Parliamentary questions

Data Protection

Maureen O'Sullivan

89. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if personal information collated by Seetec working on behalf of his Department is stored on databases outside Ireland, which are soon to be outside EU jurisdiction; and his views on whether this infringes on the privacy of persons by allowing their personal information to be stored on databases over which the State has no control. [2577/17]

Free Travel Scheme

Willie O'Dea

90. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to a report which proposes a €50 annual charge on the free travel pass; if he will give a commitment that no such charge will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2723/17]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Howlin

91. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he has recently met the UUP, SDLP and other Northern Ireland opposition parties; and his plans to do so. [2784/17]

Departmental Staff Data

Dara Calleary

92. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Taoiseach the number of Secretaries General in his Department; the annual pay of each Secretary General in his Department at 1 January 2017; and the expected change in that pay as a consequence of the provisions of the Lansdowne Road agreement. [2915/17]

Departmental Staff Data

Dara Calleary

93. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Taoiseach the number of assistant secretaries general in his Department; the annual pay of each assistant secretary general in his Department at 1 January 2017; and the expected change in that pay as a consequence of the provisions of the Lansdowne Road agreement. [2931/17]

Garda Misconduct Allegations

Niall Collins

94. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to media reports of allegations of sexual assault by members of An Garda Síochána (details supplied) in Limerick; the course of action she intends to take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2538/17]

Garda Vetting Applications

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

95. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current waiting time for the processing of Garda vetting applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2553/17]

Garda Vetting Applications

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

96. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will consider the use of Pobal when processing Garda vetting applications for those persons seeking work in the early years sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2554/17]

Residency Permits

James Lawless

97. Deputy James Lawless asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of a visa application for a person (details supplied). [2597/17]

Family Law Cases

Clare Daly

98. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to reform legislation such that persons who are unhappy with the professional conduct of psychologists, psychotherapists or psychiatrists during the compiling of a section 47 report can have their complaints investigated by the relevant accrediting bodies in view of the fact that accrediting bodies currently refuse to investigate such complaints, citing the Judicial Separation and Family Law Reform Act 1989. [2609/17]

Deportation Orders Re-examination

Bernard Durkan

99. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will defer the deportation of a person (details supplied); if she will review this case as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2640/17]

Traveller Community

Joan Collins

100. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when she will introduce legislation to recognise Traveller ethnicity. [2645/17]

Policing Co-operation

Jonathan O'Brien

101. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the letter from the PSNI to the British Metropolitan Police requesting that it contact An Garda Síochána regarding undercover policing by the British Metropolitan Police's special demonstration squad on the island of Ireland has been brought to her attention; and if the British Metropolitan Police has been in touch with An Garda Síochána further to this request from the PSNI. [2688/17]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Dara Calleary

102. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the arrangements in place for the provision of essential services at a refugee centre (details supplied) in County Roscommon; the details of the tender process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2713/17]

Deportation Orders Data

Bernard Durkan

103. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of undocumented persons deported from Ireland in the past 12 months to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2745/17]

Garda Vetting Applications

Jonathan O'Brien

104. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the delay in a Garda vetting application for a person (details supplied); and the reason for the delay in completing such applications. [2800/17]

Gambling Legislation

Jonathan O'Brien

105. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to table the gambling control Bill; when she expects to do so; the status of efforts the Government is making to prevent gambling addiction here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2813/17]

Gender Recognition

Jonathan O'Brien

106. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide the protocol for transgender prisoners within State prisons, in terms of health care and accommodating them in prisons of their self-identified gender; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2814/17]

Gambling Legislation

Jim O'Callaghan

107. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status and timeframe for the gambling control Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2817/17]

Property Services Regulatory Authority

John McGuinness

108. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of complaints received by the Property Services Regulatory Authority in each of the past six years; the number of preliminary and full investigations carried out to date; the number of draft reports issued; the number of draft reports outstanding that have yet to be concluded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2831/17]

Court Accommodation Refurbishment

Willie Penrose

109. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the likely date for the reopening of Mullingar courthouse following its significant refurbishment and renewal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2844/17]

Visa Applications

Jim O'Callaghan

110. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the processing of de facto visas may take up to six months whereas applications for other visas, such as employment visas, can often be processed within three weeks, with appeals for de facto visas taking approximately six months to process; the reason applications for de facto visa cannot be started from abroad before coming here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2846/17]

Prisoner Data

Éamon Ó Cuív

111. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of life sentence prisoners committed to prison in 2016; the number of prisoners released from prison; the number recalled to prison; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2861/17]

Prisoner Data

Éamon Ó Cuív

112. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the average length of time life sentence prisoners served in prison prior to their release in 2016; the total number of life sentence prisoners in custody; the total number of life sentence prisoners on release in the community at the end of 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2862/17]

Garda Districts

Brendan Howlin

113. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans for the reinstatement of Gorey Garda station, County Wexford, to full district status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2867/17]

Leave to Remain

Bernard Durkan

114. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 128 of 17 January 2017, if she will outline the decision reached in the case of persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2872/17]

Garda Deployment

Thomas P. Broughan

115. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the additional personnel and specialist equipment that will be allocated to the Garda national bureau of criminal investigation, the Garda national technical bureau and the Garda national protective services bureau, respectively, in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2880/17]

Citizenship Applications

Bernard Durkan

116. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of an application for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2885/17]

Citizenship Applications

Bernard Durkan

117. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in the determination of an application for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2888/17]

Leave to Remain

Bernard Durkan

118. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the documentation outstanding regarding an application for leave to remain in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2894/17]

Departmental Expenditure

Dara Calleary

119. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the changes that will be required in her Department's 2017 budget to account for the extra €25 million allocated towards pay issues post-budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2899/17]

Departmental Staff Data

Dara Calleary

120. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Secretaries General in her Department; the annual pay of each Secretary General within her Department at 1 January 2017; the expected change in that pay as a consequence of the provisions of the Lansdowne Road agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2912/17]

Departmental Staff Data

Dara Calleary

121. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of assistant secretaries general in her Department; the annual pay of each assistant secretary general within her Department at 1 January 2017; the expected change in that pay as a consequence of the provisions of the Lansdowne Road agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2928/17]

Legal Aid Service

Clare Daly

122. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to streamline the legal aid process to enable one application to cover the inclusion of a solicitor on the legal aid panel for all counties rather than the current situation whereby each county operates their own system of paperwork and applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2958/17]

Legal Advice

Clare Daly

123. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to reform the legal aid custody advice scheme, particularly with regard to any consideration being given to the fees associated with same. [2959/17]

Courts Staff

Clare Daly

124. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 128 of 22 November 2016, whereby she stated that 22 of the present District Court judges were presiding in jurisdictions in which they had previously practised as a solicitor, if she will clarify those judges of the 22 that are in a permanent placement in their area of previous practice rather than a temporary assignment. [2960/17]

Courts Service Data

Thomas P. Broughan

125. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of drink driving cases that were affected by the issuing of the Garda certificate in Irish, by county; the number of these that were dismissed or struck out; the number that have been adjourned awaiting the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling due in June 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2978/17]

Commissioner of Valuation

Jackie Cahill

126. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the Commissioner of Valuation is of the view that the introduction of a regional structure for the Valuation Office is not in line with the current operational requirements and work programmes of the organisation; the reason it is not at present under consideration, in view of the fact that the Valuation Office's work regularly brings staff to all counties and furthermore regional remote working offices were piloted for a nine month period in 2016 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3023/17]

Garda Recruitment

John Curran

127. Deputy John Curran asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new entrants recruited to An Garda Síochána in 2016; the number of members that retired from An Garda Síochána in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3117/17]

Garda Data

John Curran

128. Deputy John Curran asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda currently stationed at Clondalkin, Lucan, Ronanstown and Rathcoole; the comparable figures for each of the years 2012 to 2015, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3118/17]

Protected Disclosures

Richard Boyd Barrett

129. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which a member of the public can bring forward information or make a submission to the Garda whistleblowers inquiry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3131/17]

Departmental Staff Data

Jackie Cahill

130. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of persons employed at her Department's office at Davis Street, Tipperary town, County Tipperary; the way in which this compares each year since it opened; if there is physical capacity in these offices for further decentralisation of jobs; her plans in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3151/17]

National Women's Strategy

Mattie McGrath

131. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the national women’s strategy; the groups and organisations that contributed to the formation of the strategy; the measures the strategy will utilise to support stay-at-home parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3162/17]

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Catherine Murphy

132. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding incorporating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into law; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3163/17]

Garda Deployment

Denise Mitchell

133. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she has reviewed the possibility of providing additional Garda to DMR north to address drugs issues in the area. [3204/17]

Mortgage Interest Relief Expenditure

Ruth Coppinger

134. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Finance the cost over the next five years of increasing mortgage interest relief for landlords to 100%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2544/17]

Help-To-Buy Scheme Eligibility

Michael Healy-Rae

135. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Finance his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the help-to-buy scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2681/17]

Help-To-Buy Scheme Eligibility

Brendan Griffin

136. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Finance the rights and recourse a first time buyer has in the event of a builder or developer refusing to complete the required forms to enable the buyer to avail of the new first time buyers scheme; if there is an alternative route for the buyer to follow in such circumstances to avail of the grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2572/17]

Revenue Commissioners Powers

Mick Barry

137. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Finance if the auditor that failed to detect the wrongdoing at an organisation (details supplied) and was subsequently reported to the Revenue Commissioners by a whistleblower, was then subsequently reported by the Revenue Commissioners to the Chartered Accountants Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2613/17]

Private Rented Accommodation

Brendan Howlin

138. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Finance the status of action 9 of the strategy for the private rental market which sets out that his Department will establish a working group on tax and fiscal treatment of rental accommodation providers in the first quarter of 2017; the terms of reference for the working group; if the working group has met; the membership of the working group; if the group will provide opportunities for outside engagement and submissions; the timeline for the group to produce a final report; if the work of this group will encompass the consideration of tax relief for renters recently referred to by the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government or if that matter will be considered by a separate group; if so, if he will provide the same details requested in relation to the working group on tax and fiscal treatment of rental accommodation providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2622/17]