Written Answers Nos. 160-168
160. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the total Garda strength within the Dublin metropolitan region north central division; if she will provide a breakdown per rank of the number of officers assigned to each district within that division; if she will indicate the strength of the divisional drugs unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10908/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.
I have however been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of the DMR North Central Garda Division on 31 January 2015, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was as set out in the table below. There are also 71 Garda Reserves and 27 Civilians attached to the DMR North Central Division. The personnel strength of the DMR North Central Divisional Drugs Unit on the same date was 20.
|
Division |
District |
Station |
GD |
SG |
IN |
SU |
CS |
Total |
|
D.M.R. NORTH CENTRAL |
BRIDEWELL |
BRIDEWELL |
125 |
38 |
6 |
169 |
||
|
FITZGIBBON STREET |
MOUNTJOY |
164 |
19 |
4 |
1 |
188 |
||
|
STORE STREET |
IMMIGRATION D/DOCKS |
3 |
3 |
|||||
|
STORE STREET |
201 |
33 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
241 |
||
|
STORE STREETTotal |
204 |
33 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
244 |
||
|
D.M.R. NORTH CENTRAL Total |
493 |
90 |
14 |
3 |
1 |
601 |
161. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current or potential residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22, and that person's two children, both born here; if they require stamp 4 status updated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10909/15]
View answerIf the person whose details were supplied has made an application for asylum or subsidiary protection, the Deputy will be aware that it is not the practice to comment on such applications until such time as they have fully completed the protection process.
Protection applicants are issued with a temporary residence permission pending a final decision on their application.
In the event that an applicant is finally determined not to be in need of Protection then consideration is given to whether the person should be given leave to remain in the State on humanitarian grounds.
163. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding an application for naturalisation in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10932/15]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that a valid application for a certificate of naturalisation has been received from the person referred to by the Deputy.
Processing of the application is ongoing and a letter was issued to the person concerned on 9 March 2015 requesting certain information. Upon receipt of the requested information the case will be finalised and 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.
164. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the proposal to reduce the discharge period from bankruptcy from three years to one year; if she will provide details of any examination carried out by her Department or by anyone on her behalf on the impact of such a move; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10934/15]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, I am considering the outcome of a review of the insolvency legislation, following the Statement of Government Priorities 2014-2016, with specific attention to ensuring that the legislation can work effectively to support those who are struggling with unsustainable debt. This is a priority for me and for the Government.
As the Deputy will recall, a very substantial change was made in 2012 when the bankruptcy discharge period was reduced from 12 years to three years. As the Deputy will also know, our near neighbour has reduced this period down to 1 year. The Deputy will also be aware that there has been much recent public discourse about the possibility of further reduction of the period in Ireland.
I have already informed the Dail that I am currently engaging with my colleague the Minister for Finance regarding the recent review on this matter, and that I intend to bring proposals to Government to address the range of issues which arise. The Taoiseach has already stated that announcements on proposals will be made in the near future.
I am anxious to ensure that any steps which are to be taken now following the recent review will be ones which will directly assist those in extreme debt and mortgage difficulty and which will service the very fundamental principle that loss of ownership of a family home through repossession should be a last resort. This is basic to our consideration and evaluation of those options, legislative and otherwise and including the bankruptcy period, which are available to us.
165. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide for each Circuit Court in the country the number of ejectment civil cases that came before it and the ejectment civil orders granted by the court separately in 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015; if she will provide a breakdown of the aggregate data by financial institution taking the case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10935/15]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service and I have no role in the matter. Section 4(3) of the 1998 Act provides that the Courts Service is independent in the performance of its functions, which includes the provision of information on the courts system.
However, I have asked the Courts Service for the information in the detailed format sought by the Deputy and I will write to him directly as soon as it is to hand.
166. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will request the Garda Commissioner to appoint a garda at Tallaght Garda station, Dublin 24, to deal specifically with racial abuse and attacks; if she will appreciate the view of the local community that such an appointment should be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10938/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of 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 Tallaght Garda Station on 31 January 2014, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 169. There are also 11 Garda Reserves and 12 civilians attached to Tallaght Garda Station.
All members of An Garda Síochána are trained to deal with incidents of racial abuse and attacks which occur within the district and to treat each incident in a compassionate and professional way.
In 2002, the Garda Commissioner authorised the appointment of Garda Ethnic Liaison Officers (ELO). Their role is to liaise with representatives of the various minority communities in their division, and to establish communication links with each of these communities. They also inform and assure the ethnic communities of Garda services. It is important to note that all members of An Garda Síochána and not just ELOs can deal with racist incidents that are reported to them.
There are seven ELOs attached to Tallaght District.
167. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to introduce legislation to deal specifically with racial attacks on the migrant community. [10939/15]
View answerWhere criminal offences such as assault, criminal damage, or public order offences are committed with a racist motive, they are prosecuted as generic offences through the wider criminal law. The trial judge can take any aggravating factors, including racist motivation, into account at sentencing.
In addition to the wider criminal law, the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 creates offences of incitement to hatred on account of race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.
Essentially, it is an offence to use words or behave in a manner which is threatening, abusive or insulting and are intended, or, having regard to all the circumstances, are likely to stir up hatred. "Hatred" is defined as "hatred against a group of persons in the State or elsewhere on account of their race, colour, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origins, membership of the travelling community or sexual orientation".
Any person convicted, on indictment, of an offence under the Act is liable to imprisonment for up to 2 years and/or a fine of up to €25,400. A summary offence attracts a penalty of imprisonment for up to 6 months and/or a class C fine (not exceeding €2,500).
A cross-Departmental review of Ireland’s Integration Strategy, including measures to address racism, is currently being led by the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration which is part of my Department.
The Cross-Departmental Group has held a number of thematic meetings focussing on key policy areas relevant to the integration of migrants, including education, employment, access to public services and social inclusion, and the promotion of intercultural awareness and combatting racism. Work on the development of the updated Integration Strategy is ongoing and a draft Strategy will be sent to key stakeholders for their observations before the Summer with a view to the Strategy being published as soon as possible thereafter.
In addition, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality is also doing work on integration, multiculturalism and combatting racism.
The law to combat racism will be considered in the context of the outcome of the review of the Oireachtas Committee and following publication of the Integration Strategy.
168. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will expedite a visa application in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11007/15]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the visa application referred to by the Deputy was received in the Dublin visa office on 8 January 2015. Whilst a preliminary assessment of the application has been completed, the application is awaiting a comprehensive examination.
The business target of 6 months for long term 'join family' applications was established following the publication of the Policy Document on non-EEA Family Reunification. The visa office endeavours to have such applications processed earlier than this target.
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.
