Written Answers Nos. 68 - 74
68. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the budget allocation for the Garda Síochána's witness protection programme in 2015 and 2016 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16133/16]
View answerThe Garda Síochána has operated a Witness Security Programme since 1997 to respond to attempts by criminal and other groups to prevent the normal functioning of the criminal justice system, including threats of violence and systematic intimidation of witnesses. The budget allocation for the Witness Security Programme in 2015 and 2016 is set out in the following table.
|
Year |
Estimate Provision |
|
2015 |
€1.198m |
|
2016 |
€1.198m |
The Witness Security Programme is operated by the Garda authorities, overseen by the Crime and Security Section at Garda Headquarters supported by the Special Detective Unit and other Garda resources as necessary. The operation of the programme and the resources required for it are kept under continuous review by the Garda authorities. The Deputy will appreciate that by virtue of the highly confidential nature of the Witness Security Programme and the need to maintain the protection of persons who receive support from it, it has not been the practice of successive Ministers to detail the specifics of its operation.
69. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the construction of a new Garda Síochána divisional headquarters in Kevin Street, Dublin 8; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16134/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close cooperation with the Office of Public Works (OPW), which has the responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that work is progressing on the construction of the new Divisional HQ in Kevin Street and is expected to be completed in early 2017.
70. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to expedite an application by a person (details supplied). [16143/16]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that under the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006, the Property Registration Authority (PRA) was established as and from 4 November 2006. The PRA replaces the Registrar of Deeds and Titles as the registering authority in relation to property registration in Ireland and, subject to the above Act, is independent in the performance of its functions.
The Deputy will be aware of the service to T.D.s and Senators which provides information on the current status of applications, such as the subject of this question, which was introduced in May 2006. The service provides a speedier, more efficient and more cost effective alternative to submitting Parliamentary Questions. It is operated by the PRA and is available all year round.
I can further inform the Deputy that his query has been forwarded to the PRA for attention and direct reply via the above mentioned service.
71. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of staff vacancies in the Garda Síochána vetting unit in Thurles, County Tipperary, by grade; her proposals to fill these; if she will initiate a specific recruitment campaign; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16269/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including both sworn and civilian personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and Units and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that personnel assignments throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategy, are continually monitored and reviewed and are determined by a number of factors including population, crime trends and the policing needs of each individual Division and Unit. Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of Garda resources, and the best possible Garda service is provided to the general public.
I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the Garda Síochána Vetting Unit has a complement of 156 civilian staff and 4 sworn members.
72. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to release the recommendation of the independent review panel and relevant documents to the family of a person (details supplied). [16276/16]
View answer73. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to consider establishing a commission of investigation or sworn independent public inquiry into the circumstances of the death of a person (details supplied). [16277/16]
View answer74. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to meet with the family of a person (details supplied) to discuss its concerns about the circumstances surrounding the death of the person. [16278/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 72 to 74, inclusive, together.
The matter to which the Deputy refers has been the subject of a review carried out by counsel from the panel of the Independent Review Mechanism set up by the Government to consider complaints of Garda misconduct received by the Taoiseach and myself. The role of the Mechanism was to advise me as to what further action, if any it was appropriate for me to take in respect of each complaint. Counsel were free to make any recommendation which they saw fit.
In this particular case counsel recommended that an inquiry be set up to consider this complaint. I accepted counsel's recommendation and a letter issued to the family notifying them accordingly. The reports provided by counsel and containing their recommendations in each case constitute legal advice to me and they are, accordingly, subject to legal professional privilege. While the report and recommendations from counsel were not provided to complainants, I have sought to ensure that letters to complainants should not only set out the recommendation of counsel, but also outline, as far as possible, the reasons for the recommendation. To that end I appointed a retired judge, Mr Justice Roderick Murphy, to advise on the preparation of the letters and independently vouch for the fact that the summaries of conclusions and the reasoning behind them are a fair reflection of counsel's advice.
I have recently written further to the family to advise them that I have decided that the inquiry will be conducted as a statutory inquiry according to the terms of section 42 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended. Officials in my Department are currently in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General with regard to matters concerning the establishment of this and a number of other inquiries arising out of the Independent Review Mechanism. These matters include the setting of appropriate terms of reference for each inquiry. I will be in further contact with the complainants when these matters have been settled.
In the circumstances as outlined above the question of a meeting with the family does not arise at this time.
