Results 14,001-14,020 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Courts Service: Courts Service (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: I understand that the individual concerned has commenced proceedings in the High Court in relation to this matter and in the circumstances it would be inappropriate for me as Minister for Justice and Equality to comment on a matter before the Courts. Furthermore, the Courts are, subject to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions. Accordingly, I...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: I can advise the Deputy that all cells with flushable toilets have a modesty screen. A programme to fit improved modesty screens in these cells to provide further privacy from other occupants is currently under way. Such screens have been fitted in Castlerea Prison, Cloverhill Prison and all doubled-up cells in Wheatfield. This programme will continue to be rolled out where necessary and...

Written Answers — Prison Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: There has been a consistent increase in the total prisoner population in Ireland over recent years, with dramatic increases in the number of sentenced prisoners, those being committed on remand and a trend towards longer sentences. As of 20 October, 2011, there were 4,275 prisoners in custody and 755 on temporary release. The number on temporary release equates to 15% of the total...

Written Answers — International Time Zones: International Time Zones (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: I wish to refer the Deputy to my reply to Question Nos. 10 and 16 of 23 June, 2011 below. The position remains unchanged. 10. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he had any discussions with either his British counterpart or his European colleagues regarding the possibility of changing our time zone to European Time; his views on the benefits or disadvantages to Ireland if such...

Written Answers — Joint Policing Committees: Joint Policing Committees (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: The functions and powers of Joint Policing Committees (JPCs) are set out in the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which provides for a Committee in each local authority area. The Act provides that JPCs operate under guidelines issued by the Minister for Justice and Equality after consultation with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. The current guidelines were issued...

Written Answers — Sexual Offences: Sexual Offences (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Sex Offenders Act 2001 contains a comprehensive series of provisions aimed at protecting children and other persons. Part 2 of the Act makes persons convicted of a range of sexual offences subject to notification requirements. The provisions of the Act also extend to any offenders convicted abroad of the same range of sexual offences who enter the State. I am informed by the Garda...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Budget of An Garda Síochána is under constant review and Garda Management closely monitors the allocation of resources, including transfers and retirements, in the context of crime trends, policing needs and other operational strategies in place on a District, Divisional and Regional level, to ensure optimum use is made of Garda resources, and the best possible Garda service is provided...

Written Answers — Fuel Smuggling: Fuel Smuggling (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: The collection of Mineral Oil Tax and tackling the illicit trade in fuel products are primarily matters for the Revenue Commissioners. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that they are very aware of the threat to the Exchequer posed by the laundering of markers from mineral oil and the onward sale and supply of the laundered product as auto diesel. In response, the Revenue...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: There are currently over 2,000 full-time-equivalent civilian support staff in the Garda Síochána. These staff provide vital support services in a wide range of areas, such as human resources, training & development, IT and telecommunications, finance and procurement, internal audit, research and analysis, accommodation and fleet management, scene-of-crime support and medical services. In...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 441 together. Following the submission in 2004 of a report and recommendations by an expert group on crime statistics, it was decided that the compilation and publication of crime statistics should be taken over by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, from An Garda Síochána. The Garda Síochána Act 2005 consequently...

Written Answers — Constitutional Issues: Constitutional Issues (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: It is outside the scope of my function to offer an interpretation of the kind sought by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Equality Issues: Equality Issues (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: Provision for dealing with preliminary matters is set out in section 79, subsections (3) and (3A) of the Employment Equality Acts. It should be noted that it is only used in cases where the preliminary issue is detachable from the substantive issue and where it would save the parties the need to go to full investigation on that issue. In all cases, where an application is made by the parties...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: I wish to inform the Deputy that when a visa application is received from an applicant, it is routine practice for the Visa Office or Irish Mission concerned to record on the visa page of the applicant's passport the fact that a visa application has been made. Only in circumstances where the visa is granted will a visa sticker be affixed in the passport over this record. There is no...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: The programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation around the country is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close cooperation with the Office of Public Works, who have responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the construction of a new Garda Station in the area referred to by the Deputy...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: I can inform the Deputy that the following non-commercial State agencies are under the aegis of my Department: Censorship of Publications Board Courts Service Criminal Assets Bureau Equality Authority Equality Tribunal Forensic Science Laboratory Garda Síochána Complaints Board Garda Síochána Confidential Recipient Garda Síochána Inspectorate Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Irish...

Written Answers — Court Procedures: Court Procedures (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: Further to the commitment in the Programme for Government to modernise and reform aspects of family law, I have asked officials in my Department to review the operation of the in camera rule. I am aware that, as facilitated by provisions in the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 on the reporting of family law cases, the Family Law Reporting Project carried out between 2007 and 2009 provided...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: Fees and expenses incurred by NAMA are recovered through the operating activities of the agency. They are published in the quarterly reports of NAMA, which are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and published on the NAMA website. The second quarterly report for the period ending 30 June 2011, accompanied by financial statements for the second quarter, was submitted to me as required...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Garda authorities have estimated that in 2010 expenditure on overtime arising from the attendance of Garda personnel in court amounted to approximately €13.5m. As I am not responsible for the payment of legal fees on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions I do not have the other details referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: I wish to inform the Deputy that all non-commercial State Agency employees under my Department's aegis are paid directly from the Exchequer.

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (25 Oct 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Government has charged the inter-departmental committee with clarifying any State interaction with the Magdalen institutions and producing a narrative detailing such interaction. There are presently no plans to expand its brief beyond those institutions. Magdalen institutions are not a particularly Roman Catholic phenomenon. Many such institutions were founded by lay people in the 19th...