Results 15,081-15,100 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Legal Profession Regulation: Legal Profession Regulation (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 274 of 7 June 2011, which sets out the current position in relation to the development of the Legal Services Bill. I have nothing further to add to the details of that reply other than to indicate that my proposals for the Bill are in the course of being finalised.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my predecessor approved the application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person in question and a certificate of naturalisation issued to the person through his solicitor on 23 March 2011. I should remind the Deputy that queries in relation to the status of individual Immigration cases may be made direct to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas...

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Service: Garda Vetting Service (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that a vetting application in respect of the person to whom the Deputy refers was received by the Garda Central Vetting Unit on 23 June 2011. The application will be processed by the vetting unit and a response will issue to the registered organisation involved in due course.

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy will be aware, there is no statute of limitations for the bringing of criminal proceedings on indictment and while the normal rule where civil claims are concerned is that claims must, depending on the type of claim, be brought within a certain period of time, there are important exceptions. Under the Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Act 2000, the period for bringing civil...

Written Answers — Courts Service: Courts Service (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 382 and 383 together. Section 7 of the Courts Service Act 1998 requires the Courts Service to submit a strategic plan to my Department every three years. This plan sets out at a high level the strategic approach and aims of the Service and identifies the key challenges and areas of development. It also sets out the outputs and performance indicators required...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government indicates that legislation will be introduced to end upward only rent reviews for existing leases. Following on from an initial consultation process with the Attorney General, I have recently forwarded outline proposals to her for further examination and development. Those proposals have been the subject of preliminary discussion by...

Written Answers — Illicit Trade in Tobacco: Illicit Trade in Tobacco (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The illicit tobacco trade has been examined and acknowledged as a serious crime in the course of the White Paper on Crime process. As the Deputy will appreciate, however, there are of course already measures in place to combat this form of criminality and tackling the illicit trade in cigarettes and tobacco products continues to be a priority for the Government and law enforcement agencies....

Written Answers — Illicit Trade in Tobacco: Illicit Trade in Tobacco (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am pleased to say that I intend to publish the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill in the autumn. The Bill, which will build on the recommendations in the 2007 Law Reform Commission Report on Spent Convictions, will provide for the non-disclosure of certain convictions when a person is seeking employment, once certain conditions have been met. These conditions will relate mainly to...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that an application for further permission to remain in the State has been received from the legal representatives of the person referred to by the Deputy. I have noted the unfortunate circumstances of the person's situation and I will be making a decision in this case shortly. I will inform the Deputy of the outcome.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The law on guardianship, custody of and access to children can be found in the Guardianship of Children Acts 1964 to 1997. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to reform and modernise aspects of family law. However, it is clear that certain areas relating to parenthood and guardianship rights, such as in the context of surrogacy, are complex. The issues are being examined with a...

Written Answers — Magdalene Laundries: Magdalene Laundries (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I can confirm that I have received correspondence from the Justice for Magdalenes Group. I have noted their concerns which I might add, were discussed when I met this group on 4 July. I am confident that their concerns can be addressed through the inter-departmental committee's terms of reference which are to establish the facts of the State's involvement and clarify any State interaction...

Written Answers — Magdalene Laundries: Magdalene Laundries (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I can refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question No. 326 which was for written answer on 12 July, 2011. I can advise the Deputy that the inter-departmental committee is charged with establishing the facts of the State's involvement and clarifying any State interaction with the Magdalen Laundries and with producing a narrative detailing such interaction. The working arrangements of the...

Written Answers — Telephone Hacking: Telephone Hacking (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 391 and 394 together. The interception of telecommunications messages is prohibited by the Postal and Telecommunications Service Act 1983, as amended, and the Criminal Damage Act 1991 provides for the offence of unauthorised accessing of data. I am informed by the Garda authorities that they are not aware of any reports of unauthorised access to voice-mails...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by officials in the Visa Office of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that the application in question was in respect of a long-stay visa for an adult son. The visa was refused as it was deemed the applicant did not meet the criteria for such a visa. An appeal was received against this refusal and following full consideration the original decision was...

Written Answers — Property Repossessions: Property Repossessions (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The management and administration of the courts including responsibility for maintaining court statistics is a matter for the Courts Service. I take it the Deputy is enquiring about possession suits which include all cases in which a plaintiff seeks possession of lands and/or premises. These can be granted by the Circuit Court sitting locally or the High Court which has full jurisdiction....

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I attach the highest priority to the full investigation of white collar crime and bringing the perpetrators of such crime to justice. I have expressed, both before and since my appointment as Minister, my unhappiness with the protracted nature of the investigations. In so doing, I am not criticising those carrying out the investigations. It is clear that the complexities of the matters...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Reception & Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers while their protection applications are being processed. By way of background to this question, as of today RIA has 45 asylum seeker accommodation centres across 18 counties accommodating just over 5,700 residents. The system is a constantly evolving one, taking account of the...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: A valid application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) in July 2009. The application is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The visits of Queen Elizabeth and President Obama required unprecedented security arrangements to be put in place by the Garda Síochána to ensure the safety of our visitors and the maintenance of public order. All Garda leave and rest days were cancelled for this period and members on duty were required to work longer than normal shifts. Movements of several thousand Garda members over a...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (19 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: Last month, due to difficulties experienced in some cases, I published proposals to clarify the method of enforcement of maintenance orders. These proposals are contained in the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 which is currently before the House.