Written Answers Nos. 693-708
693. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding citizenship in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23075/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that a valid application for a certificate of naturalisation has been received from the person referred to by the Deputy.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process. The application is at an advanced stage of processing and the person concerned will be informed of my decision in due course.
The Deputy may wish to note that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been established specifically 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 INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
694. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a person (details supplied) will be transferred from Maghaberry Prison to Portlaoise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23080/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the application received under the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Act 1995 and 1997 from the person referred to is currently receiving the attention of the Chief State Solicitor's Office.
I decide on all such requests following the collation of a number of reports from various agencies setting out the consequences of such a transfer.
For any such transfer to take place, the consent of all three parties in the process is required i.e. the sentencing State, the receiving State and the sentenced person.
The Deputy should note however, that the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons does not confer an automatic right on any prisoner to be transferred nor does it confer an obligation on any state to comply with a transfer request.
695. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there will be more gardaí stationed in Askeaton; and the total number of gardaí currently serving this area. [23088/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, including Community Gardaí, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.
I have however been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of Askeaton Garda Station on 31 March 2014, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 10. Askeaton Garda Station forms part of the Newcastle West Garda District in the Limerick Garda Division. The personnel strength of the Newcastle West District and the Limerick Garda Division on the same date was 79 and 583, respectfully. There are also 51 Garda Reserves and 48 Civilians attached to Limerick Garda Division.
Resources are further augmented, where necessary, by a number of Garda National Units such as the Garda National Drugs Unit (GNDU), the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI), the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and other specialised units.
696. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda personnel, Garda vehicles and Garda reserves for the DMR North district and sub-districts broken down by station in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23090/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel, among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources. Decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda vehicles are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources.
Responsibility for the efficient deployment of Garda vehicles in each Division is assigned to the Divisional Officer, who may allocate vehicles between stations, as required by operational circumstances. The Deputy will appreciate that a degree of flexibility in allocating and re-allocating vehicles among stations, so as to best match the allocation of resources with policing priorities, is essential to the efficient management of the Garda fleet. As a consequence it is not fully practicable to provide a breakdown of Garda vehicles by individual station.
I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the allocation of vehicles in the DMR North Division at 22 May 2014 is as shown in the following table.
|
- |
No. of vehicles at 22 May 2014 |
|
Balbriggan District |
9 |
|
Ballymun District |
52 |
|
Coolock District |
30 |
|
Raheny District |
18 |
I have also been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of each Garda Station in the DMR North Division, broken down the full time members, Garda Reserves and Civilians, on 31 March 2014, the latest date for which figures are readily available, is a set out in the following table.
|
District/Station |
Strength |
Garda Reserves |
Civilians |
|
Balbriggan |
- |
- |
- |
|
Balbriggan |
62 |
5 |
5 |
|
Garristown |
2 |
- |
- |
|
Lusk |
11 |
- |
- |
|
Skerries |
10 |
1 |
|
|
Ballymun |
- |
- |
- |
|
Ballymun |
117 |
11 |
12 |
|
Dublin Airport |
24 |
1 |
|
|
Santry |
93 |
9 |
4 |
|
Coolock |
- |
- |
- |
|
Coolock |
112 |
8 |
11 |
|
Malahide |
33 |
2 |
1 |
|
Swords |
73 |
10 |
2 |
|
Raheny |
- |
- |
- |
|
Clontarf |
69 |
4 |
1 |
|
Howth |
39 |
3 |
1 |
|
Raheny |
60 |
8 |
6 |
697. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 194 of 17 April 2014, if she has received the report; if she has had an opportunity to consult with the other relevant Departments; and if she will make proposals to address this issue. [23135/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will recall this matter arose in the context of a debate on the Misuse of Motor Vehicles (Public Spaces) Bill 2012. The Deputy will also appreciate that the issues arising involve a number of Government Departments.
In this regard my Department has been in contact with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. The report from the Garda authorities referred to by the Deputy is awaited. Further consideration of these matters by the relevant Departments is required and my Department will contribute to this process as appropriate in consultation with the Garda authorities.
699. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide an update on a criminal injuries tribunal (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23143/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can inform the Deputy that under the terms of the Scheme of Compensation for Personal Injuries Criminally Inflicted that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal is entirely independent in the matter of individual applications that fall to be considered under the Scheme. However, in order to be of assistance in the matter I have had enquiries made with the Tribunal on the Deputy's behalf.
I understand that the application referred to by the Deputy is being actively processed by the Tribunal. I am also informed that the Tribunal is awaiting a Garda report, which is standard procedure, into the circumstances of the incident in which the person concerned was injured. I am further informed that when the report from the Gardaí comes to hand, a copy will be forwarded to the applicant before the file is submitted to a Tribunal member for consideration.
701. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of offences recorded for keeping brothels which resulted in a conviction or the application of the Probation Act 1907 since the 27 of July 2011. [23248/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose.
I have requested the CSO to provide statistics directly to the Deputy.
702. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a replacement proof of citizenship will be provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford as their first time passport application cannot be issued without same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23294/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhere a person has lost their certificate, they may apply to the citizenship section of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) for a Statement confirming their Irish citizenship. The Passport Office requires the original statement to be submitted with a passport application. If the person concerned has lost the original of the statement issued in 1996, then they should contact the citizenship section of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service to request a new statement.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS 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 INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
703. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the action open to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 who has Garda clearance since 1994 and has worked with vulnerable persons but recently had false information about them on file flagged when they applied for Garda clearance for another position; the procedures in place for this person who suspects their name was used by another person or by someone with the same name; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23334/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraGarda vetting is conducted by the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) for organisations registered with the Unit for that purpose.
Procedures in place with registered organisations for Garda Vetting are that vetting subjects give their written authorisation on a Garda Vetting application form for An Garda Síochána to furnish a statement that there are no convictions recorded against them in the Republic of Ireland or elsewhere, or a statement of all convictions and/or prosecutions, successful or not, pending or completed in the State or elsewhere as the case may be, in respect of them to the Registered Organisation.
In instances where vetting subjects dispute the accuracy of details contained in disclosures provided by the GCVU there is a Dispute Procedure in place with all Registered Organisations for Garda Vetting and all Authorised Signatories within the organisations concerned have been trained in respect of operating it.
I am informed by the Garda Authorities that the Registered Organisation in question in this instance has not indicated as yet to the GCVU that it intends to initiate the Dispute Procedure in respect of the person referred to by the Deputy. In the circumstances I think the best approach would be for the person concerned to raise this issue with the Registered Organisation and any possible inaccuracies in the vetting disclosure can then be inquired into.
706. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of early intervention teams on the north side of Dublin and the areas they serve; the waiting time for assessments in each team; when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11, who has serious behavioural problems, will be assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22244/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
707. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if financial assistance will be provided to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry to assist with the costs of transport to a Health Service Executive day centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22451/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
708. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to fix the medical card limits in the finance Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22582/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI take it the Deputy is referring to the income limits for an over 70s medical card. In Budget 2014, it was announced that limits were to be at €500 per week for a single person and at €900 per week for a couple. The new income limits were effective from 1st January 2014 under the Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility ) (No.2 ) Act, 2013. The Finance Bill gives effects to taxation measures announced, in the main, in Budget 2014.
