Written Answers Nos. 163 - 171
163. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the grounds on which a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24 was detained by French police in respect of which they must attend court proceedings there in 2014; if the nature of the circumstances affects their residency status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53530/13]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of my Department that the person referred to by the Deputy was granted refugee status in this State on 20 March 2002. The issue of legal proceedings in France is a matter between the person concerned and the French authorities and until such time as those proceedings are concluded it would be inappropriate to comment further.
164. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the outstanding information required to determine residency entitlement in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53531/13]
View answerI am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person in question has no application for residency pending with INIS and is currently registered in the State under Stamp 3 conditions valid up until 09 July 2014.
An application for residency in the State on the basis of family dependency of an Irish national under Stamp 4 conditions in respect of the person concerned was refused on 19 November 2013 because requested supporting documentation was not fully provided. It remains open to the person concerned to submit a new application to INIS if and when they are in a position to provide the requisite supporting documentation.
The Deputy may wish to note that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been established specifically 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 the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
165. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will make a comprehensive statement on the proposed recruitment of new recruits to the Gardaí; the date on which he intends to open the competition for recruitment to the Gardaí; and when he expects the first students to start their training. [53574/13]
View answerThe opening of a recruitment campaign for new recruits to An Garda Síochána was announced today, 12th December. Applicants may now submit an application through the Public Appointments Service website, www.publicjobs.ie. The closing date for applications is 9th January.
A number of stages will be involved between the application stage and trainees entering the Garda college, including a variety of tests and interviews, and it is expected that the first batch of new recruits will enter the Garda college in mid-2014.
166. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the proposal to provide a new district Garda headquarters at Bailieborough, County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53597/13]
View answerI have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to this matter and I will be in touch with the Deputy as soon as it is to hand.
167. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has concerns that some Gardaí may have been fraudulent in their overtime and allowance claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53605/13]
View answerI have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that An Garda Síochána has an Internal Audit Section which carries out audits of overtime and allowance claims in line with the Internal Audit Standards set out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
The Garda Síochána Anti-Fraud Policy ensures that the organisation is committed to identifying any risks of fraud and addressing these adequately. This is achieved by having appropriate controls in place to prevent, deter and detect fraud. All incidents of fraud will be thoroughly investigated.
168. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the measures the Gardaí will take to tackle the theft of smart phones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53611/13]
View answerI am informed by the Garda authorities that 2 December 2013 was designated National Crime Prevention Day by the Garda Commissioner and one of the key objectives on the day was to provide information on the prevention of mobile phone theft. This message was issued by the Garda Press Office to raise the awareness of the public to mobile phone theft and provide information on steps to secure mobile phones and smart phones particularly in the run up to Christmas.
Crime prevention advice on mobile phone security was also provided on the Crimecall programme and on the Garda website www.garda.ie. This advice includes information on ways in which people can safeguard their phones, including obtaining their IMEI numbers to ensure that if their phone is stolen the service provider can immediately block the phone, rendering it immediately inoperative. Mobile Phone Security was included as a priority in An Garda Síochána’s Supporting Safer Communities week in September and will also be featured in the campaign for 2014.
Local Garda management in the Dublin Metropolitan Region continue to address the ongoing challenges associated with theft and sale of mobile phones, in particular in the City Centre. In this regard Operation Aughrim was introduced in June 2012, in the Dublin Metropolitan Region, with particular emphasis being placed in the Pearse Street and Store Street Districts. This operation is intelligence led with uniformed Gardaí engaged in a high visibility patrols as well as plain clothes members conducting surveillance in identified hotspots. Contact with mobile phone shops which specialise in the sale, supply and repair of second hand smart phones also forms part of this operation.
169. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence the formal process for investigating deaths-suicides of members of the Defence Forces. [53568/13]
View answerI have been advised by the Military Authorities of the following procedures in relation to the investigation of deaths, including suicides, of members of the Defence Forces.
In the case of a death occurring in Ireland on military property and warranting investigation, the Military Police would have an investigative role. However, as the primacy of jurisdiction in such matters in Ireland rests with An Garda Síochána it is they who would have primary involvement in any such investigation.
In the case of the death of a member of the Defence Forces occurring outside a Defence Forces installation in Ireland and warranting investigation, such investigation will be undertaken by An Garda Síochána.
The Military Police conduct investigations into any death involving a member of the Defence Forces while serving overseas.
Determining the cause of death in all cases, including suicide, is the responsibility solely of the Coroner.
If the relevant military authority deems it necessary a Court of Inquiry may be established after any investigation established by An Garda Síochána, the Military Police or the Coroner, has ceased and reports have been finalised. In general, the purpose of such a Court of Inquiry would be to investigate if Defence Forces procedures and orders were followed and/or if they could be improved.
170. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm the level of national co-financing in the current RDP 2007-2013; if he will confirm his proposals for national co-financing in RDP 2014-2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53411/13]
View answerUnder the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007 - 2013 over €4.8 billion is currently allocated to fund the support measures under the Programme. Various co-financing rates have applied at different times and to different measures over the course of the RDP. However, up to late November 2013 there had been total expenditure of €4.03 billion, of which €2.27 billion was EU funding.
In relation to the new RDP, 2014-2020, the European Council agreement on the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) provides some €313m per year, or a total of €2.19bn, for Ireland under Pillar 2 of the CAP for the period 2014 – 2020.
A general EU co-financing rate of 53% is set out in the draft Rural Development Regulation but this rate may rise to a maximum of 80% for measures such as farm and business development, co-operation activities, and LEADER projects. Environmental type measures may be co-funded up to 75%. The total Exchequer funding that will be required to draw down the available European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) funding will depend on the types of measures included in the new Rural Development Programme and on the co-financing rates applied to these measures.
There are a number of conditions attached to Ireland’s allocation of €313 million per annum. The draft Regulation provides that at least 5% of EAFRD funding must be reserved for LEADER while the draft Common Provisions Regulation provides that 6% of EAFRD funding must be set aside to a national performance reserve. The funding set aside to the performance reserve will be allocated to each Member State following a performance review in 2019. Finally, the draft Rural Development Regulation sets out that 30% of the total EAFRD amount must be reserved for environmental operations and climate change mitigation and adaptation measures.
Work is currently ongoing in my Department to design the new Rural Development Programme (RDP) for the period from 2014 – 2020. In designing the new RDP, my Department must take account of the range of requirements set out in the draft Rural Development Regulation and the need to support key policy aims for the agri-food sector in the light of the Food Harvest 2020 strategy. In undertaking this work, a number of ex-ante analyses are being undertaken and a public consultation process has also taken place.
While final decisions in relation to what measures are to be included in the new RDP have not yet been made, my Department is in ongoing contact with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the overall financing that will be required.
171. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the plans he has put in place to address the serious income problems arising for farmers who are leaving REP scheme 4 at the end of this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53412/13]
View answerWhile there are no plans to extend the current REPS 4 Scheme I am pleased to say that the revised CAP 2014 – 2020 gives priority to agri-environment schemes and requires that the new Rural Development Plan must include an agri-environment scheme. The process for the introduction of new schemes under the revised CAP is well underway.
I am, of course, conscious of the financial pressures on many farm families and of the importance of grant and scheme payments to their incomes and cash-flow. In view of the challenges we continue to face in terms of the public finances, and the requirement to balance competing needs both within the agricultural sector and in the economy as a whole, the government will give all issues careful consideration in the context of the funding requirements for the new Rural Development Fund 2014/2020.
