Written Answers Nos. 482-499
482. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when his consideration of the Labour Court recommendation on regularising the terms and conditions for adult education tutors employed by educational training boards will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42130/20]
View answerThe Labour Court has made a recommendation in relation to a claim brought by SIPTU and TUI in respect of regularising the terms and conditions of Adult Education Tutors employed by Education and Training Boards. This recommendation continues to be under consideration by officials in the Department of Education and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform along with officials in my Department, which has responsibility for Further Education and Training policy.
483. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the instructions, guidelines or recommendations made to institutions participating in the graduate medical programmes to support and facilitate the participation of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds given SUSI is not available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42136/20]
View answerEntry to medicine in Irish HEIs is provided through both undergraduate and graduate entry routes.
HEIs operate access and foundation courses that act as an alternative means of entry for students to higher education courses. Many HEIs also participate in the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) and Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) schemes which offer places on courses on a reduced points basis to school leavers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds and students with disabilities. The operation of HEAR and DARE schemes, the number of places available and which courses are covered is a matter for each HEI.
Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, the Deputy will be aware of the recently announced €168m funding package for the return to education. This package includes a €10m access support package for higher education students. I have approved the allocation of €8.1m of this funding to top up the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). The SAF assists students in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Institutions have the autonomy to maximise the flexibility in the Student Assistance Fund to enable HEIs to support students during the COVID-19 situation. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended.
Additionally Budget 2021 provides further funding to increase support for the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) access initiative, which seeks to increase participation in Higher Education from the most economically disadvantaged students.
484. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the percentage or number of staff working with a disability within his Department and the agencies under his aegis in 2018, 2019 and 2020; and the actions being undertaken by his Department to actively recruit and retain persons with disabilities. [42145/20]
View answerPart V of the Disability Act 2005 requires that public bodies promote and support the employment of people with disabilities and ensure that 3% of staff employed by them are people with disabilities. The requirement applies to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and certain of its aegis bodies.
The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities for 2015 – 2024, commits the Government to progressively increasing the statutory target for the employment of people with disabilities from 3% to a minimum of 6% in the public sector by 2024.
While the assistance of the Public Appointments Service is sought for the majority of recruitments in my Department, my Department is committed to supporting the employment of staff members with disabilities.
Given that my Department was established in July 2020, relevant statistics for this year are in the process of being complied and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy when available.
485. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if it will be ensured that all the requirements of the Work Safely Protocol issued 20 November 2020 are implemented with particular reference to the contents of section D3 (details supplied) in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42604/20]
View answerMy Department has introduced and is implementing effective control measures on an ongoing basis to ensure that physical distancing can be observed at all times by staff in accordance with the Work Safely Protocol.
The facility to work remotely has been introduced and communications and meetings are now conducted through online platforms. Control measures have also been implemented, in accordance with the Protocol, for any essential physical meetings.
Where it is deemed essential to work from Department offices, staggered shift work patterns have been introduced to minimise the number of staff present at any one time. Adjustments have also been made to offices which reduces capacity but ensures that physical distancing can be maintained.
While the wearing of face masks is not mandatory in office locations, face masks have been provided to staff who are deemed essential, cannot work remotely and are required to be present on Department premises
486. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice if she is satisfied that the conducting of wardship cases by remote hearing is adequate to ensure that the voice of the person is being heard in view of the importance of adequately hearing the voice of the person in such cases was highlighted in 2019 by the Supreme Court; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41133/20]
View answerAs Deputy will be aware, the courts are, subject only to the constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions and the conduct of any court case is a matter entirely for the presiding judge. Also, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that the wardship list is being conducted by remote hearing, as are all High Court lists, during the current Covid-19 restrictions.
All key aspects relating to the management of the list including ensuring the voice of the person is heard, remain in place, while the management platform has changed. These aspects include the appointment of a guardian ad litem if requested or where required, facilitating the ward or respondent (those subject to a wardship application) attending the hearing remotely or in person if requested, and the appointment of an independent solicitor in addition to the guardian ad litem, where the court decides this is necessary.
I am advised that details of remote hearings are provided to practitioners representing both wards of court and respondents, guardian ad litems where appointed, the wards and respondents if requested and family members. Where a person wants to travel to the Four Courts and have the hearing conducted in person, this is also facilitated, subject to public health guidelines. Conducting the list remotely ensures the safety of wards and respondents, their families, practitioners and the staff of the Courts staff.
Section 11 of the Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020 provides for remote hearings in civil proceedings. The provisions in section 11 were developed following detailed discussions with the judiciary and the Courts Service. Remote hearings are an important tool to facilitate the efficient dispatch of court business and are a reform that was recommended in various reports as necessary changes to ensure the effective operation of the courts and to provide a better experience for users of court services.
Under section 11, a court may direct that any category or type of civil proceedings may be conducted by remote hearing, either of its own motion or on the application of any of the parties.
A court shall revoke a direction to participate in a remote hearing where, for whatever reason, it would be unfair to any of the parties to do so, or it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.
Furthermore, section 11 provides that it shall be an offence to interfere with or obstruct the electronic communications employed in the proceedings or to make any recording of the proceedings without the permission of the Court.
487. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice the funding given to Garda youth diversion projects from 2008 to date, in tabular form. [41398/20]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs) are a fundamental support to the operation of the statutory Garda Diversion Programme and provide a vital ingredient in enhancing community policing partnerships. The projects are community based multi-agency crime prevention initiatives, which are funded directly by my Department.
GYDPs seek to divert young people who have become involved, or are at risk of becoming involved, in crime/anti-social behaviour away from future involvement with the Criminal Justice System. They are primarily targeted at 12-17 year old young people in communities where a specific need for the service has been identified.
The information on hand in my Department regarding funding is laid out the following table:
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2008 |
€9m |
|
2009 |
€11.6m |
|
2010 |
€11.6m |
|
2011 |
€11.3m |
|
2012 |
€10.9m |
|
2013 |
€11.3m |
|
2014 |
€11.3m |
|
2015 |
€11.3m |
|
2016 |
€13m |
|
2017 |
€13.3m |
|
2018 |
€13.7m |
|
2019 |
€15.8m |
|
to date 2020 |
€15.9m |
488. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons that were made wards of court in 2019 and to date in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41096/20]
View answerThe High Court has jurisdiction in wards of court matters and management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions under the Courts Service Act 1998.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that there were 346 wards of court declared in 2019 and 271 wards of court declared to date in 2020.
The following revised reply was received on 13 January 2021.
The High Court has jurisdiction in wards of court matters and management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions under the Courts Service Act 1998.
There were 385 wards of court were declared in 2019 and 271 wards were declared as of 8th December 2020.
489. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Justice if her Department will proceed with plans which were abandoned in January 2020 for the staging of a State commemoration for the Royal Irish Constabulary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41128/20]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Decade of Centenaries is a programme of commemoration of the period from 1912 to 1923. The Programme is broad and inclusive, complementing the on-going programme of formal State commemorations with special centenary events on the anniversaries of key historical events. It seeks to record the economic and social conditions of the period, the shifts in cultural norms as well as the experience of the Irish abroad.
The Government’s approach is grounded in the principles laid out by the Expert Advisory Group on Centenary Commemorations. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media are responsible for the development and delivery of a cross-governmental programme to mark Phase II of the Decade of Centenaries, which is running from 2019 to 2023.
As the Deputy has referenced, an event had been planned to mark the role in Irish history of the Dublin Metropolitan Police and Royal Irish Constabulary. My predecessor decided earlier this year to defer this event pending further consultation, including with the Expert Advisory Group on Centenary Commemorations, the All-Party Consultation Group on Commemorations and with other stakeholders.
My Department is still considering how best to mark the elements of Phase II of the Decade of Centenaries programme which fall within the Justice sector, including the centenary of An Garda Síochána, the establishment of the Courts, and the history of the Department itself. However, there are no plans to reschedule the event which was postponed earlier this year.
490. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice the supports in place for members of An Garda Síochána injured in the course of their work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41142/20]
View answer491. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice the supports in place for members of An Garda Síochána that receive verbal abuse in the course of their work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41143/20]
View answer492. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice the supports in place for members of An Garda Síochána that are physically assaulted in the course of their work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41144/20]
View answer493. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice the number of members of An Garda Síochána that accessed mental health supports to date in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41145/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 490 to 493, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy is aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. This includes responsibility for personnel and human resources matters.
I have sought the information requested from An Garda Síochána and will write to the Deputy when I have received it.
494. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 117 of 31 January 2017, if the requirement from her Department for emergency medical repatriation insurance cover remains in place; if this has been communicated with the Departments of Health, Education and Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41146/20]
View answerThe requirement for health insurance, whereby students who are non-nationals are required to be in a position to maintain themselves (and not be a burden on the State) also applies to other immigration schemes and there is no intention at the moment to remove this requirement.
It has not been mandatory to have emergency medical repatriation insurance, although some insurance policies may include same. The relevant officials in the Department of Health and Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science are aware of this.
495. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice the amount of cash that has been seized by An Garda Síochána in each of the years 2015 to 2019 and to date in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41151/20]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
I have requested information from the Garda Commissioner in relation to this question and will write to the Deputy directly with the information sought, when it is available.
496. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice the number of marked jeeps that came into the Garda fleet in 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020; and the number of marked jeeps that were withdrawn from the fleet during the same period in tabular form. [41226/20]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. In addition, 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. 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, to ensure their optimum use.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that at 2 December 2020 there were 88 4x4 vehicles attached to the Garda fleet, 56 of which are marked and the remaining 32 unmarked. For the Deputy's information, the table below as provided to me by the Garda authorities, sets out the number of marked 4x4 vehicles allocated and removed from the Garda fleet in 2018, 2019 and up to including 2 December 2020.
Garda 4x4 Fleet Marked Allocations for period ended 2018-2020 to date (02/12/2020)
|
Date |
Marked |
|
02/12/2020 |
5 |
|
31/12/2019 |
8 |
|
31/12/2018 |
18
|
Garda 4x4 Fleet Marked Removals for period ended 2018-2020 to date (02/12/2020)
|
Date |
Marked |
|
02/12/2020 |
1 |
|
31/12/2019 |
6 |
|
31/12/2018 |
8 |
Garda 4x4 Fleet as on December 2 nd , 2020
|
Marked |
Unmarked |
Total |
|
56 |
32 |
88 |
* Off road Garda vehicles are classified as 4x4 on Garda Fleet
Significant capital investment is being made in An Garda Síochána, including a total of €46 million specifically for the Garda fleet between 2016 and 2021. 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.
Of this investment, a total of €9 million was made available for purchase and fit-out of additional Garda vehicles in 2020. I am also informed that in order to protect the ongoing availability of vehicles and in anticipation of the impact of public health restrictions on motor factory or fit-out workplaces, 94 additional vehicles were purchased by the Garda authorities in March 2020 at a cost of €2.4m and fit-out costs of €600,000. The allocation of these and all other vehicles in the fleet is entirely a matter for the Commissioner and his management team.
497. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice if MI5 or any other British military intelligence organisations are or have been working in Ireland over the past five years; if so, if they are operating with the licence of the policing and Army authorities of the State; and if her attention has been drawn to MI5 or any other British military intelligence organisations operating at any level here without permission of An Garda Síochána, the Army or Government. [41228/20]
View answerI am sure the Deputy will understand that it would not be appropriate, for sound reasons of security, to elaborate in any detail on what might be entailed in the Garda authorities' relationship with other security and intelligence services.
There is a long shared history between the two jurisdictions in counteracting terrorism on the Island. There are in place well established mechanisms that support high levels of cooperation between the authorities in both jurisdictions. An Garda Síochána maintains a close working relationship with the police and security services in Northern Ireland and Great Britain and, indeed, with their counterparts in the EU and other third countries in respect of ongoing international efforts to counter terrorism.
In its capacity as the State's security service, An Garda Síochána remains vigilant in relation to allegations of activities by foreign security services in this jurisdiction.
I would also make clear to the Deputy that all persons in this jurisdiction are fully subject to our laws and any evidence of breach of the criminal law would be fully pursued in the normal way by the relevant authorities.
498. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice the reason a visa applicant (details supplied) has been informed they will need to reapply and pay fresh fees for an application which was approved in April 2020 but has not issued due to Covid-19; her views on whether it is unfair that the applicant should have to pay twice when it was her Department that decided to approve a visa it could not issue; if she will arrange for the first application fee to be refunded if the applicant does need to reapply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41231/20]
View answerThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the way the Immigration Service my Department conducts its business. In line with public health advice, the Immigration Service has implemented a suite of measures to help in reducing the spread of the virus. These measures include the implementation of remote working for staff in order to comply with social and physical distancing measures and the decision to temporarily cease accepting new visa applications.
A limited resumption of visa services was announced from 22 June 2020, for Long Stay “D” visa applications, including Study, as well as those identified under the current criteria as Emergency/Priority visas. It remains the position that the Immigration Service are not accepting any short stay visa applications, except for cases that fall under the Emergency/Priority criteria.
All outstanding Short Stay “C” Visa applications were either refused, if the Visa Officer was not satisfied that a visa should be granted, or withdrawn. Applicants that had their applications withdrawn were informed that they will need to make a new visa application, and submit updated documents, when normal visa processing resumes. However, depending on the period of time that has passed and the circumstances of the particular case, if they decide to re-apply, the Immigration Service will consider waiving the fee for the new application.
Some of the Visa Offices abroad outsource certain administrative and non-judgmental tasks related to visa, passport and identity management. Separate charges are applicable for such services provided to applicants.
Queries in relation to the status of individual visa cases may be made directly to 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 is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
499. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 154 of 17 September 2020, the number of learner drivers, excluding motorcyclists, involved in fatal crashes in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020; the number of those drivers who were driving unaccompanied by a qualified driver at the time of the fatal crash by year; the number of persons who died in each of those crashes per year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41287/20]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that road safety remains a high priority for An Garda Síochána and for my Department, working closely in cooperation with the Department of Transport. Any fatality or serious injury is of great concern.
An Garda Síochána is responsible for collating information regarding road traffic collisions. I am informed that the following details the number of learner drivers (excluding motorcyclists) involved in fatal road traffic collisions in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020:
|
Year |
No. of Fatal Collisions involving a Learner Driver |
No. of associated fatalities |
No. of Fatal Collisions involving an unaccompanied Learner Driver |
|
2017 |
13 |
15 |
12 |
|
2018 |
6 |
6 |
4 |
|
2019 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
|
2020* |
6 |
6 |
5 |
* Statistics as at 31 October 2020
I am informed that that this information is based upon operational data from the Pulse or FCPS system as was available on 3 December 2020.
The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner has established the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau (GNRPB) to ensure a consistent approach to road safety and enforcement of road traffic legislation across the country. This is achieved through coordination of enforcement and development of policy based on research and analysis of statistics and by engaging in campaigns in partnership with other State Agencies.
