Written Answers Nos. 132-143
132. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to provide the maximum number of trainee gardaí that the Garda Síochána Training College in Templemore can accommodate in a calendar year. [33772/15]
View answer133. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the maximum number of trainee gardaí the Garda Síochána Training College in Templemore can accommodate in 2016. [33773/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 133 together.
I have sought the information requested from the Garda Commissioner and I will write directly to the Deputy on receipt of same.
134. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will examine the reform of the international education sector and student immigration system government policy statement of May 2015 which states that the interim list of eligible programmes will be implemented fully by 1 October 2015, and will remain in place until the international education mark is fully operational, at which point a more permanent system for programme eligibility will be established; if she will confirm that the deadline of 1 October 2015 will be met; if not, when the intended date for implementation is; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33777/15]
View answerAs with any new process, the arrangements for the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) is taking some time to bed down and there have been some gaps in the information provided in the majority of applications. This is being addressed with the education providers on an ongoing basis. The overall process is generally taking somewhat longer than anticipated. As a result the next phase of the reforms intended for 1 October 2015, and in particular the publication of an updated ILEP, will be delayed for a number of weeks. Providers have been informed. A new date will be notified shortly.
Until the ILEP is published, the current Internationalisation Register will continue to apply in respect of English Language Programmes. As a result, the planned reduction (from 12 to 8 months) in the standard immigration permission available for the purposes of pursuing an English language programme, to be implemented in conjunction with the ILEP, will be also be deferred until its publication.
135. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will examine the number of dedicated Garda Síochána public order vans allocated to each Garda Síochána district in 2015 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33780/15]
View answerI have asked the Garda authorities for the information requested and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as I have this information to hand.
136. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will examine the current updated position regarding the use of the former Garda Síochána station in Whitehall in Dublin 9; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33781/15]
View answerI have asked the Garda authorities for the information requested and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as I have this information to hand.
137. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will examine the Garda Síochána districts and divisional headquarters that do not have closed-circuit television cameras installed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33782/15]
View answerI have asked the Garda authorities for the information requested and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as I have this information to hand.
138. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to provide funding for the purchase of unmarked vehicles for the Garda Síochána dog unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33783/15]
View answerDecisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda vehicles are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of her identified operational demands and the availability of resources.
In that context I am informed by the Commissioner that there are currently twelve vehicles allocated to the Unit, including three new vehicles allocated in 2014. As it is the policy of An Garda Síochána to only use marked vans for the Garda Dog Unit there are no plans to purchase unmarked vans for this Unit. I am further advised by the Garda Authorities that the current fleet of vans allocated to the Dog Unit meets all of their operational requirements.
139. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí currently stationed in Garda Síochána stations in Clondalkin, Lucan, and Ronanstown in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33816/15]
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 continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of resources.
I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that, as of the 31 July 2015 the latest date for which figures are readily available, 681 members of An Garda Síochána are assigned to the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) West, of which 86, 70 and 89 are stationed in Clondalkin, Lucan, and Ronanstown Garda Síochána stations, respectively. The work of these Gardaí is supported by 29 Garda Reserve members and 21 civilian staff. The work of local Gardaí in the DMR West is augmented when necessary by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI), the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). Organised criminal activity is currently being targeted by An Garda Síochána across a number of fronts, including the use of focused intelligence-led operations by specialist units such as the Drugs and Organised Crime Unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau.
This Government is committed to the ongoing recruitment of trainee Gardaí, and to this end the first intake since 2009 of new recruits commenced training at the Garda College, Templemore, in September of last year. To date there has been four intakes of Garda Trainees into the Garda College, giving a total intake of 400. A further 150 recruits will enter college by year end, bringing total recruitment of Garda Trainees to 550. So far 290 of the new Garda Trainees have attested as members of An Garda Síochána. On attestation, new Probationer Gardaí are assigned to Garda stations throughout the country by the Garda Commissioner, where they are assigned to mainstream uniform policing duties. I am assured by Garda management that the needs of all Garda Divisions are fully considered when determining the allocation of newly attested Gardaí.
140. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who were charged with being a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army or assisting that organisation for the years 2012 to 2014 and to date in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33817/15]
View answerIt is an offence to be a member of an unlawful organisation as provided for by section 21 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939. It is also an offence to knowingly render assistance to an unlawful organisation as provided for by section 49 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005.
There are in place two Suppression Orders for unlawful organisations made by the Government, one of which was made in 1939 and is in respect of the organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army (also the IRA and Óglaigh na hÉireann). Charges in respect of these offences are stated in the terms of the organisation as identified in the Suppression Order rather than in the terms of any labels such as 'Provisional' and, accordingly, charges do not distinguish between various manifestations of the IRA.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of persons charged before the Special Criminal Court with IRA membership during the period referred to by the Deputy is as follows.
|
Year |
Number |
|
2015 (as of 30 September) |
10 |
|
2014 |
13 |
|
2013 |
25 |
|
2012 |
12 |
141. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding a possible revocation of a deportation order in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33872/15]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the above named person along with two of her family members are the subject of Deportation Orders signed on 09/07/2015.
Representations were received from the above named person and two of her family members' legal representative to request the Minister to use her discretion, pursuant to Section 3 (11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), to revoke the Deportation Orders. The Deputy might wish to note that any such decision will be to 'affirm' or to 'revoke' the existing Deportation Orders. In the mean-time, the Deportation Orders remain valid and in place.
In relation to the remainder of the family, in response to a notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the persons concerned have 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 final decisions 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.
142. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which any progress can be reported regarding a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33873/15]
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), written representations have been submitted on behalf of the person concerned.
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.
143. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in determining eligibility for residency and possible naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6, given that all documentation requested has been provided, including that related to the person's Zambrano qualification, with the exception of the person's child's Irish passport which is not yet available; whether it is likely that matters can be brought to a satisfactory conclusion in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33874/15]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that there is no record of an application for a right of residency in the State, accompanied by the right to work, based on parentage of an Irish citizen child in respect of the person referred to by the Deputy.
The Deputy may be interested to know that INIS has recently developed a new application form for these type of applications. In an effort to be of assistance, INIS wrote to the person concerned on 30 September, 2015 to provide him with a copy of the application form. INIS also advised the person that further information on the application process, including guidelines for completing the form, can be found on the INIS website www.inis.gov.ie.
