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Tuesday, 15 Oct 2019

Written Answers Nos. 277-301

Naturalisation Applications

Questions (277)

Brendan Ryan

Question:

277. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the citizenship status of a person (details supplied); and if the citizenship section has received the person's applications in view of the fact the applicant has not received an acknowledgement and the section has not responded to subsequent requests from the person for an acknowledgement. [41965/19]

View answer

Written answers

I am advised by the Immigration Service of my Department that the person concerned last applied for naturalisation in February 2017. This application was subsequently deemed ineligible as the person concerned had submitted their application with an incomplete statutory declaration form. The applicant was advised of this by letter to their solicitor on 27 March 2017 and again on 12 September 2017.

It is open to the person concerned to lodge a new application if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory requirements applicable at that time. It should be noted that if the person concerned is lodging a new application, they will need to submit a new form plus supporting documentation and a statutory application fee as required under Section 17 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the Immigration Service 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 Immigration Service is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.

Naturalisation Applications

Questions (278)

Brendan Ryan

Question:

278. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the citizenship status of a person (details supplied) that is waiting over a year for a response. [41966/19]

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Written answers

I can inform the Deputy that a letter was issued by my Department to the person concerned on the 1 April 2019, indicating that I propose to grant the application. This letter does not, however, constitute a grant of a certificate of naturalisation. The person concerned should now submit the documentation requested in the letter, along with the required fee, to the Citizenship Division of my Department.

As indicated in the letter issued, if the application for a certificate of naturalisation is to be granted, the next correspondence that they will receive from this office, will be to inform them that they will be required to attend a citizenship ceremony on a specific date.

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.

Family Reunification Applications

Questions (279)

Brendan Ryan

Question:

279. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of an application for family reunification by a person (details supplied). [41967/19]

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Written answers

I can inform the Deputy that I have agreed to accept the proposal from the person concerned for the inclusion of their family member on the Irish Refugee Protection Programme Humanitarian Admissions Programme (IHAP2) scheme. The person concerned was notified of my decision by letter on 14 December 2018.

The Immigration Service issued further correspondence on 22 February 2019, seeking additional information in order to issue Irish travel documents to the family member and is awaiting that information in order to complete the process. Formal notification of their permission to reside in the state as a programme refugee will be effected once they arrive in the state.

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.

Question No. 280 answered with Question No. 265.

Asylum Seeker Accommodation

Questions (281)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

281. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount paid to private contractors to source emergency accommodation for asylum seekers since September 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42047/19]

View answer

Written answers

My Department is responsible for offering accommodation and related services to international protection applicants while their claim for protection is being examined. These services are demand led and it is difficult to accurately predict demand in advance. Due to an unexpected rise in applications (figures are up 53% in the first nine months of this year), the 38 existing accommodation centres, which offer accommodation, food, utilities and a suite of State services, have reached capacity.

My Department is actively working on securing additional capacity, both in existing centres and through the sourcing of new centres. The Immigration Service of my Department has sought expressions of interest from parties who would be interested in providing accommodation and related services to people in the international protection process and has also launched a nationwide, regional tendering process to source new accommodation centres.

Pending the opening of such new centres, and to ensure that we continue to provide accommodation for all applicants who require it, IPAS has been accommodating applicants in emergency accommodation in hotels and guest houses since September of last year. Every effort is being made to re-accommodate applicants residing in emergency locations to a dedicated accommodation centre as quickly as possible.

The cumulative figures for the expenditure on emergency accommodation are as follows:

September 2018 to end December 2018 - €954,370.50

January 2019 to end September 2019 - €18,020,206.17

Total Spend September 2018 to end September 2019 - €18,974,576.67

I am advised that as of 6 October 2019, there are 1,453 applicants residing in 35 emergency accommodation locations around the country. My Department does not disclose the specific location of emergency accommodation centres in order to protect the identity of international protection applicants.

Direct Provision Expenditure

Questions (282)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Question:

282. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount paid to each direct provision operator in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42080/19]

View answer

Written answers

The International Protection Procurement Services (IPPS) unit of my Department is responsible for the procurement of accommodation and ancillary services for persons in the protection process. This role of this unit was formerly incorporated in the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA), which is now known as International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS).

All accommodation centres for people seeking international protection, whether State-owned or privately owned, are operated by commercial companies. There are currently 38 accommodation centres being operated under the direct provision system.

IPPS contracts for an all-inclusive service, which includes catering services, as well as cleaning, security, maintenance and laundry services. Extensive and detailed information on the amount paid by my Department to each company contracted to provide direct provision accommodation every year up to and including 2015 can be found on the IPAS website www.ria.gov.ie under the 'Contract Values' section of the website. This is in accordance with the IPAS' policy on the disclosure of financial information, which was agreed with the Office of the Information Commissioner.

The Deputy will appreciate that it is not appropriate to provide values for current contracts entered into by my Department. Negotiations take place with a number of commercial entities on an ongoing basis with a clear focus on achieving the best value for money in respect of each contract. It is not in the interests of yielding best value for the taxpayer that details of current individual contracts are made available to other commercial bodies who are, or may be in the future, engaged in these negotiations.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal Data

Questions (283)

John Curran

Question:

283. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of claims brought to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal to date in 2019; the number of claims settled in 2019; the cost of the settlements to date in 2019; the number of cases on hand; the number of these that are older than five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42108/19]

View answer

Written answers

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal administers two schemes:

- the Scheme of Compensation for Personal Injuries Criminally Inflicted and;

- the Scheme of Compensation for Personal Injuries Criminally Inflicted on Prison Officers.

The Tribunal is made up qualified barristers and solicitors. Under the terms of the Scheme, the Tribunal is limited to a Chair and 6 ordinary members who provide services on a part-time basis. It is entirely independent in the matter of individual decisions on applications for compensation.

I understand that 117 new applications have been made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal to date in 2019.

I further understand that to date this year, a total of 80 cases have been sent to Tribunal members for decision. It should be noted that these may not necessarily be cases received in 2019.

I understand that in the year to date, 47 applications have been processed and completed. This includes applications where no award was made. 24 payments have been made totalling just over €766,000.

In terms of the duration of the process, it should be noted that it may take several years before an application for compensation is ready for submission to the Tribunal for consideration and decision, as there are a wide range of factors that need to be taken into account. For example, final Garda reports on the relevant crime are required, as are the outcomes of any cases initiated. In addition, in some cases the extent of injuries suffered by the victim may not be known for some years. Further, the assessment of loss of earnings for consideration by the Tribunal may be complex to determine and may require employer assessment and social welfare reports. These and other factors can have an impact on the time required in relation to any particular application.

Garda Operations

Questions (284)

Bríd Smith

Question:

284. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason documents confiscated from a person (details supplied) have not been either returned to the person or released to a member of An Garda Síochána. [42116/19]

View answer

Written answers

I have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the matter raised by the Deputy. I can assure the Deputy that I will write to her directly once I receive it.

Visa Applications

Questions (285)

Bríd Smith

Question:

285. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the procedure including documents required for the issuance of a visa to the Iranian spouse of an Irish citizen. [42118/19]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy will be aware, nationalities of certain countries are required to obtain a visa in order to travel to Ireland. The person concerned in the Deputy's query should apply for a Join Family visa, if the purpose of their journey is to reside in Ireland with their Irish citizen spouse.

The Immigration Service website (www.inis.gov.ie) contains comprehensive guidelines to assist the applicant with the application process. The information available includes the Policy Document for Non-EEA Family Reunification which sets out the general considerations for such applications. It should, however, be noted that the information contained on the website is intended to provide guidance only and does not limit the discretion of the Visa Officer in dealing with individual applications. The onus rests at all times with the applicant to satisfy the Visa Officer that any visa sought should be granted.

I am advised that Join Family applications, where the sponsor is an Irish national, will typically be dealt with within 6 months of receipt of all the required documentation, as set out in the Policy Document. This is a business target which reflects the detailed assessment that is required to be carried out in relation to applications for family reunification. It does not constitute a legal obligation and applications may take longer due to the individual circumstances or complexity of the application.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the Immigration Service 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 Immigration Service is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.

In addition, applicants may themselves e-mail queries directly to the Immigration Service (visamail@justice.ie).

State Pathology Service

Questions (286)

Seán Haughey

Question:

286. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the post of Chief State Pathologist is to be filled on a permanent full-time basis in view of the fact two recent post holders have retired over the past few months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42123/19]

View answer

Written answers

The positions of Chief State Pathologist and Deputy State Pathologist were advertised by the Public Appointments Service on 6 September 2019 with a closing date for applications of 26 September 2019. The recruitment process is currently ongoing and it is anticipated that these posts will be filled in the coming months.

Currently an Acting State Pathologist, an Acting Deputy State Pathologist, and two Locum Pathologists staff the Office of the State Pathologist (OSP). Locums must have the same qualifications as the Deputy State Pathologist positions. More details about the team can be read here: http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/StatePathologyTeam

Legislative Measures

Questions (287)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

287. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to update the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Acts 1994 to 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42135/19]

View answer

Written answers

The main purpose of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Acts 1994 to 2003 is to provide An Garda Síochána with additional powers to deal with the behaviour of people in public places, including late night street violence and anti-social conduct attributable to excessive drinking, and to provide for various controls to be exercised at public events.

While the Public Order Acts are kept under continual review, I have no plans at present to update the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Acts 1994 to 2003.

Garda Deployment

Questions (288)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

288. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí by rank in the domestic abuse intervention unit in the north Dublin Garda division as of 2 October 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42136/19]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy will appreciate, the management and efficient use of Garda resources is the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner. This includes responsibility for deployment of personnel. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. I understand, however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use.

I have requested information on this matter from the Garda authorities and I will write to the Deputy directly when I receive it.

Garda Expenditure

Questions (289)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

289. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the budget allocation for the Garda National Technical Bureau in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42137/19]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy will be aware, the two bodies responsible for forensics in relation to policing in Ireland are the Garda Síochána National Technical Bureau and Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) which operates under my Department.

The resources provided by Government to An Garda Síochána have reached record levels, with an allocation for 2019 of €1.76 billion. Very significant capital investment is also being made in An Garda Síochána - in total, the Garda capital allocation increased from €61 million to €92 million in 2019, which represents a 50% increase. And I am pleased to have secured a €122 million increase in Budget 2020 to provide An Garda Síochána with an unprecedented budget of €1.882 billion, in addition to a capital allocation of over €116 million.

In accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended, the Garda Commissioner responsible for the effective and efficient use of the resources available to An Garda Síochána. The Commissioner is also responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including the Garda Technical Bureau.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the expenditure of the Garda Technical Bureau for each of the years requested by the Deputy is outlined below:

Year

2019

as of 30/09/19

2018

2017

2016

Expenditure

€5,264,658

€6,718,762

€7,112,370

€7,242,333

Garda Transport Data

Questions (290)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

290. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda community support vans attached to each Garda district in Dublin as of 2 October 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42138/19]

View answer

Written answers

The resources provided by Government to An Garda Síochána have reached record levels, with an allocation for 2019 of €1.76 billion. I am also pleased to have secured an overall increase of €122 million to increase An Garda Síochána's budget for 2020 to an unprecedented €1.882 billion for next year.

Very significant capital investment is also being made in An Garda Síochána, including a total of €46 million for investment in the Garda fleet between 2016 and 2021. €10 million capital funding has been made for the purchase and fit-out of Garda vehicles in 2019. I understand from the Garda authorities that this allocation is being used for purchase and fit-out of over 300 new vehicles for operational use this year. A further €9 million capital funding has been allocated for the Garda fleet in Budget 2020.

This continuing investment is intended to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit-for-purpose fleet and that Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive on the roads and in the community to prevent and tackle crime.

As the Deputy will appreciate, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of An Garda Síochána. Further, the allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner, in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for the allocation of Garda vehicles among the various Garda divisions. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure their optimum use.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that there are currently four minibuses assigned to community relations in the Dublin Metropolitan Region, one of which is allocated to each of the following Districts; Dun Laoghaire; Store Street; Kevin Street; and Blanchardstown. I am advised by the Garda authorities that these vehicles can also be used for policing duties as a personnel carrier, when required.

Garda Transport Data

Questions (291)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

291. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of additional marked and unmarked cars that were allocated to Garda roads policing unit to date in 2019; and the number of vehicles withdrawn from the RPU to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42139/19]

View answer

Written answers

In accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including the allocation and efficient use of Garda resources.

I have requested the relevant information from the Commissioner and I will write to the Deputy directly when I receive it.

Garda College

Questions (292)

Michael Lowry

Question:

292. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the background to a company (details supplied); the status of the assets and accounts of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42148/19]

View answer

Written answers

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the company referred to by the Deputy, Sportsfield Company Ltd, a company limited by guarantee, was established in 1993 with the purpose of developing sports facilities for the Garda College in Templemore.

I am further informed that, over the course of its operation, Sportsfield acquired interests in a number of land packages in the Templemore area including a number of playing fields and land used by Templemore Golf Club.

The Garda authorities have been working with the Office of Public Works and I am advised that the transfer of these land packages into State ownership, under the control of the Office of Public Works, is currently at an advanced stage. I am informed that once these interests in land have been transferred it is intended that Sportsfield Company Ltd will be wound up.

Refugee Data

Questions (293)

Niall Collins

Question:

293. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of refugees to date accommodated here under the resettlement and relocation strands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42151/19]

View answer

Written answers

The Deputy will be aware that in September 2015, as part of Ireland's response to the migration crisis in central and southern Europe, the Government established the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP). Under this programme, the Government committed to accept up to 4,000 people into the State, primarily through a combination of the Relocation Programme established by two EU Council Decisions in 2015 to assist Italy and Greece, and the UNHCR-led Refugee Resettlement Programme, currently focussed on resettling refugees from Lebanon and Jordan.

The Government Decision to accept 4,000 people into the State did not specify a time-limit, but the EU Relocation Programme had a time limit of approximately two years. Ireland’s EU Relocation Programme concluded in March 2018. Overall, 1,022 people, including 6 unaccompanied minors, arrived here from Greece.

Under the Resettlement strand of the programme, Ireland committed to accept 1,040 programme refugees by the end of 2017. Approximately 255 of this group formed part of the 2018/2019 pledge to the EU, as it was not possible to resettle these refugees in 2017. The Government pledged to take 1,200 programme refugees from Lebanon between 2018 (255 as per above plus 345) and 2019 (600), bringing the total Resettlement commitment under the IRPP to 1,985. To date, 1,418 people have arrived under the Resettlement strand of the programme. Further arrivals are planned between now and the end of the year to admit the balance of the 1,985 people to be resettled.

So far, 2,115 people who arrived under the IRPP have been resettled in communities across Ireland. This represents more than 86% of the 2,440 arrivals so far under the Relocation and Resettlement strands of the programme.

Assisted Decision Making

Questions (294)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

294. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if funding was allocated in budget 2020 to the director of the decision support service working towards being operational and ready for the commencement of the main provisions of the 2015 Act in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42170/19]

View answer

Written answers

The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 provides a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity difficulties. The Act was signed into law on 30 December 2015 but has not yet been fully commenced. The Act provides for the establishment of new administrative processes and support measures, including the setting up of the Decision Support Service within the Mental Health Commission (a body under the Department of Health).

The Decision Support Service is working towards being operational and ready for the commencement of the main provisions of the Act. Work is continuing to ensure that the necessary staff resources, processes, IT system, expert panels, codes of practice and regulations will be in place so that the Decision Support Service will have the capacity to be up and running effectively. There are many complex strands to this preparatory work, including the involvement of multiple organisations.

A high-level Steering Group comprised of senior officials from the Department of Justice and Equality, the Department of Health, the Mental Health Commission and the Courts Service, together with the Director of the Decision Support Service, is overseeing the establishment and commissioning of the Decision Support Service and this work is ongoing.

A number of provisions of the 2015 Act were commenced in October 2016 in order to progress the setting up of the Decision Support Service. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (Commencement of Certain Provisions) Order 2016 (S.I. No. 515 of 2016) commenced provisions of the Act to enable the recruitment of the Director of the Decision Support Service. Ms Áine Flynn was appointed Director of the Decision Support Service on 2 October 2017.

The commencement of Part 8 of the Act, which provides a legislative framework for advance healthcare directives, is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Health.

The key preparations are being put in place under the oversight of the Steering Group to allow for further commencement orders for the provisions of the 2015 Act to be made when the Decision Support Service is ready to roll out the new decision-making support options.

In terms of funding, the 2018 Budget provided for an allocation of €3 million in the Justice and Equality Vote for the Decision Support Service in a new subhead D. 10 of the Justice and Equality Vote. €2.111 million of the 2018 allocation was drawn down. €3.5 million was allocated for the Decision Support Service for 2019. The 2020 Budget provides for an allocation of €3.5 million for the Decision Support Service.

Immigration Data

Questions (295)

Michael McGrath

Question:

295. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons that have been found to have illegally entered Ireland or that have claimed asylum here having arrived through a certain port (details supplied) in 2018 and to date in 2019; the details of the outcome of the cases concerned; the details of the nationalities concerned; the position in relation to the immigration controls at the port; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42234/19]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy is aware, if an application for asylum or subsidiary protection has been made in the State, for confidentiality reasons it is not the practice to comment on such applications.

Members of An Garda Síochána who have been appointed as Immigration Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration Act, 2004, fulfil immigration control duties at ports which have been approved for the landing of non-nationals.

Ports which are not approved for entry into the State for the purposes of the Act are monitored by members of An Garda Síochána in the relevant Garda Districts concerned. The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) provides backup and expertise to local Garda District personnel in this respect.

I have requested An Garda Síochána to compile the necessary information from the individual districts. I wish to advise the Deputy that it has not been possible in the time available to provide the details requested. I will communicate the information to the Deputy once it is available from An Garda Síochána.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A
There are four ferry companies operating from Ringaskiddy Port, two serving Santander in Spain and two serving Roscoff in France. On arrival into Ringaskiddy Port, Immigration Control is conducted by the Divisional Immigration Unit. All passengers and vehicles, in particular trailers and unaccompanied trailers (which are considered high-risk) are checked and searched. It is proven that the majority of clandestine are detected hidden in trailers.
In addition to ferry companies, Cruise Liners will berth at Ringaskiddy Port and the passengers on board are immigrated by members of the Immigration Unit.
In 2018, a total of 14 persons were refused leave to land at Ringaskiddy Port, the details pertaining to these persons are:
- 11 persons were Albanian Nationals,
- Three persons were South African Nationals,
- 13 persons were returned to the port of origin,
- One person claimed International Protection.
In 2019 to date (21st October, 2019), a total of 33 persons were refused leave to land at Ringaskiddy Port, details pertaining to these persons are: 
- 33 persons were Albanian Nationals.
- 25 persons were returned to the port of origin.
- Six persons claimed International Protection.
- Two persons (juveniles) were placed in the care of TUSLA.

Refugee Status Appeals

Questions (296)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

296. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in the determination of an appeal for refugee status in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42327/19]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy will be aware, for reasons of maintaining full confidentiality, it is not my Department's practice to comment on whether an application for asylum or subsidiary protection has been made in the State.

An applicant for such protection status, or his legal representative, should contact either the International Protection Office (IPO) or the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) directly, as appropriate.

The IPO may be contacted: by email to info@ipo.gov.ie; by telephone to the IPO Customer Service Centre at 01 6028008 or in writing to Customer Service Centre, International Protection Office, 79-83 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2. The International Protection Appeals Tribunal may be contacted either: by email to info@protectionappeals.ie; by telephone at 01-4748400 (or Lo-Call 1890 201 458), or in writing to Corporate Services Division, The International Protection Appeals Tribunal, 6-7 Hanover Street East, Dublin D02 W320.

The Ministerial Decisions Unit also operates an email service - mduinfo@justice.ie.

An applicant for international protection is awarded international protection, whether refugee status or subsidiary protection status, upon a declaration of status being issued from the Ministerial Decisions Unit of the Immigration Service of my Department. This is done on foot of a grant recommendation from the International Protection Office (IPO) or a decision of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) to set aside a refusal recommendation of the IPO. The Ministerial Decisions Unit processes the recommendations received from the International Protection Office and the decisions of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal in chronological order based on the date the file is received in that Unit. Once the necessary due diligence has been carried out by the Ministerial Decisions Unit, a declaration of status will issue as soon as possible.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the Immigration Service 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 Immigration Service is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.

Garda Operations

Questions (297)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

297. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a full detailed report on Garda Operation Pier and Garda Operation Twintrack; and if these operations are still active. [42337/19]

View answer

Written answers

The resources provided by Government to An Garda Síochána have reached record levels, with an allocation for 2019 of €1.76 billion. I am also pleased to have secured an overall increase of €122 million to increase An Garda Síochána's budget to an unprecedented €1.882 billion for next year.

The Garda Commissioner has responsibility for managing An Garda Síochána and for the allocation of Garda resources, in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for personnel matters and the distribution of personnel across the various Garda Divisions. As Minister I have no direct role in these matters. I understand however that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use.

The Deputy refers to two separate operations- one in relation to anti-social behaviour in the Temple Bar area and one in relation to rail safety.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that Operation Pier commenced in 2015 in the DMR South Central Division and has a personnel strength of one Sergeant and 20 Gardaí. The purpose of this operation is to target anti-social behaviour and street level drug dealing in the Temple bar and adjoining areas. I am informed that Garda members attached to this unit are an integral part of the community and respond to all complaints from the residents and businesses in the area. The unit also undertakes dedicated operations in regard to organised and aggressive begging, as well as the operation of Rickshaws that are suspect of drug dealing.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that this Operation and its members have been acknowledged by the local business community for their effectiveness and high visibility policing. I am advised that as at 15 October 2019 there have been in excess of 1,947 arrests by the Gardaí attached to Operation Pier.

In relation to rail safety, I am advised by Garda management that it engages extensively with transport operators and that a range of regional and local operations have been put in place to address incidents and issues that have arisen at specific locations. I am advised that a range of regional and local operations have been put in place to address incidents and issues that have arisen at specific locations. I am further informed that there is ongoing communication between An Garda Síochána and the respective control centres, and access to good quality CCTV helps provide assistance to Gardaí when investigating such incidents.

In relation to the specific operation Twin Track as referred to by the Deputy, I am advised by the Garda authorities that this is a Community Engagement & Rail Safety Policing Initiative conducted in partnership between An Garda Síochána and other Public Transportation stakeholders such as Iarnród Éireann, DART Services, and Transdev [Luas].

Its purpose was to provide High Visibility Policing of Rail and light Rail transport within the DMR region and nationwide and to deliver crime prevention advice. Local Crime Prevention Officers and Community Policing Gardaí operated community engagement/crime prevention stands with support from national units at Connolly and Heuston Station on 13 September 2019.

I am informed that a multi-agency review was conducted to examine the effectiveness of this operation and that it is agreed that An Garda Síochána will continue to proactively engage with public transportation stakeholders and providers to conduct further similar operations.

Assisted Decision Making

Questions (298)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

298. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if funding has been secured to enable the roll-out of the decision support service provided for in the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. [42338/19]

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Written answers

The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 provides a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity difficulties. The Act was signed into law on 30 December 2015 but has not yet been fully commenced. The Act provides for the establishment of new administrative processes and support measures, including the setting up of the Decision Support Service within the Mental Health Commission (a body under the Department of Health).

The Decision Support Service is working towards being operational and ready for the commencement of the main provisions of the Act. Work is continuing to ensure that the necessary staff resources, processes, IT system, expert panels, codes of practice and regulations will be in place so that the Decision Support Service will have the capacity to be up and running effectively. There are many complex strands to this preparatory work, including the involvement of multiple organisations.

A high-level Steering Group comprised of senior officials from the Department of Justice and Equality, the Department of Health, the Mental Health Commission and the Courts Service, together with the Director of the Decision Support Service, is overseeing the establishment and commissioning of the Decision Support Service and this work is ongoing.

A number of provisions of the 2015 Act were commenced in October 2016 in order to progress the setting up of the Decision Support Service. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (Commencement of Certain Provisions) Order 2016 (S.I. No. 515 of 2016) commenced provisions of the Act to enable the recruitment of the Director of the Decision Support Service. Ms Áine Flynn was appointed Director of the Decision Support Service on 2 October 2017.

The commencement of Part 8 of the Act, which provides a legislative framework for advance healthcare directives, is a matter for the Minister for Health.

The key preparations are being put in place under the oversight of the Steering Group to allow for further commencement orders for the provisions of the 2015 Act to be made when the Decision Support Service is ready to roll out the new decision-making support options.

The 2018 Budget provided for an allocation of €3 million in the Justice and Equality Vote for the Decision Support Service in a new subhead D. 10 of the Justice and Equality Vote. €2.111 million of the 2018 allocation was drawn down. €3.5 million was allocated for the Decision Support Service for 2019. The 2020 Budget provides for an allocation of €3.5 million for the Decision Support Service.

Prison Visiting Committees

Questions (299)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

299. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the 2018 Visiting Committee reports for Limerick prison and a centre (details supplied) are available to the public; and if not, when the publication will take place. [42339/19]

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Written answers

As the Deputy will appreciate, a Visiting Committee is appointed to each prison under the Prisons (Visiting Committees) Act, 1925 and Prisons (Visiting Committees) Order, 1925. Members of the 14 Visiting Committees are appointed by the Minister for a term not exceeding three years.

I can confirm that reports for 2018 have been received by my Department from all Prison Visiting Committees, including those for Limerick Prison and the Dóchas Centre.

These reports are currently being prepared for publication in the coming period by my Department.

Workplace Relations Commission

Questions (300)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

300. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she will confirm the Oireachtas public representative inquiry phone number and email for the Workplace Relations Commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41709/19]

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Written answers

The WRC provides a dedicated telephone number for use by members of the Oireachtas. The telephone number is 059-9178905.

The WRC’s website provides an electronic facility to make general enquiries at www.workplacerelations.ie/en/contact_us/. It also provides contact details for individual WRC divisions and offices which can be accessed at the following link www.workplacerelations.ie/en/contact_us/contact-details/.

Personal Injuries Commission

Questions (301)

Noel Grealish

Question:

301. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation when the new book of quantum to be available; when it will directly influence the cost of claims; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41783/19]

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Written answers

The Personal Injuries Commission (PIC) was established in 2017 to compare Ireland’s personal injury claims processes against other jurisdictions, to benchmark international personal injury awards with those in Ireland, to report on alternative compensation and resolution models and make recommendations which could enhance the Irish claims environment.

During its 18-month work programme, which concluded in July 2018, the PIC delivered two reports with 14 recommendations. One of its recommendations was that a Judicial Council, when established, be requested by the Minister for Justice and Equality to compile judicial guidelines for appropriate general damages for various types of personal injury.

The Judicial Council Act was signed into law on 23 July 2019. A commencement order was published on 10 September 2019, which provides for the appointment of the interim Secretary to the Council, and the process of identifying and recommending to the Government persons who are suitable for appointment to be lay members of the Sentencing Guidelines and Information Committee, the Judicial Conduct Committee and panels of inquiry. It is envisaged that the Judicial Council will be established before the end of this year and steps are being taken to facilitate establishment within that time frame.

The Act provides for the establishment of a Personal Injuries Guidelines Committee upon the formal establishment of the Judicial Council. This Committee is tasked with introducing new guidelines to replace the Book of Quantum. These new guidelines should help to promote consistency in the level of personal injuries damages awarded by the courts.

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