Written Answers Nos. 99-105
99. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 183 of 19 May 2015, if he will clarify the points made in his reply (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22673/15]
View answerHorse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. The Racing Regulatory Body (Irish Turf Club) is a private body charged under the current legislation with responsibility for the integrity and the reputation of Irish racing in Ireland and Internationally.
I have responded in detail to questions previously put down regarding issues raised by the person to whom the Deputy refers. I have explained, in earlier replies my Department’s responsibilities with regard to the welfare of horses and options open to the individual should he wish to further progress complaints relating to the welfare of horses.
Regarding the significance of the date 6th March 2014, the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 was commenced on that date and arising from its commencement, all animal welfare matters now come within the remit of my Department. Accordingly, my Department is in a position to investigate allegations of animal abuse occurring since the commencement of the Animal Health and Welfare Act.
Horse Racing Ireland and the Turf Club have confirmed to my Department that they have fully examined all matters under their remit in respect of this issue and they have apprised the person concerned of the outcome. It is for the owner of the race horses to decide if he wishes to report matters to the Gardaí or indeed if he wishes to institute civil proceedings.
The correspondence the Deputy refers to is in relation to a Freedom of Information query regarding records my Department held concerning the name of the horse that was inspected. My Department confirmed with the person concerned that the correct horse had been inspected and that it was not necessary to alter the records held.
100. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cost of providing satellite imagery to his Department during the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22978/15]
View answerMy Department acquires satellite imagery on an annual basis to facilitate the completion of remote sensing inspections under the Direct Payment and other area-based Schemes. This satellite imagery is provided free of charge by the EU Commission via the Joint Research Centre.
101. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide, in tabular form, by country and by month for each of the years 2011 to 2014 and for 2015 to date the number of unauthorised foreign military naval incursions into Irish territorial waters detected by the Irish Defence Forces; the response by his Department to each incursion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22598/15]
View answerUnder the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), all vessels, including Naval vessels, have the right to innocent passage in territorial seas. Responsibility for the authorisation of visiting foreign Naval vessels to enter Irish ports rests with my colleague the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.
I have been advised that the Defence Forces are not aware of any unauthorised foreign military naval incursions into Irish territorial seas.
102. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in determining an application for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22520/15]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that an application for a certificate of naturalisation has been received 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, such as good character and lawful residence, 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.
103. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason An Grianán was excluded from the Magdalene laundry redress scheme, in view of the fact that evidence had been uncovered in the course of the McAleese inquiry, which showed beyond any doubt that it served as a Magdalene laundry. [22545/15]
View answerAn Grianán was established by the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity in the 1960s specifically for the care of teenagers and while on the same site as the Magdalen Laundry, St. Mary's Refuge in High Park Drumcondra, it served a different purpose to the traditional Magdalen institution which dated back to the 19th century and was open to women of all ages. There were a number of different institutions on this site.
In the 1960s the teenagers in An Grianán received courses in reading, writing, typing, cookery and sewing and thereafter classes continued on a more formal basis and teachers were employed, however, a number of the girls did at one stage do some hours each week in the laundry while resident in An Grianán.
The different nature of An Grianán was recognised by its inclusion in the Residential Institutions Redress Board Scheme. Girls who were admitted to An Grianán were entitled to full compensation for the entire duration of their stay under the Residential Institutions Redress Board Scheme.
The Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002 provides for persons who as children, were abused while resident in institutional care. All the institutions provided for under the Act are listed in a schedule to the Act and An Grianán is the first of 130 institutions listed in the schedule. Institutions covered under the Residential Institutions Redress Board Scheme are not included in the Magdalen Laundries Ex Gratia Scheme as otherwise all the individuals concerned would receive double compensation for the full duration of the time spent in the one institution.
104. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans regarding the review of firearms; the timeframe she expects in relation to recommendations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22574/15]
View answerIn light of public safety concerns highlighted by An Garda Síochána, a joint Department of Justice and Equality/An Garda Síochána Working Group was established by the Department of Justice and Equality to review firearms licensing. The report of this Working Group was published on 13 November 2014 and submissions on the report were sought from stakeholders and the public by 31 January 2015. The consultation process gave individuals and groups an opportunity to contribute to the development of firearms policy and legislation and will enable consideration to be given to the future direction of such legislation.
The Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality also sought submissions and held hearings with interested parties in relation to the Working Party report and published an interim report on the matter.
As part of the process of consultation I gave a commitment that I would not make any decisions until I had met the key stakeholders, including the organisations who represent those who use firearms for sporting purposes. I had a useful meeting with the key stakeholders on 29 April 2015 and consideration of the issues involved, including the concerns of those who use firearms for sporting purposes, is continuing. I expect this process to be concluded in the near future.
105. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she has cancelled all prisoner transfers to this State from outside prisons, as per the provisions of the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Act 2008; the reason for doing so; the number of applications that have been affected; the anticipated timeframe for the resolution of this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22596/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that prisoner transfers under the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Acts, 1995 and 1997 have not been cancelled.
Arising from an application to the High Court challenging their detention, and as a consequence of the Supreme Court judgment in the case of Sweeney v the Governor of Loughan House Open Centre & Others, a number of prisoners were released from custody in 2014. The prisoners concerned had transferred here from the UK some years ago to serve the balance of their sentences imposed in that jurisdiction. These transfers were processed in accordance with the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Acts, 1995 and 1997.
As under English law these prisoners would have been entitled to release on licence after serving two thirds of their sentences in prison, the effect of the judgement was that this two thirds portion of their sentence is the custodial sentence which must be enforced in this jurisdiction. The application of standard remission to the balance to be served here of those custodial sentences meant that the release dates for those prisoners had passed.
My Department has been considering the implications of the High Court judgment for future cases of prisoner management, including whether any changes to the current legislation may be necessary. The decision of the High Court in relation to the release of these prisoners has been appealed to the Supreme Court and is due to be heard shortly.
