Written Answers Nos. 223-231
223. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will set out the procedural requirements in order to qualify for an Irish passport in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41370/13]
View answerThe 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. They are, inter alia, that the applicant must
- be of full age
- be of good character
- have had a period of one year's continuous residency in the State immediately before the date of application and, during the eight years immediately preceding that period, have had a total residence in the State amounting to four years
- intend in good faith to continue to reside in the State after naturalisation.
The person concerned made an application for a certificate of naturalisation which was refused in 2011. The person concerned was informed of this and the reasons for it in a letter issued in May, 2011. It is open to the person in question to lodge a new application if and when she is in a position to meet the statutory conditions applicable at that time. In relation to the child of the person concerned, where sections 6A and 6B of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, are applicable, a child born in the island of Ireland on or after 1 January 2005 has an entitlement to Irish citizenship if, at the time of the birth of the child, one of his or her parents had, during the period of 4 years immediately preceding the person's birth, been resident in the island of Ireland for a period of not less than 3 years or periods the aggregate of which is not less than 3 years. Periods of unlawful residence, periods of residence which were for the sole purpose of having an application for refugee status determined or periods of residence where permission was granted for the purposes of study are excluded from the determination of periods of reckonable residence. Entitlement of a child to Irish citizenship is determined by the Passport Office following receipt of an application for a passport on the child's behalf.
Where a child born in the State did not at birth have an entitlement to Irish citizenship, the parent or guardian or person who is in loco parentis to the child may lodge an application for naturalisation on behalf of the child if and when the conditions for naturalisation are satisfied. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
224. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there has been any investigation by Irish authorities regarding the dealings of a former prominent senior executive editor in Irish media circles (details supplied). [41402/13]
View answerI am informed by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána has no record, or knowledge of any complaint or investigation arising from the BBC programme referred to.
225. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the consultants, if any, he has contracted since 1 January 2013 to advise on the possible sale of any assets; the current situation; the advice given and the terms and cost of the contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41548/13]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that in the period 1 January 2013 to date my Department has not contracted any consultants to advise on the possible sale of assets.
226. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Defence the consultants, if any, he has contracted since 1 January 2013 to advise on the possible sale of any assets; the current situation; the advice given and the terms and cost of the contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41541/13]
View answerThe Department has engaged Dominic Daly and Co. to oversee the sale, by public auction, of the decommissioned naval service vessel LE Emer. The costs involved will be determined by the selling price achieved at auction.
227. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has undertaken research to determine the risk to public health from the use of animal antibiotics in livestock which are then rendered for human consumption; if he will outline the testing and enforcement process in this regard; if his attention has been drawn to any instances where unacceptable levels of antibiotics were detected in the food chain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41241/13]
View answerI fully share current concerns about the growth in antibiotic resistance, which is recognised as a complex and multi-faceted issue requiring a broad and co-ordinated approach involving both the human and veterinary medicine spheres. The publication at the end of 2011 of the European Commission’s Action Plan in relation to anti-microbial resistance represented a particularly significant milestone in the development of an EU wide strategy covering both human and veterinary medicines. My Department and associated agencies are participating in the development of specific measures to deliver on the 12 Actions set out in the Plan. My Department has already ensured that, in accordance with EU legislation, advertising of antibiotics to farmers is prohibited and that such medicines may only be used on the prescription of a veterinary practitioner in respect of animals under his/her care.
My Department carries out extensive testing for antibiotic residues under the National Residue Plan, the results of which are published. For example, in 2012, almost 9,500 samples were tested for antibiotic residues, of which 0.1% contained residues in excess of authorised levels. The carcasses concerned had been detained in all cases and were prohibited from entering the food chain. A follow up inspection takes place in all cases at the farm of origin and appropriate action is taken including mandatory additional testing and, where appropriate, penalties are applied under the Single Farm Payment Regime. All residue positives, including those for antibiotics, are reported to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland under established protocols. The Authority, which is an independent scientific agency coming under the aegis of the Minister for Health, carries out a risk assessment to determine whether there are any issues for public health.
In terms of other actions in this important area, my Department’s Central Veterinary Research Laboratory is designated as National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Antimicrobial Resistance as part of the EU network of NRL’s in implementing an EU wide harmonised AMR monitoring programme (annual reports are available on DAFM website (see laboratories/ zoonoses)).
228. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a disadvantaged areas scheme payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41251/13]
View answerFollowing initial processing of the application of the person named, an issue was identified in relation to one of the parcels declared; an official of my Department has been in direct contact with the person named in this regard. Immediately the person named confirms to my Department the actual position regarding the parcel in question, the application will be further processed, with a view to payment issuing shortly thereafter.
229. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the 2012 headage payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41275/13]
View answerThe person named is one of a number of applicants under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, whose cases were impacted by the requirement to have had a minimum stocking density on their holding in 2011 of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare. My Department wrote to all concerned applicants in August 2012 allowing them the opportunity to seek derogation from this requirement. However, to date, my Department has no record of receiving an application for derogation in this case. Therefore, as the holding of the person named did not meet the 2011 minimum stocking requirement and as the person named was not granted derogation from this requirement, no payment is due under the 2012 Scheme.
230. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the consultants, if any, he has contracted since 1 January 2013 to advise on the possible sale of any assets; the current situation; the advice given and the terms and cost of the contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41537/13]
View answerSince 1 January 2013, my Department has not employed any consultants to advise on the possible sale of this Department’s assets.
231. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will confirm that the new payroll system for the Child and Family Agency will be fully operational by 1 January 2014; the current status of this payroll system and the additional resources provided to ensure that it is fully operational by January 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41371/13]
View answerSignificant preparations are underway to develop the financial procedures and accounting arrangements that are required of a major public body such as the Child and Family Agency in discharging its financial accountability. In line with public service modernization it has been decided that shared services will be exploited to the fullest extent to promote operational efficiency. It has been agreed that the HSE will provide shared services to the Child and Family Agency including in respect of financial and human resource transactional processing. This includes delivery by HSE shared services of the Agency's payroll requirements. Children and Families are working closely with colleagues in the HSE Financial Shared Services to develop a new payroll system for implementation on the creation of the Agency. In this context, a specific plan and timetable has been adopted which is expected to deliver on this requirement.
