Written Answers Nos. 90-97
90. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the young farmer scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4258/15]
View answerIn accordance with the EU Regulations governing the Young Farmer Scheme, the scheme is payable for a period of no more than five years following the commencement of the eligible Young Farmer’s farming activity. The scheme is intended to provide financial assistance to young farmers during the period immediately following the setting up of their farming enterprise.
My Department has no discretion regarding these eligibility criteria and as such it is not possible to extend the payment period of the Young Farmers Scheme as suggested by the Deputy.
The above named person may be eligible to apply under the priority category of Young Farmer under the National Reserve. Successful applicants will receive an allocation of entitlements based on the eligible land declared on their 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application at a value equal to the national average value of entitlements in the year of application. Successful applicants who already hold entitlements which are below the national average value will receive a top-up whereby the value of those entitlements will be increased to the national average value.
A full list of eligibility criteria can be found in the Terms and Conditions of the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme on my Department’s website at http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/nationalreserveandyfs/.
91. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of representations in written or oral form he or his officials or advisers have received from a person (details supplied) seeking persons to be appointed to positions that fall under his remit since March 2011; if he will provide the details of these persons for whom the Member made representations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4267/15]
View answerNo such representations have been made to my Department by the Deputy identified on behalf of individuals seeking appointment to positions falling within the remit of my Department. At its meeting of 30 September, the Government announced a revised model for appointments to State boards. From 1 November all vacancies on State boards must be advertised openly on the State Boards portal, www.stateboards.ie, which is operated by the Public Appointments Service. At its meeting of 25 November 2014, the Government agreed the publication of guidelines entitled "Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards" which are available on the website of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
92. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Defence the total number of representations in written or oral form he or his officials or advisers have received from a person (details supplied) seeking persons to be appointed to positions that fall under his remit since March 2011; if he will provide the details of these persons for whom the Member made representations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4271/15]
View answerNo representations were received from the named person, seeking persons to be appointed to positions on Boards under the remit of the Department since March 2011.
93. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding a proposal for a project (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4124/15]
View answerThe programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation around the country is based on agreed accommodation priorities which are established by An Garda Síochána. This programme is progressed by the Garda Authorities in co-operation with the Office of Public Works (OPW), who have the responsibility for the capital expenditure in this area.
In that context, I am advised by the Garda authorities that plans for the refurbishment and extension of the Garda station referred to by the Deputy are currently being developed by An Garda Síochána in conjunction with OPW with a view to progressing this project on a phased basis.
I am further advised that this project will be progressed in the context of An Garda Síochána's identified accommodation priorities and the availability of resources.
94. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the assistance available for an Irish person (details supplied) whose children have been moved to another jurisdiction by their partner without their consent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4137/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any family matter which may be the subject of legal proceedings now or in the future. The father should seek legal advice in relation to what legal measures are available to him regarding the return of his children to this jurisdiction.
The procedures for dealing with situations of international parental child abduction involving countries which are party to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction are set out in the Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act 1991. EC Regulation 2201/2003 supplements and supports the terms of the Hague Convention in instances of international parental child abduction between EU Member States excluding Denmark.
A network of Central Authorities has been established in contracting states to facilitate applications for the return of children under the Hague Convention. The Deputy might note that both Northern Ireland and Ireland have established such Central Authorities and the Irish Central Authority for International Child Abduction is part of my Department. The father in question may wish to contact the Irish Central Authority so that the Authority can assess whether it is in a position to provide assistance having regard to the particular circumstances surrounding his children's removal from this jurisdiction. The contact details for the Irish Central Authority are:
Central Authority for International Child Abduction
Department of Justice and Equality
Bishop's Square
Redmonds Hill
Dublin 2
Phone: 01 479 0200
Email: internationalchildabduction@justice.ie
The father may also wish to notify An Garda Síochána that his children have been removed from this jurisdiction without his consent. It is an offence under section 16 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 (as amended) for a parent to remove or retain a child under the aged of 16 outside the State without the consent of any other person having lawful control of the child.
95. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of traffic speeding offences detected on roads (details supplied) for each of the past two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4159/15]
View answerI have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the matter referred to by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy directly as soon as the report is to hand.
96. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of fines issued to motorists parked on cycle lanes in 2013 and 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4239/15]
View answerI am informed by the Garda authorities and the Courts Service, respectively, that the information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the table below. The figures for the Fixed Charge Notices issued in 2013 have been requested from An Garda Síochána, but are currently unavailable and I will contact the Deputy directly as soon as they are to hand.
Number of Fines (Fixed Charge Notices & Court Fines) Issued to Motorists Parked on Cycle Lanes
|
2013 |
2014 |
|
|
Fixed Charge Notices |
currently unavailable |
144 |
|
Court Fines |
13 |
12 |
|
Total |
13 |
156 |
Figures are operational, provisional and subject to change
97. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if an application for family reunification will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Louth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4088/15]
View answerThe visa application referred to by the Deputy was submitted to the Irish Embassy, Paris on 23 July 2014 by the applicant and was received in the Dublin Visa Office on 31 July 2014. The application is currently being examined and a decision is expected shortly.
I have been advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of my Department that if the sponsor of a join family visa application is an Irish citizen, the application can be expected to be dealt with within 6 months of receipt of all required documentation. This business target reflects the detailed assessment that is required to be carried out in relation to applications for family reunification. In order to be fair to all applicants, as the Deputy will appreciate, applications are processed in order by date received in the Dublin Visa Office.
Queries in relation to general matters may be made directly to INIS by email 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 email service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
