Results 13,661-13,680 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (18 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The troubles on this island exacted a tragic human cost in terms of the lives lost, people injured and families bereaved. The impact of the many atrocities perpetrated over the course of the troubles lives long in our memory and is felt to this very day. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. As part and parcel of addressing the legacy of conflict for victims, the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (18 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. I will write to the Deputy directly when this information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (18 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am currently considering the implications of this case for the provisions of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013. As the Deputy will be aware, the aim of the Bill is to safeguard the autonomy of individuals with capacity difficulties to the greatest extent possible. To that end, the Bill explicitly references the obligations regarding deprivation of liberty outlined in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Firearms Licences (18 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Courts Service has advised that the information sought by the Deputy is not readily available and could only be retrieved by way of a manual examination of each individual court record. As I am sure the Deputy will appreciate, this would require the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of staff time and resources which cannot be justified. I have also asked the Garda Commissioner...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: European Council Meetings (18 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The June 2014 Justice and Home Affairs Council took note of the report from the European Commission on the operational actions of the Task Force on the Mediterranean. The Council welcomed the progress achieved so far in the five key areas identified for action: - Cooperation with third countries of origin or transit; - Regional Protection Programmes, resettlement and reinforced legal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (18 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned was refused permission to remain in the State on the basis of their De Facto relationship with an Irish national on 03/06/2014. In accordance with the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification published on 31/12/2013 and available on www.inis.gov.ie, where an application is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (18 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the persons referred to by the Deputy are a family unit who have all consented to deportation. The precise arrangements are being made for the various family members and these are expected to be finalised in the near future. I am also advised that one of the adult members of this family unit has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Appointments to State Boards (18 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am interpreting the Deputy’s question in a broad manner so as to provide the information which I believe he is seeking. The term State Boards is somewhat imprecise as it includes bodies with a wide and diverse range of functions many of which would not fall into the more commonly understood definition of Board which is a body with a governance oversight of an organisation. To be of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (18 Jun 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. Currently, there are 4,353 residents in 34 centres across the State under contract to RIA. The detailed information...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision Expenditure (18 Jun 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. Currently, there are 4,353 residents in 34 centres across the State under contract to RIA. Below is a list showing RIA's...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (18 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 165 together. The detailed historic information requested by the Deputy in relation to judicial reviews taken by persons in direct provision is not available as records were not maintained in a way which would facilitate the production of such information. However, I can tell the Deputy that in February 2014 there were approximately 900 judicial...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (18 Jun 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. Currently, there are 4,353 residents in 34 centres across the State under contract to RIA. The numbers of new entrants to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (18 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are no plans to grant an amnesty to asylum seekers based on the length of time spent in the asylum system. The Deputy might wish to note that at EU Level, the Member States, in agreeing the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum at the European Council in October 2008 made specific commitments "to use only case-by-case regularisation, rather than generalised regularisation, under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (18 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Operation Camac was set up by An Garda Síochána to target individuals who are involved in the production, distribution and sale of counterfeit merchandise in this jurisdiction. In December 2011 and November 2012, the Intellectual Property Crime Unit, at the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation carried out two separate operations to counteract the activities of these...

Public Sector Management (Appointment of Senior Members of the Garda Síochána) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the opportunity to respond to the Public Sector Management (Appointment of Senior Members of the Garda Síochána) Bill 2014, introduced by Deputy Ross. The House will not need reminding of the many issues which have arisen in recent months relating to the Garda Síochána and the administration of justice. Last week, we saw the publication of the Cooke report;...

Topical Issue Debate: Crime Levels (17 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would be happy to do that. It would be important to meet with the community. I understand that for a community which has taken such proactive steps itself to build itself up how very disturbing what happened on Friday night is and how concerned people are about what took place. I spoke to Fr. Gerry today and I know the community is rallying around. I am satisfied from my discussion with...

Topical Issue Debate: Crime Levels (17 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Deputies Conaghan and Ó Snodaigh for raising this important matter. I would like to record my outrage at the appalling incident last Friday where a young child was shot at Croftwood Gardens, Ballyfermot. As the Deputies know, a major Garda investigation is under way. I spoke to the acting Garda Commissioner about this incident when I met her yesterday and she assured me...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (17 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will appreciate that I, as Minister, have no role in relation to the Attorney General's exercise of her independent functions under section 24(1) of the Coroners Act, 1962. As the Deputy will be aware, last week the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs announced the Government's intention to establish a Commission of Investigation to examine the tragic and complex matters...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Data Protection (17 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The position is that comprehensive statutory provisions concerning the protection of personal data are set out in the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003. This legislation transposes the Council of Europe's Data Protection Convention of 1981 and the EU Data Protection Directive of 1995 into national law in this jurisdiction. The Acts of 1988 and 2003 impose data protection obligations on...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commissions of Investigation (17 Jun 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am deeply conscious of the continuing impact of the particular circumstances of the tragic case in question, and met with the family in April along with my predecessor as Minister for Justice and Equality. As the Deputy is aware, the former Minister requested the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) to investigate all matters raised by the family as they relate to An Garda...