Written Answers Nos. 740-749
740. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will confirm whether supervisors are employed to supervise community service; the person who ensures the correct numbers of hours are undertaken by the person doing community service; the person who decides the type of community service that should be done; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12913/14]
View answerThe Probation Service has responsibility for the supervision and management of community service orders in accordance with the Criminal Justice (Community Service) Act, 1983 as amended by the Criminal Justice (Community Service) (Amendment) Act 2011. The Probation Service supervises community service orders on behalf of the Court using group and individual work placements. All referrals for community service are assessed by Probation Officers and a report is presented to the Court. A community service order requires an offender to perform unpaid work for between 40 and 240 hours, usually to be completed within 12 months. Offenders subject to community service orders are overseen by Probation Officers and Community Service Supervisors. Following the making of an order offenders are assigned by the Probation Service to undertake particular work in their communities. Community Service Supervisors work on these placement sites and supervise offenders on a daily basis. Their role includes, management of the site, oversight of the work being undertaken and reporting on attendance and the completion of hours.
741. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if and when a new criminal injuries compensation scheme board will be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12982/14]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that I am in the process of appointing a new Tribunal to administer the Scheme under the terms of Paragraph 17 of the Scheme of Compensation for Personal Injuries Criminally Inflicted. I have recently appointed a Tribunal Chairperson, Mr. John Cheatle BL, who can, under the terms of the Scheme, determine applications and is entirely independent in that regard. I expect to appoint the remaining members in the near future.
742. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current status regarding a land registry dealing (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12960/14]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that under the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006, the Property Registration Authority (PRA) was established as and from 4 November 2006. The PRA replaces the Registrar of Deeds and Titles as the registering authority in relation to property registration in Ireland and, subject to the above Act, is independent in the performance of its functions. The Deputy will be aware of the service to Deputies and Senators which provides information on the current status of applications, such as the subject of this question, which was introduced in May 2006. The service provides a speedier, more efficient and more cost-effective alternative to submitting Parliamentary Questions. It is operated by the PRA and is available all year round. I can further inform the Deputy that his query has been forwarded to the PRA for attention and direct reply via the above mentioned service.
743. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons prosecuted in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 for non-payment of TV licences; the number of persons in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 that received custodial sentences for non-payment of a TV licence; the cost to his Department in each of these years to process legal proceedings and custodial sentences in these cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13014/14]
View answerUnder the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions, which include the provision of information on the courts system. In order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had inquiries made and the Courts Service has provided the available information in relation to the prosecution of persons for non payment of a TV licence for the period requested which is set out in the first table included with this reply. As the Deputy will be aware, the initiation of a prosecution for non-payment of a TV licence is a matter for An Post, which does not operate under the aegis of my Department.
|
Year |
No. of persons whose case was heard by the court |
No. of persons who initially received a custodial sentence |
No. of persons who received a fine |
No. of persons where a fines warrant issued for non-payment of fine |
|
2009 |
6,533 |
0 |
4,349 |
2,716 |
|
2010 |
8,153 |
0 |
4,513 |
2,749 |
|
2011 |
8,436 |
0 |
4,289 |
2,673 |
|
2012 |
8,328 |
0 |
4,139 |
2,929 |
|
2013 |
6,533 |
0 |
4,786 |
1,916 |
In the above table, a person who received more than one prosecution in one year is reported once. The execution of the warrants issued may have resulted in custodial sentences being imposed for non-payment of the fines, but this information is not available from Courts Service statistics. Warrants could still issue in relation to some fines imposed in 2013 if the due date for payment has not yet expired. The Irish Prison Service has also provided details of the number of people imprisoned for the non-payment of a TV licence following the execution of a warrant in the period concerned, as set out in the following table:
|
Year |
No. of persons imprisoned for non payment of TV Licence |
|
2009 |
75 |
|
2010 |
152 |
|
2011 |
183 |
|
2012 |
272 |
|
2013 |
411 |
The number of prisoners who are in prison for non-payment of a court ordered fine, including those imprisoned for the non-payment of a TV licence, is a tiny fraction of the overall prisoner population. To illustrate this point, on 28 February 2014, nine people or 0.22%, out of a prison population of 4,086 were in custody for non-payment of fines. None of them was in custody as a result of the non-payment of a TV licence. The average cost of accommodating a typical fine defaulter based on the 2012 Cost of Offender figures (including variable costs of prisoner catering, prisoner gratuity, bedding, prisoner toiletries, dentist fees and medicines) equates to €10.44 per prisoner space per day.
744. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of external or internal policy reports currently that have been handed to him but not yet published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13035/14]
View answer745. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when he will publish reports currently in his possession that have not been published to date; if he will provide in tabular form the reports involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13052/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 744 and 745 together.
The information requested by the Deputy is not available in the timeframe allowed. I will contact the Deputy directly when this information is to hand.
746. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current and-or expected residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13072/14]
View answerThe position in relation to the person whose details were supplied remains unchanged and is as outlined in the responses to Question No. 192 of 27 February and Question No. 182 of 13 March.
747. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide further information explaining the reason the spouse of an Irish citizen (details supplied) was refused a travel visa on the grounds that there were inconsistencies in information supplied; if there is any scope to appeal this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13106/14]
View answerThe visa application referred to by the Deputy was made by a person who wished to visit their spouse in Ireland. It was received in the Visa Office in New Delhi, on 10 February 2014. Following full consideration, the Visa Officer decided to refuse the application on 18 February 2014. Full information regarding the inconsistency referred to by the Deputy was provided in the refusal letter which issued to the applicant. No appeal is permitted in this case. As stated in the declaration signed by all visa applicants, any false or misleading information may result in the refusal of the application without the right of appeal. Queries in relation to general immigration matters 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.
748. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if separate Garda National Immigration Bureau arrangements could be made for employed tax-paying persons, many of whom are here as the result of IDA Ireland incentives and are often forced to take several days from work to queue for renewal in view of limited number of renewals dispensed each day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13188/14]
View answerA dedicated public office where non-nationals who are resident in the Dublin Metropolitan area are required to register, pursuant to section 9 of the Immigration act 2004, is situated at the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), 13-14, Burgh Quay, Dublin, 2. Outside of this area, registration is undertaken in Garda Síochána District stations. The public office in Burgh Quay is by far the busiest registration office in the State serving over 70% of those non-nationals subject to registration requirements. Every effort is made to accommodate the various categories of persons required to register. The GNIB Public Office is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. each Monday to Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each Friday (excluding bank holidays). The Offices also remains open through lunchtime. Priority is given in the early morning period for particular categories including those coming here to work, etc. with tickets for people registering their presence in Ireland for study-related purposes being allocated after 9 a.m. This is to minimise the amount of time people at work are required to be away from their jobs. It is worth noting that the public immigration offices receive in the region of 130,000 people annually in respect of registration of non-EEA people residing in the State and applicants seeking re-entry visas as well as callers seeking information or for other business.
The nature of the registration requirements necessitates the personal attendance of the applicant at his or her registration office. Every effort is made to ensure the process is undertaken in a timely manner. First-time registrations take longer because of the need to take biometric information. The GNIB endeavours, where possible, to provide a same-day service for non-nationals who pay the required fee for a registration certificate by way of Debit or Credit card. A person paying the said fee by way of bank giro is required to return to the Registration Office on another day when the payment has been verified for the purpose of being issued with a registration certificate. I am conscious of the need to maintain and develop good service levels to customers. In this regard, the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department is undertaking a number of projects with the aim of developing and improving immigration services. In the area of reform of in-country aspects of immigration services, INIS is looking at developing a range of measures including online application and appointment systems for certain services, including registration. This should help alleviate time spent waiting for services and assist the person in scheduling appointments to best suit their working arrangements.
749. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when it is anticipated that the Private Security Authority will announce a timeframe for the licensing of CCTV monitoring centres and the introduction of the new standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13226/14]
View answerThe Private Security Authority, which is an independent agency under the remit of my Department established under the Private Security Services Acts 2004 and 2011, is the regulatory body with responsibility for regulating and licensing the private security industry in the State. I have been informed by the Authority that, following the completion of a public consultation process on the future licensing requirements for CCTV and Intruder Alarm monitoring centres in February, the board set 1 November 2014 as the date on which the licensing of CCTV monitoring centres will commence. My Department is consulting the Authority on the regulations required to implement this decision. I expect to be in a position to sign those regulations shortly.
