Written Answers Nos. 417 - 441
417. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the numbers of supernumerary positions in her Department and in agencies, organisations or bodies funded by her Department; the maximum period in each case that supernumerary positions have existed; the total cost in maintaining supernumerary positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34146/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that there are currently no supernumerary positions in my Department. All bodies under the aegis of my Department have also recorded a nil return, subject to final confirmation of same from the Garda Authorities.
418. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will increase the number of gardaí stationed in a town (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34174/15]
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 August 2015 the latest date for which figures are readily available, 280 members of An Garda Síochána are assigned to the Meath Garda Division of which 16 are stationed in Dunboyne Garda station. The work of these Gardaí is supported by 35 Garda Reserve members and 25 civilian staff. The work of local Gardaí in the Meath Division 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 CAB.
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 the 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, including the Meath Division, when determining the allocation of newly attested Gardaí.
419. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of staff from the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner who have left to take up positions elsewhere in the civil and public service; who have commenced work there, having been appointed from within the Civil Service; who have been appointed there from outside the Civil Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34198/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that following the appointment of an additional 15 staff to the Office in the course of 2015 there are now 42 staff members assigned to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner. To date in 2015 one staff member left the Office to take up a position elsewhere in the Civil Service. All staff assigned to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner are civil servants, and are recruited, therefore, either directly through the Public Appointments Service, or through transfer from within the Civil Service. I am also delighted to inform the Deputy that an additional 5 members of staff will be recruited into the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner in the coming months and the staffing levels are kept under continuing review.
420. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if all records held by her Department concerning the tapping of the telephones of persons (details supplied) in 1983 were transferred to the National Archives, in full accordance with the National Archives Act 1986; if not, if she will provide a list of all such records, indicating the corresponding retention authorisation from her Department and the Department of the Taoiseach in each case, in accordance with section 8 of the aforementioned Act; if no such authorisations exist, the reason records have not been transferred as of this date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34232/15]
View answerThe records relating to the issue to which the Deputy refers have not been transferred to the National Archives. Regulation 4 of the National Archives Act 1986, Regulations 1988 provides that the age of a record shall be determined by the age of the latest substantive entry on it. Accordingly when considering files for transfer, reference is not just to be had to the date on which the file was created but also the date of the latest substantive records on it, which may fall in a time frame some way beyond the date of creation. For example, files created in 1983 could have substantive records that go beyond the end of that year and this is the case in respect of the issue which is referred to in the Deputy's question. It is the practice in such cases to consider the transfer of files in their entirety by reference to the latest substantive records.
421. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications the Garda Commissioner has made for authorisation to intercept under the Interception of Postal and Telecommunications Messages (Regulations) Act 1993 during the past five years; the number granted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34299/15]
View answerIt is not the practice and it would be contrary to the public interest to disclose details of any authorisations to intercept, including their number. The Deputy will appreciate that this practice, which has been followed by my predecessors, arises for sound security reasons.
Furthermore, Section 12 of the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993 places a requirement on the Minister for Justice and Equality to ensure that such arrangements are in place to limit to the minimum necessary the disclosure of the fact that an authorisation has been given, and the contents of any communication which has been intercepted pursuant to an authorisation. The Act defines "necessary" as necessary for the purpose of the prevention or detection of serious offences or in the interests of the security of the State.
I can, however, assure the Deputy that there is a comprehensive legislative regime in place to deal with lawful interception. Under Section 2 of the 1993 Act, Ministerial authorisation may be given for interceptions in the interests of the security of the State or for the purpose of criminal investigation. Such authorisations are only issued following application from the Garda Commissioner or the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, in accordance with the Act.
The 1993 Act also makes provision for independent judicial oversight of its operation by a serving Judge of the High Court who is designated for this purpose. The Designated Judge reports at least annually to the Taoiseach on the operation of the legislation and these reports are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The current designated judge is Mr Justice Paul McDermott. The Act also provides for a complaints mechanism whereby an individual who believes he or she has been the subject of an authorisation under the relevant provisions of the Act may apply to the independent Complaints Referee for an investigation into the matter. The Complaints Referee is Judge John Hannan of the Circuit Court who may be contacted at the Office of the Complaints Referee, Áras Uí Dhálaigh, Inns Quay, Dublin 7.
422. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she is aware of a surveillance programme within An Garda Síochána named Operation Mizen; if she sanctioned its formation; if she has received a report on its operation; the number of persons who are the subject of this surveillance; if public representatives at local authority or Oireachtas level are subject to this surveillance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34300/15]
View answerI am informed by the Garda authorities that Operation Mizen was established by An Garda Síochána as a National Co-ordination Office to provide appropriate policing responses to maintain public order and to ensure the safety of all involved in protests against water charges. This is entirely a Garda operational matter and, accordingly, there is no question of my authority being sought for its establishment.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that one avenue used by Gardaí in the pursuit of this objective is the use of open source information. This is information that is generally and publicly available on the internet and social media platforms. I am further informed that Operation Mizen does not engage in technical surveillance or lawful interception and no public representative or member of the public is subject to such surveillance by Operation Mizen.
The Deputy will wish to note that the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act 2009 provides the legislative basis for covert surveillance activities. Authorisations under the 2009 Act are granted by a Judge of the District Court on application by a superior officer of An Garda Síochána or the Revenue Commissioners or the Defence Forces. As Minister for Justice and Equality I have no role in that process.
The 2009 Act makes provision for independent judicial oversight of its operation by a serving Judge of the High Court who is designated for this purpose. Mr. Justice Robert Eager is the Designated Judge under the 2009 Act. The Designated Judge reports at least annually to the Taoiseach on the operation of the legislation and these reports are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Act also provide for a complaints mechanism whereby an individual who believes he or she has been the subject of an authorisation under the relevant provisions of the Act may apply to the independent Complaints Referee for an investigation into the matter. The Complaints Referee is Judge John Hannan of the Circuit Court who may be contacted at the Office of the Complaints Referee, Áras Uí Dhálaigh, Inns Quay, Dublin 7.
423. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who have been arrested under the Water Services Acts in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34301/15]
View answer425. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who have been arrested at protests against water charges in 2015. [34303/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 423 and 425 together.
The statutory functions of An Garda Síochána include the preservation of peace and public order, protecting life and property and vindicating the human rights of individuals. In the context of these functions it has been necessary for the Garda authorities to deploy Gardaí routinely at water meter installations and protests. The role of An Garda Síochána in such instances is to ensure, insofar as it is possible, that members of the public may go about their lawful business.
Indeed, the presence of An Garda Síochána is also essential to ensure the safety of protesters in such circumstances.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the statistics that are most readily available show that there have been 188 arrests in relation to water protests from November 2014 to date. The breakdown of offences and the corresponding number of arrests is set out in the following table. In that regard it should be noted that some individuals have been the subject of arrest on multiple occasions.
|
Offence |
Number of arrests |
|
Section 12, Water Services Act |
75 |
|
Public Order Offences |
91 |
|
Criminal Damage |
6 |
|
Assaults (Garda/Irish Water) |
6 |
|
Endangerment |
3 |
|
Firearms/Offensive Weapons |
4 |
|
Warrant |
1 |
|
Breach of Bail |
1 |
|
Trespass |
1 |
|
Total |
188 |
424. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on spending by An Garda Síochána on surveillance equipment and technology; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34302/15]
View answerUnder the Garda Síochána Act 2005 the Garda Commissioner is responsible for controlling the general management and administration of the Force within the context of agreed annual policing plans. This includes the procurement and maintenance of various technologies utilised to support frontline Gardaí and intelligence led operations against organised crime.
In that context I am advised by the Commissioner that approximately €0.139m was spent by An Garda Síochána on surveillance equipment and technology in the last full year 2014.
426. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reforms that are being proposed aimed at improving conditions in direct provision accommodation, following the publication of the report of the working group on direct provision and the protection process; if timelines are in place to effect any proposed reforms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34339/15]
View answerThe Report of the Working Group on the Protection Process was published on 30 June 2015. The Report contains 173 recommendations many of which have implications for a number of Government Departments and services.
The Government in its decision of the 30 June 2015 recommended that the Report of the Working Group on the Protection Process should in the first instance be the subject of a detailed discussion at the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform. The Committee agreed that my Department should prepare a report for the Cabinet Committee, in conjunction with relevant Departments, on the legal financial and practical implications of the Report's recommendations, including those aimed at improving conditions in Direct Provision accommodation. Each Department is currently examining the recommendations to determine timescales for implementation and any impacts and issues that may arise. My Department will be working with Departments on an overall response in the coming weeks.
The Government has decided to bring forward as a major priority the International Protection Bill which will provide for the introduction of a single applications procedure for international protection. This reform will simplify and streamline the existing arrangements and provide applicants with a final decision on their protection application in a more straightforward and timely fashion and will also, as a consequence, reduce the length of time applicants spend in the Direct Provision system.
In addition, the Minister for Health has already signed an order exempting persons in receipt of a Direct Provision allowance from prescription charges and the Minister for Education and Skills has initiated a grants scheme to support certain categories of students in the protection process to access third level studies this year.
427. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 267 of 7 July 2015, the number of gardaí injured in the course of their duty in each Garda division district and sub-district, from January 2011 to date in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34342/15]
View answerI have requested the information sought from the Garda Commissioner and I will write directly to the Deputy on receipt of same.
428. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Stamp 0 visas that have been granted, by nationality, for each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34374/15]
View answer429. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Stamp 0 visas that have been granted for persons and which have been renewed, for each of the past five years; the number of persons who have been awarded these visas for two, three, four, five, six, seven, ten and more than ten years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34375/15]
View answer430. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will consider extending the duration for Stamp 0 visas for those who have completed three consecutive years of being awarded Stamp 0 visas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34376/15]
View answer431. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will consider having an application for Stamp 0 visas by a married couple considered as one application for administrative and fee purposes; reducing the fee for those over 70 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34377/15]
View answer436. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there has been a recent policy change concerning the naturalisation and immigration service's policy toward retirees from outside the European Union, including the replacement of a Stamp 3 with a Stamp 0; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34506/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 428 to 431, inclusive, and 436 together.
I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that Stamp 0 has been in operation since 2011 and that it is a low level immigration status.
I understand that it is mainly granted to persons who have been approved by INIS for a limited and specific stay in Ireland. An inherent condition of their residence permission is that they are self-sufficient and are not permitted to avail of any State benefits while residing here, even if they acquire an entitlement to such benefits from the service provider.
When Stamp 0 residence permission was originally implemented it was intended to cater for marginal situations where a person would not otherwise be granted immigration permission and to thus provide some additional flexibility in the system.
The financial criteria required to allow a person to sponsor an elderly dependent relative are set out in Chapter 18 of the Family Reunification Policy Document. For persons of independent means, the financial threshold is generally considered to be a lump sum to purchase a property in the State plus an income in excess of €50,000 per person per annum. Each application is dealt with on a case by case basis.
I am further informed by my officials in the INIS that the Stamp 0 immigration permission scheme is currently under review and the Deputies' comments will be taken into consideration in this regard. Given the scope of the queries submitted, resources do not allow INIS to supply the statistics requested.
432. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to address the high level of queries in the Garda Síochána National Immigration Bureau; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34415/15]
View answerEarly last week the Garda Síochána National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), with the assistance of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS), put in place a series of measures to address queues at the GNIB Registration Office in Burgh Quay, Dublin 2. Since their introduction on Wednesday last (28th September, 2015), the following arrangements are now in place to improve throughput and relieve the congestion in the public office that occurs at this time of the year as demand for registration increases as students return to their studies. The measures have been successful by reducing the number of persons who are required to call to the office to a minimum and on a par with the number who call at all other times of the year where no significant issues with queuing arise.
One of the key measures is that persons who are students of the colleges listed below and who are registering for the first time or seeking to renew their registrations are not required to attend at the Public Office. Separate arrangements are being put in place to register students of these colleges. The colleges concerned have been contacted and the arrangements communicated directly to the colleges and students involved. Students from these colleges are already being registered under the new arrangements which will see periods set aside to deal with students by arrangement. There is no need for students of these colleges to queue at Burgh Quay and no person will lose residence status or continuity of permission to remain by the application of these arrangements. The colleges concerned are:
- Dublin City University (DCU),
- Dublin Institute of Technology and constituent colleges (DIT)
- Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (RCSI),
- Dublin University (Trinity College),
- University College Dublin (UCD).
From 30th September, all new registrations are being be dealt with on Monday and Tuesday of each week. Wednesday to Friday is reserved for renewal of registrations i.e. for those who have an existing GNIB registration certificate. In addition to these measures, extra staff resources are being deployed to the GNIB to assist with the registration process. The Public Office will operate on every Saturday in October and November. With the exception of 10th October, Saturday openings will be by prior arrangement only and in most cases confined to students of the above colleges. The arrangements will be kept under constant review and changed or added to as required to address the demands on the office in this peak period.
The nature of the services provided is such that it is demand led and accordingly, there are peaks and valleys in the numbers of callers at different times of the year. For the purpose of the efficient processing of the registration of up to five hundred people who are dealt with in the peak period at this registration office every day, GNIB personnel who are employed there operate a shift system, which ensures it is open from 8am to 9pm each Monday to Thursday and 8am to 6pm each Friday (excluding bank holidays) and remains open through lunchtime. A numbered ticket issuing system is operated at the office; priority is given in the early morning period for particular categories including those coming here to work or conduct business. This is to minimise the amount of time persons at work are required to be away from their jobs. In addition, the GNIB with the assistance of the Garda Press Office has recently established a Garda website notification system for the purpose of assisting persons who are required to attend at Burgh Quay for registration. On three separate occasions during each day an announcement is posted on the Garda Website alerting customers to the number of available tickets remaining at the Burgh Quay public office for that day. Furthermore, those attending are advised of the approximate time that they will be dealt with, which allows them to leave the office and return later in the day, if they so wish. A GNIB officer is also deployed to meet with each person on arrival at the office to ensure that they are in possession of all of the necessary documentation required for registration, so that unnecessary delays are avoided.
In common with the operation of immigration functions in other States, immigrants seeking to register are required to present in person at my offices. This is necessary for establishment of identity and as an anti-fraud measure and is the practice of immigration services worldwide. For the majority of customers the Garda National Immigration Bureau provides a 'same day service' at its Burgh Quay office. Currently, this office handles all registrations in the Dublin area. At times of high demand, it is not possible, currently, to send this demand elsewhere, it has to be accommodated within the capacity of the Burgh Quay office where the necessary technical infrastructure for registration card recording, generation of registration certificates and fingerprinting exists. Use of other buildings for this purpose is not an option because the biometric equipment and elaborate smart card production systems are not mobile and in any event has to be linked up in real-time to the Garda IT systems.
Work is underway to transfer the registration function to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS). As part of that work new systems are being developed with the aim of reducing footfall and random arrivals to the public office by use of on-line systems and to undertake registrations renewals offsite.
I would like to acknowledge the work of the staff in the Public Office who diligently perform a very important function for the State. It is one of the busiest public offices in the State dealing with, in the region of, 100,000 people every year. The new arrangements outlined above mean that queuing is not necessary and these arrangements will be strictly enforced to ensure that they are implemented as effectively as possible. The new arrangements are in their first week of operation and are proving effective in addressing queue times and in improving the service experience for customers in this busy period.
433. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to ensure that persons who attend the Garda Síochána National Immigration Bureau office are fully informed of the next steps they need to undertake if they are looking for employment, for example, that a job offer is required before they can apply for a personal public service number. [34416/15]
View answerThe purpose of non EEA nationals attending at the Registration Office, Garda National Immigration Bureau is to obtain or renew permission to be in the State and to furnish particulars as required as part of the registration process pursuant to Section 9 of the Immigration Act, 2004. On completion of the registration process, the non national is issued with a registration certificate. In addition an inscription is placed on his/her passport on behalf of the Minister, authorising the non national to be in the State.
Information is provided regarding the requirements for registration and in relation to the particular permission to remain sought (e.g. work or study). This information is available on both the GNIB and Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) website.
Matters concerning the issuing of PPS numbers and the securing of employment do not come with the remit of the aforementioned process. The terms and conditions for issuing a PPS number to a non-EEA national are a matter for the Department of Social Protection.
434. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current residency status and eligibility for naturalisation of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34467/15]
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, who currently has permission to reside in the State until 21 July 2016.
The application is 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. A letter was issued to the person concerned on 29 September 2015 requesting certain information. Upon receipt of the requested information the case will be further processed 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.
435. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to introduce legislation to tackle sex-trafficking; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34472/15]
View answerOn 23 September, I published the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015, as approved by Government. The Bill provides for two new offences of purchasing sexual services, in the context of prostitution. The purpose of these offences is to target the demand for prostitution. The first is a general offence of paying to engage in sexual activity with a prostitute which carries a penalty of a fine of up to €500 for a first offence and fines of up to €1000 for a second or subsequent offence. The second is the more serious offence of paying for sexual activity with a trafficked person, in the context of prostitution, and carries a potential penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment and/or a fine. In both cases, the person selling the sexual service will not commit an offence.
These proposals have been developed following extensive consultation, initiated by my Department, dating back to 2012. The new offences also implement the recommendation of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality and Defence which called for the introduction of an offence criminalising the purchase of sexual services.
The Bill is expected to be considered in the Houses during the Autumn session.
I would also draw the Deputy's attention to the existing legislative provisions addressing the trafficking of persons for the purpose of exploitation (including sexual exploitation) which can attract significant penalties. Under the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008, any person found guilty of trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation shall be liable to imprisonment for a period up to life. It is also an offence for a person to solicit or importune a trafficked person for the purposes of prostitution with a potential penalty of imprisonment for up to 5 years.
437. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons, in tabular form, granted citizenship in each of the years 2010 to 2014, by age; and in respect of those under the age of 13 who were granted citizenship, if she will provide details of the numbers born in the State. [34566/15]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the number of persons naturalised each year from 2010 to 2014 inclusive is 6,200, 10,700, 25,100, 24,200, 21,100 respectively. The table below shows the breakdown by age of persons naturalised in each of these years. Statistics are not compiled in such a manner as to provide the additional information requested by the Deputy.
While the statistics show the total numbers granted naturalisation by age group, it should be borne in mind that many of these are in relation to members of a family group consisting of parents and their minor children. Applications for a certificate of naturalisation in relation to minors can only be made in certain circumstances. These are where the application is made on behalf of the minor by a parent who is a naturalised Irish citizen, a parent or guardian of a child of Irish associations or where the child is a minor born in the State on or after 1 January 2005.
|
Age |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
Total |
|
0 to 10 |
200 |
100 |
1600 |
2700 |
3100 |
7700 |
|
10 to 20 |
1100 |
800 |
3700 |
3900 |
3400 |
12900 |
|
20 to 30 |
500 |
1000 |
2200 |
2400 |
2500 |
8600 |
|
30 to 40 |
2500 |
5000 |
9500 |
8400 |
7000 |
32400 |
|
40 to 50 |
1500 |
3000 |
6500 |
5400 |
3800 |
20200 |
|
50 to 60 |
300 |
700 |
1300 |
1200 |
1000 |
4500 |
|
60 to 70 |
100 |
100 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
800 |
|
70 to 80 |
0 |
0 |
100 |
0 |
100 |
200 |
|
80 to 90 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
90+ |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
6200 |
10700 |
25100 |
24200 |
21100 |
87300 |
438. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on the level of racist attacks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34579/15]
View answerI am of course concerned about any level of racist crime and can assure the Deputy that An Garda Síochána monitors this type of crime very carefully. My Department is also continuing to keep the existing criminal law provisions against racism and xenophobia under review.
The Garda Racial Intercultural and Diversity Office (GRIDO) has responsibility for coordinating, monitoring and advising on all aspects of policing Ireland's diverse communities. GRIDO monitors the reporting and recording of hate and racist crime on a continual basis.
Garda Ethnic Liaison Officers (ELOs) are appointed to work with minority communities at local level throughout the country. These officers combined with GRIDO play a fundamental role in liaising with minority groups and work in partnership to encourage tolerance, respect and understanding within communities in the pursuit of preventing the commission of hate and racist crime. GRIDO and ELOs provide advice and assistance to victims of hate or racist crime where required or deemed necessary.
In addition to the work of the Gardaí, the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration, an office of my Department, is the focal point for the Government's commitment on anti-racism as a key aspect of integration, diversity management and broader national social policy. The Office continues to work with all the relevant sectors to further progress the integration and diversity management agenda. Many of the initiatives which were instigated through the National Action Plan against Racism 2005-2008 continue to be developed and progressed through the support and work of the Office.
A review of our approach to the integration of migrants was launched last year. This review will provide the basis for a new and updated migrant integration strategy. Work on the Integration Strategy is ongoing and a draft was recently sent to key stakeholders for their observations with a view to the Strategy being published as soon as possible. I expect that the Integration Strategy, when developed, will include a strong anti-racism component.
439. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the actions she and her Department are taking to prevent racism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34580/15]
View answerThe Government is firmly committed to combating and challenging any and all manifestations of racism.
Ireland was one of the first states in the world to develop a National Action Plan Against Racism. When the National Action Plan Against Racism was launched in 2005, it was conceived as a four-year programme to run until the end of 2008. It was designed to provide strategic direction towards developing a more intercultural and inclusive society in Ireland and was integration driven. Under the Plan, support was provided towards the development of a number of national and local strategies promoting greater integration in our workplaces, in An Garda Síochána, the health service, in our education system, in the arts and sports sectors and within our local authorities.
The Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration, an office of my Department, is the focal point for the Government's commitment on anti-racism as a key aspect of integration, diversity management and broader national social policy. The Office continues to work with all the relevant sectors to further progress the integration and diversity management agenda. Many of the initiatives which were instigated through the National Action Plan against Racism 2005-2008 continue to be developed and progressed through the support and work of the Office.
A review of our approach to the integration of migrants was launched last year. This review will provide the basis for a new and updated migrant integration strategy. Work on the Integration Strategy is ongoing and a draft was recently sent to key stakeholders for their observations with a view to the Strategy being published as soon as possible. I expect that the Integration Strategy, when developed, will include a strong anti-racism component.
440. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the independent review mechanism established to consider allegations of Garda Síochána misconduct, or inadequacies in the investigation of such allegations, will have completed its review; the parts of the review that have been completed; that have yet to be completed; and when it is envisaged they will be completed. [34602/15]
View answer441. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of cases dealt with by the independent review mechanism established to consider allegations of Garda Síochána misconduct, or inadequacies in the investigation of such allegations; the details of any further action that has been required; the outcome of any further action; when the general overview report will be made available; and the number of the complainants that have been notified of the outcome. [34603/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 440 and 441 together.
A panel consisting of two senior and five junior counsel was established for the purpose of conducting the Review to which the Deputy refers. All were selected on the basis of their experience of the criminal justice system.
The Panel has provided recommendations to me in all 320 cases submitted to them and has therefore largely concluded its work. I am mindful that all complainants are anxious to know the outcome of the review of their case and every effort is being made to conclude the process. In each case a submission will be prepared. Mr Justice Roderick Murphy will review the summary of the conclusion and the letter of notification drafted to ensure that they are a fair and accurate reflection of the recommendation.
The issuing of notification letters to complainants commenced on 29 June. To date, 152 complainants have been notified of the outcome of the review of their cases. Letters will continue to issue to all complainants until the process is completed.
I have previously assured Deputies that where further investigation is recommended by the review then that will occur. Where cases have resulted in recommendations for further action, including referral to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), requesting a report from the Garda Commissioner in accordance with section 41(2) of the Garda Síochana Act 2005, etc, I have accepted those recommendations.
It is my intention, on the completion of the process, to make a comprehensive statement on all the actions I have decided to take in line with the recommendations of counsel. I understand that the general overview report from senior counsel of the panel is currently being finalised. Once I have had an opportunity to consider it, I intend to publish it.
