Written Answers Nos. 185-197
185. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the aptitude test for Garda recruitment is being done online the way we can be sure that the person that has applied to do it is the same person doing the test. [11399/14]
View answerThe competition for the selection of Garda Trainees attracts a very high number of applicants. Accordingly, the selection process to become a Garda Trainee is comprehensive, with candidates required to undertake a range of relevant assessment tests and exercises over a number of selection stages. The tests and exercises are designed to identify candidates suitable to be a Garda Trainee, with potential to become an attested member.
The first two assessments are completed on-line. Candidates who obtain the required standard are then required to sit a supervised assessment. This assessment is to ensure the authenticity of the candidate.
186. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in the recruitment process for An Garda Síochána are the Garda reserves given preferential treatment or if a percentage of places have been reserved for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11400/14]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that recruitment to An Garda Síochána is governed by the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013. These regulations provide for the giving, as part of the competitive selection process organised by the Public Appointments Service for full-time membership of An Garda Síochána, of "due recognition to any satisfactory service by the person as a reserve member". This provision was introduced in order to acknowledge the beneficial experience and skills gained by a reserve member and to allow them the opportunity to highlight that experience and skill during the selection process. It is important that all persons wishing to join the full time force undergo the same competitive selection and recruitment process. In doing so the integrity of the process is maintained at all stages of the competition.
187. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill 2013 will come into effect. [11414/14]
View answerThe Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill 2013 is currently before the Seanad, having completed its passage through the Dáil. Assuming that the Bill is enacted before the Summer, it should be possible to commence its provisions in the Autumn.
188. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will expedite an application for naturalisation in respect of a person (details supplied). [11433/14]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that a valid application for a certificate of naturalisation was received on 24 January 2014 from the person referred to by the Deputy.
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 to me for decision as expeditiously as possible.
The Deputy may wish to note that 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 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 INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
189. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the penalty points report presented to him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11459/14]
View answerHaving carefully considered the report by Assistant Commissioner John O'Mahoney and the report by the Garda Professional Standards Unit, I decided to refer both reports to the Garda Síochána Inspectorate on 14 May 2013 to ask them to carry out a review of the fixed charge processing system taking into account both the aforementioned reports. I also asked them to make any recommendations they considered appropriate with a view to enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the operation by An Garda Síochána of the fixed charge processing system.
In carrying out this review, the Inspectorate had regard to seven specific basic essential principles which, I had indicated, should apply to the fixed charge processing system and the consequent application of penalty points. These seven basic principles are:-
1. There must be no question mark hanging over the integrity of the Fixed Charge Notice system and in the application of penalty points.
2. No individual should receive preferential treatment because of their perceived status, relationship or celebrity.
3. The law and any discretionary application of it to individuals must be administered fairly, with compassion and common sense.
4. No member of the Garda Force should feel compelled by a person’s position, relationship or celebrity status to treat that person any more or less favourably than any other person.
5. There must be proper oversight and transparency to the discretionary decision making process and the applicable rules and procedures must be fully complied with.
6. All statutory provisions, regulations, rules, protocols and procedures applicable to the termination of Fixed Charge Notices must be readily accessible to all members of the Garda Force and the circumstances, factors and procedures applicable to the termination of Fixed Charge Notices should be detailed clearly on the Garda website for the information of members of the public.
7. Where application is made to terminate a fixed ticket charge, where possible and appropriate, material to support any application made should be sought while understanding in some circumstances no such material may exist or be obtainable.
The Garda Síochána Inspectorate has furnished me with a copy of its ninth report 'The Fixed Charge Processing System: a 21st Century Strategy ' This report arises from my request to the Inspectorate to carry out a review of the operation of the fixed charge processing system, taking into account the recommendations listed in the report by Assistant Commissioner O'Mahoney and the related report by the Garda Síochána Professional Standards Unit.
I am considering the report and intend to brief the Cabinet on its contents next Wednesday, following which I will lay the report before both Houses of the Oireachtas and publish it on my Department's website.
190. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding proposals to place further restrictions on firearms; if there will be an independent inquiry and report into the way the licencing system has been administered since the new legislation came in to force and before any new proposals are considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11481/14]
View answerAs I indicated in my reply to the Deputy's Question Number 143 of the 12th of February 2014, my Department is currently examining key issues relating to firearms licensing in conjunction with An Garda Síochána. The recommendations resulting from this process will be forwarded to me in due course. No decisions will be made in advance of consideration of these recommendations. However, the issue of public safety will be paramount in such consideration.
It is my intention that opportunities for consultation with relevant stakeholders will be explored when work on the proposals is further advanced.
191. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Defence the help and support available for veterans of the Irish Defence Forces; his plans to set up a dedicated section in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11432/14]
View answerThe Department of Defence provides annual subventions to support and encourage the two officially recognised veteran groups, the Organisation of National ex-Servicemen (O.N.E.) and the Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA). O.N.E. receives a subvention of €40,000 per annum and IUNVA receives a subvention of €10,000 per annum from my Department. The Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen and Women (O.N.E.), which has enjoyed the long standing official recognition of the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces, is an organisation dedicated to looking after the welfare of ex-service personnel of the Irish Defence Forces by way of providing accommodation to homeless, elderly or disabled members in need of such domestic accommodation and shelter and other assistance that may be required. O.N.E. is a limited company with charitable status.
The funding provided to O.N.E. by the Department of Defence is to support the general overheads of the organisation and expressly not for the provision of services that are provided to citizens, including members of O.N.E., from other arms of the State. This covers housing, health, social assistance, etc.
The Department of Defence also provides annual funding to a second officially recognised veterans association, the Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA). Membership of IUNVA, which was formed in 1990, is open to any person, serving or retired, who has successfully completed a tour of duty with a UN Force or Organisation.
Officials from the Department of Defence hold regular meetings with both organisations at which issues of concern are discussed. As part of that process the Department has entered into a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with O.N.E. and IUNVA. Under the terms of the SLA contact numbers have been provided for areas within the Defence Forces and the Department that deal with issues that are relevant to veterans of the Defence Forces. The contact numbers provided deal with Medals, Service Matters, Medical Files, Pensions and Disability Pensions. I am satisfied that this current arrangement is working well and in this regard I do not believe it is necessary to set up a dedicated section for such matters.
192. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider transferring the responsibility of greyhound registration from the Irish Coursing Club to Bord na gCon as many greyhound owners have no interest in participating in coursing. [11203/14]
View answerThe Irish Coursing Club (ICC) has been responsible for the Irish Greyhound Stud Book since 1923 and there have been no reported issues with the manner in which the ICC discharges this function.
The Irish Coursing Club is subject to the general control and direction of Bord na gCon, which is the statutory body with responsibility for the improvement and development of the greyhound industry, greyhound racing and coursing.
The deputy should be aware that it is not a condition of registering a greyhound in the Irish Greyhound Stud Book that an owner must be a participant in coursing or express an interest in coursing.
Regarding animal welfare controls the ICC has confirmed that it has systems in place to underpin the welfare of animals participating in coursing events. These include mandatory inspections of hares and coursing venues in advance of the commencement of an event. Greyhounds involved in coursing are subject to the provisions of the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011 and the Code of Practice for the care and welfare of greyhounds, published by Bord na gCon. The ICC has assured my Department that it goes to great lengths to ensure the highest standards are adhered to during coursing.
Regarding the supervision of coursing events the ICC ensures that a veterinary surgeon and a control steward are present at all coursing meetings. In addition to this, veterinary staff from my Department and rangers from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (part of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht) carry out random monitoring inspections during the coursing season to verify compliance with the licences and the rules governing animal welfare.
As a further control, a Monitoring Committee on Coursing was established during the 1993/94 coursing season and is comprised of officials from my Department and representatives from both the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the ICC to monitor developments in coursing and in that regard the situation is kept under constant review to ensure that coursing is run in a well controlled and responsible manner in the interests of hares and greyhounds alike.
A very high proportion (98.09%) of the hares captured for hare coursing were returned to the wild at the end of the 2012/2013 season.
Against this background as outlined, I have no plans to change the current arrangements for greyhound registrations.
193. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a land parcel identification review will be expedited in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11207/14]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2008 and received payments for the first five years of their contract.
REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. Following the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) Review an area discrepancy was identified which required further investigation. This issue has been resolved and the Year 6 payments are being progressed with a view to making payment at the earliest possible opportunity.
194. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a cut in area aid in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11367/14]
View answerThe verification visit in question will be conducted shortly by a Departmental Inspector. The necessity for this visit follows the appeal of the person named against the findings of the review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme, which revealed that one of the land parcels declared by the person named contained ineligible features. As the person named disputes the area of ineligible land, a visit by a Department official to verify the position on the ground is necessary to resolve the matter.
195. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if grant aid will be made available to farmers who have had uninsured working farm buildings damaged in recent storms thus affecting their ability to earn an income. [11388/14]
View answerThere are no plans to introduce a specific compensation scheme for those farmers who suffered damage to their buildings or equipment as a result of the recent storms. In certain cases, however, such farmers may be able to apply for grant-aid under the on-farm investment schemes which will be introduced by my Department following the receipt of EU Commission approval for the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme. It is not possible to introduce a compensation scheme for all unforeseen events and I would urge farmers to familiarise themselves with insurance to cover all risk management issues such as injury, theft, weather related disasters and animal diseases.
196. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to develop a lobster hatchery in Ireland to supplement the provision of wild lobsters and to assist in the development of lobster fishing here; the details of any examination carried out by his Department or any agency working under the aegis of his Department regarding best practice in relation to this matter internationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11394/14]
View answerLate last year my Department engaged in a lengthy period of consultation with lobster and shrimp fishermen on the need for additional conservation measures to ensure the sustainability of the lobster and shrimp fisheries. A report on the consultation is currently being finalised. Over 200 submissions were received which raised many important issues, including what fishermen themselves see as key to securing a sustainable future for the lobster stocks. I am advised that three of the submissions received recommended lobster hatcheries to support the fishery. By contrast, fishermen identified a range of alternatives which received much higher levels of support.
Natural recruitment, whereby wild populations are afforded the opportunity to sustain themselves, is the most cost-effective method of stock management in fisheries. The current v-notching scheme operated by BIM and supported by regulations prohibiting the landing of v-notched lobsters is designed to contribute to natural recruitment. In other countries, hatcheries have been introduced in areas where natural recruitment has collapsed and recovery is unlikely without intervention. I am advised by BIM and the Marine Institute that, based on the current status of the Irish lobster stocks, management of existing fishing practices in the first instance is considered the most effective means of improving stock levels. In that regard I look forward to receiving the consultation report and recommendations for future improvements in the management of this fishery.
Funding for direct stocking measures such as hatcheries is not available under the current European Fisheries Fund and it is likely that restrictions will continue to apply under the European and Maritime Fisheries Fund regulation to be finalised this year.
I am favourably disposed to exploring all measures which support stock sustainability. In this context I requested Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and the Marine Institute for their views on the development of lobster hatcheries. Both BIM and the Marine Institute have raised concerns regarding the efficacy of hatcheries including high operating costs and difficulties in attracting investment on a commercial basis.
It is therefore clear that, in addition to management of the fishery itself, further careful consideration needs to be given to the potential for lobster hatcheries to supplement wild stocks and I have requested my officials to include recommendations in relation to lobster hatcheries in the report that is currently being prepared for me.
197. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding headage payments in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11396/14]
View answerAs processing of the application of the person named under the 2013 Disadvantaged Ares Scheme was recently finalised, following confirmation of compliance with the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements, the payment due will issue to the nominated bank account of the person named shortly.
Payments under the 2014 Scheme are scheduled to commence later this year. The 2014 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application forms are due to issue in the coming weeks, with the closing date for receipt of completed forms being 15 May 2014, as provided for under the governing EU regulations. However, the online facility for submission of applications is open from today and is available to individuals, or Agents acting on their behalf, subject to registration – see www.agfood.ie for details, or contact the dedicated Helpdesk at 1890 252118.
