Written Answers Nos. 131-140
131. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to introduce a waiver or reduction in fees for naturalisation in cases of long-term residents here (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21060/19]
View answerThe fees to be paid by an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation are governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 569 of 2011).
The application fee, stipulated at €175, is payable on application for a certificate of naturalisation and a certification fee is payable on the issue of a certificate of naturalisation. The standard certification fee is set at €950, while a reduced fee of €200 applies in the case of an application made on behalf of a minor or in certain cases where the application is made by a widow, widower or surviving civil partner of an Irish citizen. In the case of recognised refugees and stateless persons the certification fee is nil.
As such, the Regulations make specific provision for particular categories of applicants who may be on a reduced level of income and there is no information available to either myself or Departmental officials that in general, the level of fees is discouraging people from applying for naturalisation. In that regard, it should be noted that once a grant of naturalisation is made in respect of non-EEA nationals, they are no longer required to register their immigration permission or pay the registration fee of €300 each time.
There is no provision in the Regulations for the discretionary waiver or reduction of fees, or for differing fees to apply to different nationalities, or based on length of residency.
The standard fees payable by an applicant are designed to reflect the effort and cost involved in processing applications for a certificate of naturalisation. The Deputy will be aware that formal citizenship ceremonies have been introduced at no extra cost to applicants. These have been universally well received by participants as the ceremonies provide a sense of dignity and occasion that serves to underscore the importance to both the State and the applicant of the granting of Irish citizenship.
132. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to introduce a waiver or reduction in fees for naturalisation in cases of pensioners (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21061/19]
View answerI have set-out the position regarding citizenship fees in my response to the Deputy on PQ 21060/19. As outlined, there is no provision in the Regulations for the discretionary waiver or reduction of fees, or for differing fees to apply to different age groups, nationalities, or based on length of residency. There are no plans to revise the fees at this time.
133. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of an application for CCTV in an area (details supplied). [21068/19]
View answerCCTV systems installed for the purposes of crime prevention and as aids to policing in areas to which the general public routinely have access fall into two distinct but complementary categories, namely Garda CCTV systems and community-based CCTV systems.
Community CCTV is governed by section 38(3)(c) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and the Garda Síochána (CCTV) Order 2006 (SI No 289 of 2006). This legal framework requires that any proposed community CCTV scheme must:
- be approved by the local Joint Policing Committee,
- have the authorisation of the Garda Commissioner, and
- have the prior support of the relevant local authority, which must also act as data controller.
This is the legal basis for all community CCTV schemes, regardless of how they are funded. It may also be noted that my Department does not have a role in relation to consideration of applications for Joint Policing Committee approval, local authority approval or Garda Commissioner authorisation for individual CCTV scheme applications.
My Department does however administer a grant aid scheme for community CCTV schemes. This grant aid scheme to assist groups in the establishment of community-based CCTV systems in their local areas was established in furtherance of a commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to supporting investment in CCTV systems. Eligible groups, including community groups and local authorities, can apply for grant-aid of up to 60% of the total capital cost of a proposed CCTV system, up to a maximum total of €40,000.
20 applications have been approved to date under the scheme, involving grant aid totalling more than €500,000.
I can confirm that my Department has to date not received any application for funding for community CCTV in the area referred to by the Deputy, namely Moneymore, Drogheda, County Louth.
I am keen to ensure that all interested groups, in both rural and urban areas, have the opportunity to take advantage of the availability of the grant aid scheme. If the Deputy is aware of groups wishing to avail of the scheme, further details are available to download from my Department's website - www.justice.ie and support and guidance is available to help interested groups through a dedicated email address communitycctv@justice.ie.
134. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding an application for leave to remain by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21139/19]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the position in the State of the person concerned remains to be determined. It also remains to be decided as to whether their position in the State falls to be determined in accordance with the process provided for under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) or outside of that process. Once a decision has been made in relation to what immigration process should be applied to the immigration case of the person concerned, the outcome of that deliberation will be conveyed in writing to the person concerned.
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.
135. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if an application by a person (details supplied) to remain here as a spouse of an Irish national will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21141/19]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned made an application for permission to remain in the State as the spouse of an Irish national in October 2018. The Deputy will appreciate that such applications are dealt with in chronological order.
I am further advised that INIS wrote to the person concerned on 26th April seeking further information and a reply is awaited. I understand that the application will be considered further in light of a response from the person concerned.
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.
136. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress in tendering for new Garda stations in County Cork in 2019; the locations of the stations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21165/19]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, there has been an unprecedented level of investment in An Garda Síochána in recent years, in support of the Government’s commitment to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, to provide reassurance to citizens and to deter crime.
An allocation of €1.76 billion has been made to An Garda Síochána for 2019. Very significant capital investment is also being made, including investment of €342 million in Garda ICT infrastructure between 2016 and 2021; and investment of €46 million in the Garda Fleet over the same period.
In relation to the Garda estate, the Deputy will be aware that the Garda Building and Refurbishment Programme 2016-2021 is an ambitious 5-year programme based on agreed Garda priorities, which continues to benefit over 30 locations around the country, underpinned by significant Exchequer funding across the Garda and OPW Votes. In addition to that programme, other major works to the Garda estate which are ongoing include the pilot Garda station reopening project, the development of a new facility at Military Road and the major refurbishment of Fitzgibbon Street station.
I would emphasise that the clear goal of this investment is to address deficiencies in the Garda estate and provide fit-for-purpose facilities for Garda members and staff, as well as the public interacting with them. And there has been some good progress in relation to the Garda estate in recent times, including in particular the completion and entry into operational use in 2018 of 3 new Divisional and Regional Headquarters in Wexford, Galway and Kevin Street (Dublin), which collectively required funding of over €100 million.
The Deputy will appreciate 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 responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that a number of Garda stations in Cork are included in these planned or ongoing works.
First, the development of a new station in Glanmire, which will be located in Glanmire Industrial Estate, is included in the Building and Refurbishment Programme. The construction of this station is ongoing and the Garda authorities and the OPW advise that completion is expected in Q3, 2019.
I am further informed by the Garda authorities that in order to facilitate the Divisional Policing Model in Cork City, the Cork City Divisional Roads Policing Unit is relocating from Anglesea Street to Ballincollig Garda Station, and that works to accommodate the Divisional Roads Policing Unit in Ballincollig Garda Station are scheduled for this year.
A new station in Macroom is also included in the programme, with delivery of that station along with new stations in Clonmel and Sligo, as well as a new custody suite at the station on Anglesea Street Cork, to be achieved as part of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. It is not possible at this point to provide a timeframe for completion of the projects. However I can assure the Deputy that delivery of the new Garda stations at Clonmel, Macroom and Sligo through this PPP arrangement is being pursued as a priority.
A station in Cork is also included in the pilot station reopening project. As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to a pilot scheme to reopen 6 Garda stations, both urban and rural, to determine possible positive impacts that such openings will have on criminal activity, with special emphasis on burglaries, theft and public order.
The Garda Commissioner's final report, which is available on my Department's website, recommends that Ballinspittle Garda Station be reopened, along with stations in Bawnboy, Co. Cavan, Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow, Donard, Co. Wicklow, and Rush and Stepaside, Co. Dublin.
The OPW and Garda authorities are cooperating closely on delivery of these stations. In relation to Ballinspittle, I am informed the OPW has undertaken technical surveys to determine the works required to enable the Garda Station at Ballinspittle to reopen and is currently preparing tender documents to procure the required works. It is envisaged that works will be completed and this year.
Finally and more generally, I am informed that An Garda Síochána seeks to address minor maintenance issues and refurbishment works across all Divisions as they arise, liaising closely with the OPW and having regard to overall Garda accommodation priorities.
137. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the discussions he has had with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with a view to progressing the new Macroom Garda station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21166/19]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, very significant capital investment is being made in An Garda Síochána, including investment of €342 million in Garda ICT infrastructure between 2016 and 2021; and investment of €46 million in the Garda Fleet over the same period. Considerable investment is also being made in the Garda estate, to address its deficiencies and provide fit-for-purpose facilities for Garda members and staff, as well as the public interacting with them. This is a significant undertaking, as there are currently 565 stations nationwide.
The 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. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is the parent Department of the OPW.
The Garda Building and Refurbishment Programme 2016-2021 includes the development of new Garda stations in Macroom, Clonmel and Sligo. These stations will be delivered by way of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
The development of PPP projects is progressed under the auspices of the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA). The Department of Justice and Equality and the Garda authorities are working with the OPW to progress this matter, with the input and assistance of the NDFA. Discussions with the OPW have included direct engagement between the Secretary General of my Department and the Chair of the OPW, as well as ongoing working level contacts. I can confirm that the OPW has agreed to provide its expert services in the design of the three stations included in this PPP.
The establishment of PPP projects can be complex and it is vital to get the projects right at the planning and design stage. I can assure the Deputy that delivery of the new Garda stations in Clonmel, Macroom and Sligo through this PPP arrangement is being pursued as a priority.
Pending delivery of the new stations, I am informed that Garda management and the OPW have been working to improve conditions and facilities at the existing stations.
138. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if a work permit application appeal by a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21049/19]
View answerThe Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that, following the submission and consideration of additional information at review stage, a decision has been made to award a General Employment Permit to the person concerned and the permit issued on 14th May 2019.
139. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the details of reduced capacity in the Central Mental Hospital; the way in which waiting lists are being handled, particularly during the transition from Dundrum to the new facility in Portrane; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21055/19]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
140. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of the 27 key recommendations made by the external review into Roscommon mental health services, which signalled a service in crisis mode, that have been implemented since the publication of the report in September 2017 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20494/19]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
