Written Answers Nos. 112 - 120
112. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the difference in the number of Garda personnel in Malahide Garda station, County Dublin for the years 2008 and 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43533/14]
View answer128. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the difference in the number of Garda personnel in Coolock and Raheny Garda Stations for the years 2008 and 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43703/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 128 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, one of the primary functions of the Garda Commissioner under the Garda Síochána Acts, is to direct and control An Garda Síochána. In this regard, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of all resources, including fully sworn members and Reserve Gardaí, among the Garda Regions, Divisions and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of security assessments, crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.
I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of Malahide, Coolock and Raheny Garda Stations on 31 December 2008 and on 30 September 2014, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was as set out in the table below:
|
Station |
2008 |
2014 |
|
Malahide |
45 |
32 |
|
Coolock |
118 |
109 |
|
Raheny |
71 |
61 |
The Deputy will be aware that I recently announced a further intake of 200 recruits into the Garda College, Templemore. The intake will be in two batches, one later this year (late November / early December) and the second in January 2015. This will bring to 300 the number of recruits in the Garda College and is a measure of this Government's commitment to ensure that recruitment to An Garda Síochána continues seamlessly. The first batch of recruits (already in training) will attest as members of the Garda Síochána in May of 2015 and will be assigned to Garda Stations by the Garda Commissioner. The needs of the stations referred to by the Deputy will be considered in the overall context of the needs of Garda Stations throughout the country.
It is my intention that there will be ongoing recruitment and I am discussing the details of this with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
113. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the number of Garda vehicles in Malahide Garda station, County Dublin and planned purchases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43534/14]
View answerThe provision and allocation of Garda transport is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of identified operational circumstances and the availability of resources.
Responsibility for the efficient deployment of Garda vehicles in each Division is assigned to the Divisional Officer, who may allocate vehicles between stations, as required by operational circumstances. The Deputy will appreciate that a degree of flexibility in allocating and re-allocating vehicles among stations, so as to best match the allocation of resources with policing priorities, is essential to the efficient management of the Garda fleet. As a consequence it is not fully practicable to provide a breakdown of Garda vehicles by each individual Garda station.
In that context, I am advised by the Garda authorities that there are currently 29 Garda vehicles assigned to the Garda District in which the station referred to is located.
The Deputy will be aware that I recently secured an additional €10 million for investment in the Garda fleet. This funding will provide for a significant number of new Garda vehicles. In that context, I am advised by the Garda authorities that, to date, an order for 370 new vehicles has been placed. These vehicles will be allocated over the coming months, following fit out, in accordance with the Garda Commissioner's identified operational requirements.
114. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the difference in all the crime statistics for the years 2008 and 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43535/14]
View answerThe Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. The most recent multi-annual overview published by the CSO covers the period 2008-2012 and reported reductions in 10 of the 16 crime categories listed over that period. The annual figures published by CSO for 2013 report reductions in 11 out of the 14 categories featured in the annual statistics. Within this broad overall trend, certain categories of offences have fluctuated over time.
The Deputy will also be aware that following on the Report of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate on Crime Investigation , the CSO is to carry out a detailed analysis of certain issues raised in the Inspectorate Report to see whether and to what extent they may have implications for the official crime statistics which that Office produces. I await that assessment, which the Deputy will appreciate will take some time to complete.
In this regard I can also advise the Deputy that at the CSO will chair an expert panel to examine the Inspectorate's recommendations on crime statistics. The expert panel will review the crime counting and detection rules, as recommended by the Inspectorate, with a view to introducing new national standards. As well as including representatives of the Department and An Garda Síochána, the panel will have outside experts with relevant expertise.
I have also welcomed the fact that the CSO will now examine the means of carrying out a national Crime and Victimisation Survey in the near future, which will provide further insight into the extent and nature of crime in Ireland, independent of reported crime statistics.
115. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the M.R. and Anor v. An tArd-Chláraitheoir and Ors and Ors Supreme Court ruling; and her further views on changing the current legislation following this ruling; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43606/14]
View answerFollowing the Supreme Court's judgement in the MR and Anor – v- An tArd-Chláraitheoir & Ors on Friday 7th November, my colleague the Minister for Health, Mr. Leo Varadkar T.D., stated that he intends to bring a memorandum for Government before the end of this year, seeking approval to draft an Assisted Human Reproduction Bill. It is envisaged that this Bill will deal with a wide range of issues including surrogacy and gamete (egg and sperm) donation. My officials will work closely with their counterparts in the Department of Health in relation to the legal consequences for the family law code, including assignment of parentage.
116. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to downgrade or close a Garda station (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43625/14]
View answerThe formulation of proposals in relation to the opening and closing of Garda stations is a matter, in the first instance, for the Garda Commissioner in the context of her annual policing plans, as provided for in section 22 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that, in the context of the provision of a new Regional Garda Headquarters at Murrough, the policing requirements of the Galway Division will, as a matter of course, be fully examined to ensure that an effective and efficient policing service continues to be delivered.
However the Minister has been further advised by the Garda Commissioner that there is no intention to close Salthill Garda Station.
117. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current position in regard to residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43629/14]
View answerI am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned is currently registered in the State under Stamp 4 conditions granted to them on the basis of their marriage to an Irish national. This permission is valid until 28 November 2014 and is renewable directly with their local immigration officer.
If there has been any change of circumstances preventing the renewal of their immigration permission, the person concerned should be advised to make an application to INIS outlining the circumstances preventing them from renewing their registration.
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 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 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.
118. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current and-or expected position in regard to residency in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43631/14]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that, in response to a notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned has submitted written representations.
These representations, together with all other information and documentation on file, will be fully considered, under Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and Section 5 of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended) on the prohibition of refoulement, in advance of a final decision being made.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department 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 the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
119. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current position in regard to residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43636/14]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned had a Deportation Order made against them on 20th September, 2011, following the refusal of their asylum application, at both first instance and on appeal, the refusal of their application for subsidiary protection and the detailed consideration of their case under Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and Section 5 of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended on the prohibition of refoulement. This Order was formally served on the person concerned by letter dated 22nd September, 2011.
The person concerned lodged judicial review proceedings in the High Court, challenging the decisions to refuse their application for subsidiary protection and to make a Deportation Order in respect of them. These proceedings were 'settled' by agreement between the parties. The agreed Terms of Settlement provided for, among other things, the revocation of the Deportation Order and the setting aside of the subsidiary protection refusal decision. The Deportation Order was revoked on 14th September, 2012.
The person concerned was issued with a fresh notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) on 12th July, 2013 which made them aware of the option of lodging a fresh application for subsidiary protection and fresh written representations for consideration under Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended).
In the event that a new application for subsidiary protection has been lodged, this will fall to be determined by the Offices of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, if appropriate, the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. The person concerned is not the subject of a Deportation Order at present and indeed no consideration can be given to the making of a Deportation Order in respect of the person concerned until any outstanding protection issues have been determined.
I am satisfied that all actions taken by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service have been in accordance with the agreed Terms of Settlement of the earlier judicial review proceedings.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department 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 the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
120. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current position in regard to determination of residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43637/14]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that, in response to a notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned has submitted written representations. These representations, together with all other information and documentation on file, will be fully considered, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and Section 5 of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended) on the prohibition of refoulement, in advance of a final decision being made.
During the examination of the case file of the person concerned, they were requested to submit documentary evidence to attest to their identity and nationality. In response, the person concerned submitted a national passport which was found, on expert examination, to be a false document as the original bio-data page had been replaced by a counterfeit bio-data page. The Deputy will appreciate that once a passport has been tampered with in any way, it ceases to be a valid document. This position was made known to the person concerned by letter dated 28th October, 2014. The person concerned was given 15 working days to respond to this finding and their response is still awaited.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department 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 the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
