Written Answers Nos. 101-111
101. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Defence the starting salary for new entrants in the Army equitation cadetship and the salary scale already in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8824/16]
View answerThe following 5 point pay scale applies to Cadets (including the Army Equitation Cadetship) with effect from 1 November 2013: €16,854*, €19,010 8*, €21,758, €24,592 and €28,270 (* denotes rates applicable when a cadet is in training).
Rates of remuneration and conditions of employment in the Irish public sector have traditionally been set by reference to relative levels of pay across the various sectors of the Irish public sector. The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts of 2009-2015 and the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2018 (Lansdowne Road Agreement) define current pay policy.
102. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 248 of 14 April 2016, the length of time each of the sites listed has been vacant. [8890/16]
View answerFurther to the properties listed in the previous Parliamentary Question No. 248 of 14 April 2016, information regarding the length of time each property has been vacant is now included in the following table.
|
Property |
Location |
approx. acreage |
Local Authority |
Date vacated |
|
Landing pier |
Castletownbere, Cork |
1 |
Cork |
Not in use since 2000 |
|
Fort Shannon |
Tarbert |
2 |
Kerry |
1998 |
|
Part of former rifle range lands |
Cushla, Roscommon |
139 |
Roscommon |
Listed for disposal since 2010 |
|
Former rifle range lands |
Kilcoran Tipperary |
13 |
Tipperary |
due to re open May 2016 following completion of engineering works |
|
Part of former Military Barracks |
Nenagh |
2 |
Tipperary |
2013 |
|
Former rifle range lands |
Barna, Templemore |
1 |
Tipperary |
Listed for disposal since 2010 |
|
Lands |
Garrynafeala Athlone |
15 |
Westmeath |
Listed for disposal since 2010 |
|
Former Military Barracks |
Mullingar |
24 |
Westmeath |
2012 |
103. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of vacant family homes which have been repossessed in each calendar year since 2008. [8884/16]
View answer104. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of non-vacant family homes repossessed in each calendar year since 2008. [8885/16]
View answer105. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of vacant family homes which were repossessed in each of the years 2008 to 2016 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8943/16]
View answer106. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of non-vacant family homes which were repossessed following evictions in each of the years 2008 to 2016 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8944/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 103 to 106, inclusive, together.
The Deputies 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. I am informed that the Courts Service does not receive or record information in such a way as to determine if a property is vacant or non-vacant prior to a possession order being made. However, statistics in relation to the number of possession orders made in respect of properties are available on the Courts Service website, www.courts.ie.
It is important to note that the number of civil bills issued does not reflect either the number of orders for possession granted or necessarily equate with repossessions as it is up to the person or company who obtained the order for possession to pursue its execution. Therefore, relative to the number of civil bills issued, a small portion end up as repossessions since in many cases the civil bill gives rise to engagement of the borrower with the bank resulting in either a mortgage restructuring agreement between the bank and borrower or a Personal Insolvency Arrangement entered into under the Personal Insolvency Act.
The Central Bank's quarterly Residential Mortgage Arrears and Repossession Statistics have information which may be of interest to the Deputies and they are available at www.centralbank.ie. The statistics include the number of properties taken into possession by lenders during the relevant quarter including the number which were repossessed on foot of a Court Order.
I would like to refer the Deputies to the range of measures that have already been put in place under the Government's Framework to Strengthen Support of Mortgage Arrears with the aim of providing assistance for people in mortgage arrears, including:
- the enactment on 28 July 2015 of the Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Act 2015, and commencement on 20 November 2015 of the new Court review under section 115A, where banks refuse a personal insolvency proposal on the borrower’s home;
- the development of Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) as the Government’s ‘one-stop shop’ point of information and guidance for homeowners in mortgage arrears, working closely with the Insolvency Service;
- the establishment and staffing of Dedicated Mortgage Arrears MABS centres, in key locations with nationwide coverage, with specialised expertise on mortgage debt; and
- the presence of MABS and the Insolvency Service at courthouses to provide information and ‘signposting’ support for householders issued with repossession proceedings against their homes (operating nationwide since 1 October, after successful pilot in July 2015). This initiative is facilitated by the Courts Service, and is currently provided for all Circuit Court repossession hearings.
In addition, the Government will shortly be putting in place a new Government-funded Scheme to help people who are insolvent, and in mortgage arrears on their home, to access independent expert financial and legal advice. The scheme has 3 components:
(i) Provision of financial advice and assistance.
This involves the provision of advice and assistance from a Personal Insolvency Practitioner, or other financial adviser as appropriate, drawn from panels agreeing to provide specified levels and amounts of services under the Scheme at fixed cost. This will be provided without cost to an insolvent borrower, under a ‘voucher’ system, and will be accessed through MABS, working in conjunction with the Insolvency Service and the accountancy bodies.
(ii) Provision of legal advice and assistance.
This involves the provision of advice and assistance from a solicitor, drawn from panels to be set up by the Legal Aid Board, who agrees to provide specified levels and amounts of services under the Scheme at fixed cost. The scheme will provide assistance and representation for insolvent borrowers in repossession proceedings involving their home, via a panel of ‘duty solicitors’ at repossession hearings, operated by the Legal Aid Board.
Again, this assistance will be provided without cost to an insolvent borrower, under a ‘voucher’ system, and will be accessed through MABS, working in conjunction with the Legal Aid Board.
(iii) Provision of legal aid.
This involves the provision of legal aid for insolvent borrowers seeking the new Court review under section 115A Personal of the Insolvency Acts, where a borrower’s proposal for a Personal Insolvency Arrangement including mortgage arrears on their home is refused by their creditors. This component will be operated by the Legal Aid Board.
The overall objective of the Scheme is to help people who are insolvent (unable to pay their debts in full as they fall due), and are in serious mortgage arrears on their homes, to access independent expert financial and/or legal advice and assistance, which will help them to find the best possible solutions, with the aim of remaining in their homes where possible.
107. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when a person (details supplied) will receive an outcome on an application for a pension under Article 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8988/16]
View answerI am informed that there is no record, in the Garda Pensions Administration section of the Department, of an application for an Article 15 pension in respect of this person.
However, the eligibility of the person in this case for such a pension has been reviewed and it appears that she is not eligible for this particular pension.
The Garda Pensions Administration section will shortly contact the person in this case directly to confirm this position.
108. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to order the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the death of a person (details supplied), given the concerns regarding the investigation of this person's death, and the allegations of political interference in that investigation. [9169/16]
View answer111. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality to accede to a request by persons for a commission of inquiry into the disappearance of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8854/16]
View answerAs I have set out in responses to previous parliamentary questions in relation to this case, the disappearance of the person in question remains the subject of an ongoing Garda investigation and I am advised that the Garda Review Team is endeavouring to advance the investigation and that all avenues of investigation are being pursued in this regard. In these circumstances, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the case, nor would the establishment of a parallel Commission of Investigation be warranted.
109. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when she will make a decision on a joint family (Irish national spouse) visa for a person (details supplied), given that the application is ongoing for almost 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8809/16]
View answerI am advised by officials in the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that a 'join family' visa application from the person referred to by the Deputy was submitted to the INIS Visa Office in New Delhi on the 28/05/2015. Whilst a preliminary assessment of the application has been completed, the application referred to requires a more comprehensive examination. Officials will be in contact with the applicant and sponsor as soon as a decision is made.
The Deputy may wish to note that 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.
In addition, applicants who have submitted applications to the office in New Delhi may e-mail queries directly to INIS (newdelhivisaoffice@dfa.ie).
110. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of agreements under section 28 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and the jurisdictions in which they were made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8822/16]
View answerSection 28 of the Garda Síochána Act provides that the Garda Commissioner may enter into agreements with police services or law enforcement agencies outside the State, with the prior consent of the Government. These agreements may provide for co-operation between the parties, the exchange of information or such matters as the Commissioner thinks fit.
My officials are pursuing enquiries in relation to the information sought by the Deputy, including seeking relevant information from the Garda Commissioner, and I will revert to the Deputy as soon as possible.
