Results 1,381-1,400 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Reserve (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I am assured by the Commissioner that the allocation of Gardaí is continually monitored and reviewed taking into account all relevant factors including crime trends,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Investigations (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am aware of the incident referred to in the Deputy's question as well as the tragic events that followed and the concerns which have arisen. I want to extend my sympathies to the family of the person concerned. I understand that the matter has been referred to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) who are currently investigating the incident. The Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drug Treatment Court (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department's attention has not been drawn to the juvenile drug treatment court guidelines issued to juvenile drug treatment courts in Australia. As the Deputy may be aware, juveniles are not accepted in the Drug Treatment Court in Dublin and such persons charged with drug related offences are dealt with through the Children Court. The Deputy may be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Protected Disclosures Data (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Members of An Garda Síochána may make protected disclosures to the Garda Commissioner, to GSOC or to me as Minister. I am informed that eight Protected Disclosures have been made to the Garda Commissioner, and that GSOC have received seven disclosures with another four active from the previous two years. There have been eight Protected Disclosures made to me as Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Levels (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am aware of the recent report commissioned by the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) and the recent commentary in the media on foot of its publication. I note that the ICSA report is part one in a series of three reports into agricultural crime in Ireland and I look forward to considering the other reports when published. I also want to assure the Deputy that I am very much...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commission on the Future of Policing (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The arrangements currently in place have served the State well since its foundation in countering threats to the security of the State, particularly from terrorism over the course of the troubles. Given the dynamic nature of the threats that may arise, those arrangements are kept constantly under review, including the decision-making arrangements across the common areas of the State's...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Constitutional Amendments (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government agreed in September 2014 to hold a referendum on removing the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution (Art 40.6.1(i)), in response to the 6th Report of the Convention on the Constitution. The Programme for a Partnership Government also proposes that a number of referenda be held, including a referendum on the question of removing the offence...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Support Services (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The commencement of the International Protection Act 2015 on 31 December 2016 represents a fundamental reform of the system for assessing the applications of those seeking international protection in Ireland. The new system will ensure that all aspects of a person's claim (Asylum, Subsidiary Protection and Permission to Remain) are considered together rather than sequentially, as heretofore....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences Data (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have requested a report from the Garda authorities on the matters raised by the Deputy and will contact the Deputy directly on receipt of this report.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda College (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware I have indicated my concern at the seriousness of the findings of the Interim Internal Audit Report in relation to the finances at the Garda College Templemore. While an interim report it paints a disturbing picture of the manner in which the College finances were run and, in short, finds that the financial controls in place there could not be stood over. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Communications Surveillance (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As I have made clear to the House, it is never the practice to comment publicly on the use of these powers in any particular case. Indeed, there are restrictions in the law on the disclosure of the existence of particular interceptions. In respect of the allegations made in reports, that the telephone of a political activist was intercepted at a time in the past, they have not been very...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Reorganisation (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the Government last week agreed the membership and final terms of reference for the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. The terms of reference encompass all functions carried out by An Garda Síochána including community safety, state security and immigration, and also the full range of bodies that have a role in providing oversight and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I refer the Deputy to my response to her previous Parliamentary Question (No. 82 of 28 March last), in which I stated that the details on progress in respect of all of the 173 recommendations of the McMahon Report are available in the progress report which was published on my Department's website and on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service on 23 February 2017. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence Policy (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions, which include the provision of information on the courts system. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 provide for the valuation of all commercial and industrial property for rating purposes. The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Acts and the making of valuations for rating is his sole responsibility. I, as Minister for Justice and Equality, have no role in decisions in this regard. Under Irish law there is a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy will be aware that the programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close co-operation with the Office of Public Works, OPW, which has the responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. I am, however, advised that contracts have been exchanged in relation to the site and that a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Surveillance Operations (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The operation of the provisions of the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993 and the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 are overseen by a serving judge of the High Court designated for that purpose by the Government. The current Designated Judge is Ms Justice Marie Baker. The Designated Judge is completely independent in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Inspectorate Reports (23 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Síochána Inspectorate was established in July, 2006 under Part 5 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. The role of the Inspectorate is to promote efficiency and effectiveness in the operation and administration of the Garda Síochána. The Inspectorate undertakes analysis of policies and procedures in the Garda Síochána and benchmarks them against...