important that any issues of concern related to these tragic events are fully investigated, it is essential to remember that the various...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Garda Misconduct Allegations (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy has recalled the details of the case and the tragic circumstances that led to the death of Garda Tony Golden. As he says, gardaí take their lives in their hands every day of the week protecting the safety and security of individual citizens in our community. I acknowledge that what the Deputy said is so correct. When things go wrong in this tragic way, we do need to get to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Garda Misconduct Allegations (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can only agree that the exchange of vital information in respect of persons in communities does need to take place routinely within the Garda. If information is available in a divisional office and if a person is living in an area in which there is a local Garda station, of course the local gardaí should have that information. This will be facilitated further the more we get to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Public Inquiries (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I think I have given the details of this very tragic and sad case to the House before. The recommendation made under the independent review mechanism, IRM, which was completely independent of myself and my Department, was that I should take no further action. Counsel for the IRM pointed out that the appropriate forum for raising matters related to alleged Garda failings was the Garda...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Garda Inspectorate Reports (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I do not believe we should keep saying that the recommendations have not been implemented. While there clearly are many recommendations in the report - 242 in total - we must recognise, as the Deputy suggests, the recommendations that have been implemented and be clear about those and equally be vigilant about those which have not and we should query any possible slowness of response in...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Inquiries into Garda Activities (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will recall that counsel for the independent review mechanism examined 320 cases of allegations of wrongdoing or failure in An Garda Síochána. There were many different recommendations. The recommendation of counsel in five of those cases was that I should establish inquiries to inquire into certain aspects of the handling of the cases, some of which are very well...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Inquiries into Garda Activities (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am certainly very open to working with the Opposition on any Bills that might be put forward. On the Policing Authority, I built into the legislation that there would be a review by the end of this year. I look forward to that review, and in the meantime, if Bills come forward from the Opposition I will certainly examine those. We are working on the Parole Bill brought forward by Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Inquiries into Garda Activities (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I was determined, in establishing the commission, that there would be the possibility on an ongoing basis for immediate proposals and rolling recommendations for implementation, and depending on how the work is organised, I have no doubt that this will be possible. I am meeting Ms Kathleen O'Toole, who has agreed to chair the commission, this evening. She is in Dublin to begin the work and...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Garda Inspectorate Reports (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Before the questions on justice matters are dealt with, I wish to add to what was said earlier regarding yesterday evening's dreadful events in Manchester. Twenty-two people were killed and many others injured. It is shocking that they became victims simply because they were going about their lives in Manchester on a Monday evening. None of us can understand the mind of a person who would...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Garda Inspectorate Reports (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Deputy for his support for the commission. I agree that having the opportunity outside of a crisis situation to consider the wide range of issues in regard to the Garda Síochána is very important. As Deputy O'Callaghan said, an important consideration in establishing the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland was that it would not impede any reforms already in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Law (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 was enacted on the 22nd of February, 2017. Most of the Act was then commenced on the 27th of March, 2017 including the provisions contained in Part 4 of the Act. As it has only been eight weeks since the commencement of Part 4, statistics for offences committed under this part are not yet available. Part 4 of the Act provides for two new...