Results 13,941-13,960 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (15 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned has been granted permission to remain in the State, on immigration Stamp 3 conditions, for the period to 4th November 2015. This decision was conveyed in writing to the person concerned by letter dated 4th November, 2013. The decision to grant such status was arrived at...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. One such condition is that the Minister must be satisfied that the applicant is of good character. It would be inappropriate for me to indicate what might or...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that an application for a certificate of naturalisation has been received from the person referred to by the Deputy. The application is being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation, such as good character and lawful residence. A...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (15 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would refer the Deputy to my predecessor's replies to Parliamentary Questions No. 146 of 10 April, 2014 and 536 of 30 April, 2014 in the case of the person whose details were supplied. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (15 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: As stated in the previous reply made to the Deputy on 16 January 2014, the person mentioned was to make an application for leave to remain in the State in their own right and present the circumstances of his case. To date an application has not been received from this person. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the Irish Naturalisation...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (15 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the Residence Division have no record of having received an application for residency in the State on the basis of being in a de facto relationship with an Irish national or resident in respect of the person referred to. The person concerned should be advised by the Deputy to write immediately to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Bodies (15 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to advise the Deputy that the details (since 2011) of the merger or abolition of agencies under the remit of my Department are outlined as follows:- Merger of the Valuation Office, the Property Registration Authority and Ordnance Survey Ireland. The merger of the Property Registration Authority, Valuation Office and Ordnance Survey Ireland has been mandated by the Government under the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: UN Conventions Ratification (14 May 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: Firearms Licences (14 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: In light of public safety concerns highlighted by An Garda Síochána and difficulties in the interpretation of the legislation expressed by members of the judiciary, my Department is currently examining key policy, legislative, administrative and other issues relating to firearms licensing in conjunction with An Garda Síochána. I expect to receive and consider a report in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Military Aircraft Landings (14 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: An Garda Síochána has the primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP). In practice this means that they provide assistance to An Garda Síochána when requested by the Gardaí to do so. It is a decision for the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (14 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 164 together. The Deputies will appreciate that I have not yet had an opportunity to review this matter. Following the publication of the report of the Justice Committee in June last year, the committee was requested to clarify and elaborate some of its recommendations for a new approach to prostitution legislation. The relevant correspondence with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (14 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 149, 150, 155, 156 and 160 to 162, inclusive, together. As Deputies are aware, the Government is committed under the Programme for Government to comprehensively reform the current immigration, residence and protection systems, including an independent appeals system in immigration cases. I will be reviewing the work done to date in respect of the Immigration,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Anti-Racism Measures (14 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 163 together. The Government is firmly committed to combating and challenging any and all manifestations of racism and welcomes the contribution which the Immigrant Council of Ireland and others are making to this work. I understand that the reports to which the Deputies' questions refer are preliminary figures released by the Immigrant Council on...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (14 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 152, 153 and 154 together. Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 was adopted in June 2013 and applies to applications for international protection lodged as from 1 January 2014. This Regulation is generally referred to as the Dublin Regulation and establishes the criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible for examining an application for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (14 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Clondalkin Towers asylum accommodation centre is one of five centres located within the Dublin area currently under contract to the Reception & Integration Agency (RIA), a functional unit of the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department. That centre currently accommodates 222 persons. Overall, almost 4,300 asylum seekers are accommodated in 34 centres...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting of Personnel (14 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy may wish to note that the current average processing time for vetting applications is four weeks which is a significant improvement on this time last year when it stood at 12 weeks. Vetting procedures in this country are in place to protect children and vulnerable adults. As such they demand rigorous procedures to ensure their integrity and to maintain the highest level of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Sector Pensions (14 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have received a copy of the survey in question and noted its contents. There are no plans to change the current pension arrangements in the public service in general or in An Garda Síochána in particular. In this regard it should be noted that the new single public service pension scheme was introduced in 2013. I must also point out that over the course of our recovery from the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Equality Issues (14 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: Equality legislation on age discrimination is kept under regular review by my Department, particularly in the light of national and European case law and advice of the Equality Tribunal. The Court of Justice of the European Union has clarified in a series of decisions in the context of EU Directive 2000/78/EC that national rules on retirement ages may be set down if they are objectively and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Semi-State Bodies (13 May 2014)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am assuming that the Deputy is referring to semi-State bodies who have a significant element of commercial or trade activities within their remit. The bodies and agencies attached to my Department provide public services in the broad Justice area, and, as such, do not engage in any significant commercial activity.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations Opening Hours (13 May 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, the various Garda national units and of course Garda Headquarters. 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...