Written Answers Nos. 163-171
163. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current strength of An Garda Síochána in County Louth by Garda station-district and in each year since 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26588/15]
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 Louth Garda Division on 30 April 2015, the latest date for which figures are available, was 277. There are also 45 Garda Reserves and 22 Civilians attached to the Division.
I have requested the detailed information regarding the strength of each station/district in the Louth Division from the Garda authorities for the years ending 31 December 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. I will be in contact with the Deputy when this information is to hand.
164. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda community-based officers in the Louth region by Garda station-district by each year since 2010. [26589/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, including community Gardaí, 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 number of Community Gardaí, by station, in the Louth Division on the 31 December 2010 - 2014 and the 30 April 2015, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was as set out in the table overleaf.
It is, of course, the case that all Gardaí have a role to play in addressing community policing issues as and when the need arises. In that sense, community policing involves far more than a single unit within the Garda Síochána, a point highlighted by the Garda Inspectorate in their third report entitled "Policing in Ireland—Looking Forward" in which they stated that community policing is a fundamental policing philosophy and that there is a strong foundation for it in Ireland.
The Garda Síochána now operates a new model of Community Policing which aims to build upon and enhance progress made so far. I fully support this renewed emphasis on Community Policing particularly in light of the priority given to this in the Programme for Government.
The model is about renewing, reinvigorating and restructuring the community policing function within An Garda Síochána to deliver a consistent national structure to the community policing function, a more co-ordinated and efficient Garda service to the community and a spread of good practice and quality of service in community policing on a national basis.
Louth Division Community Gardaí
|
Station |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
*2015 |
|
Drogheda |
7 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
Dunleer |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
Dundalk |
8 |
8 |
8 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
|
Clogherhead |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Ardee |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Total |
22 |
21 |
20 |
16 |
16 |
16 |
*as of 30 April 2015
165. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current budget for An Garda Síochána in the Dundalk and north Louth area and the way this compares with the figure for each year since 2010. [26590/15]
View answerI have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities and will revert to the Deputy as soon as it is to hand.
167. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position as to whether a non-national and non-European Union citizen who is not lawfully present here but who marries an Irish citizen during the course of being unlawfully present here accrues the right to remain here subsequent to the marriage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26630/15]
View answerA non-EEA national who is unlawfully present in the State is in breach of Section 5(1) of the Immigration Act 2004 which provides that no non-Irish national may be in the State other than in accordance with the terms of any permission given to them by or on behalf of the Minister. Furthermore, Section 5(2) of the Act provides that a non-Irish national who is in the State in contravention of subsection (1) is for all purposes unlawfully present in the State.
A non-EEA national present in the State is obliged to meet the requirements of Section 9 of the Act of 2004 which sets out the obligations of non-nationals in respect of registration and in particular to the requirements of Section 9(2)(b) of the Act of 2004.
A person who is found to be in breach of the requirements of the Immigration Act 2004 may have committed an offence. A person found guilty of such an offence is liable under section 13 of the Act of 2004 to a fine not exceeding €3,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.
The person in question should now present himself to his local Garda Station.
Marriage to an Irish national does not confer an automatic right of residence in the State. A non-EEA national unlawfully present in the State who wishes to reside here on the basis of their marriage to an Irish national may make a written application to the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service (INIS) for permission to remain in the State. Details of the qualifying criteria are published on the INIS website www.inis.gov.ie.
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 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.
168. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the procedures whereby a non-national and non-European Union citizen who is not lawfully present here and who will not be subject to mistreatment if deported to that person's home country, may be entitled to regularise his or her status and remain lawfully here, that is, in circumstances where the asylum process would have no application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26631/15]
View answerIn the absence of any details of the individual concerned it is not possible to supply the Deputy with a detailed response. Any Non-EEA national present in the State is free to make a written application to the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service (INIS) regarding her or his immigration status.
A non EEA national who is unlawfully present in the State is in breach of Section 5 (1) of the Immigration Act 2004 which provides that no non-Irish national may be in the State other than in accordance with the terms of any permission given to them by or on behalf of the Minister. Furthermore, Section 5(2) of the Act provides that a non-Irish national who is in the State in contravention of subsection (1) is for all purposes unlawfully present in the State.
A non EEA national present in the State is obliged to meet the requirements of Section 9 of the Act of 2004 which sets out the obligations of non nationals in respect of registration and in particular to the requirements of Section 9(2)(b) of the Act of 2004.
A person who is found to be in breach of the requirements of the Immigration Act 2004 may have committed an offence. A person found guilty of such an offence is liable under section 13 of the Act of 2004 to a fine not exceeding €3,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.
Information on the various schemes and immigration types provided for by INIS can be found on its website www.inis.gov.ie. The routes available to each applicant vary depending on his or her particular circumstances.
Each application is assessed on its merits and applicants should ensure they submit the correct supporting documentation appropriate to the relevant scheme or immigration permission being sought.
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 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.
169. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the annual saving to her Department if spending on education and training was reduced by 2.5%, 5% and 10%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26924/15]
View answerThe total spend for my Department on training and development for 2014 was approximately €1,143,806. This would have included expenditure such as training courses provided internally and externally, refunds of educational fees, attendance at seminars and conferences and membership of professional bodies fees.
Using the 2014 figure for training spend as a baseline, the following table sets out the savings that would result from applying the various percentage decreases suggested by the Deputy. It should be noted, that budgetary constraints have resulted in a reduction in expenditure in this area over a number of years.
|
- |
Total Spend |
|
Total expenditure on training and Development in 2014 |
€1,143,806 |
|
Saving accruing from a reduction in spend of 2.5% |
€28,595 |
|
Saving accruing from a reduction in spend of 5% |
€57,190 |
|
Saving accruing from a reduction in spend of 10% |
€114,380 |
170. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the annual saving to her Department if spending on professional fees, including but not limited to legal, IT-related, accountancy and other advisory and consultancy fees, was reduced by 10%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26953/15]
View answerA total of circa €56.3m inclusive of VAT in professional fees was paid over the period from 1st June 2014 to 31st May 2015, 95% of which was incurred in the operation of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme. The annual saving to the Exchequer of a 10% reduction in professional fees at this rate, would be in the region of €5.6m inclusive of VAT.
171. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the annual saving to the Exchequer if the Minister's special advisers' salaries were capped at the first point of the principal officer grade, that is, €75,647; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26967/15]
View answerThe combined salaries of my two Special Advisors amount to €169,412 per annum. If these salaries were to be capped at the first point of the Principal Officer salary scale, €75,647, the annual savings would amount to €18,118.
