Written Answers Nos. 511-528
511. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the Irish Prison Service has failed to accommodate an urgent request by a cross-party group of Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas to visit E Block in Portlaoise Prison, due to a protest action and concern among prisoners and their families regarding the conditions in that area. [37172/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can inform the Deputy that I have been advised by the Irish Prison Service that the request for a cross-party group of members to visit Portlaoise Prison is currently being considered. I am further advised that the Irish Prison Service will be in touch with the Deputy in due course regarding this matter.
512. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 13 October 2015, if she will provide a breakdown, by institution, of the 1,846 women and girls confined in the Magdalene laundries during the 1920s, given that the McAleese report merely offers a breakdown of entries by decade, but not by institution (details supplied). [37292/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra513. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 13 October 2015, if she will provide a breakdown, by institution, of the 2,695 women and girls confined in the Magdalen laundries during the 1930s, given that the McAleese report merely offers a breakdown of entries by decade, but not by institution (details supplied). [37293/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra514. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 13 October 2015, if she will provide a breakdown, by institution, of the 2,498 women and girls confined in the Magdalen laundries during the 1940s, given that the McAleese report merely offers a breakdown of entries by decade, but not by institution (details supplied). [37294/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra515. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 13 October 2015, if she will provide a breakdown, by institution, of the 1,725 women and girls confined in the Magdalen laundries during the 1950s, given that the McAleese report merely offers a breakdown of entries by decade, but not by institution (details supplied). [37295/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra516. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No.167 of 13 October 2015, if she will provide a breakdown, by institution, of the 1,593 women and girls confined in the Magdalen laundries during the 1960s, given that the McAleese report merely offers a breakdown of entries by decade, but not by institution (details supplied). [37296/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra517. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 13 October 2015, if she will provide a breakdown, by institution, of the 660 women and girls confined in the Magdalen laundries during the 1970s, given that the McAleese report merely offers a breakdown of entries by decade, but not by institution (details supplied). [37297/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra518. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 13 October 2015, if she will provide a breakdown, by institution, of the 147 women and girls confined in the Magdalen laundries during the 1980s, given that the McAleese report merely offers a breakdown of entries by decade, but not by institution (details supplied). [37298/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra519. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 13 October 2015, if she will provide a breakdown, by institution, of the eight women and girls confined in the Magdalen laundries during the 1990s, given that the McAleese report merely offers a breakdown of entries by decade, but not by institution (details supplied). [37299/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 512 to 519, inclusive, together.
These questions seek a breakdown by institution of the number of women and girls in Magdalene Laundries in each the eight decades from the 1920s to the 1990s. The available statistics are those in the report of the Inter-Departmental Committee to establish the facts of State involvement with the Magdalen Laundries - otherwise known as the McAleese Report - which submitted its report to Government in February 2013. That Report is available on my Department's website - www.justice.ie. The Committee no longer exists and its report does not contain the data in the format sought in these questions.
It is important to note, by way of general information, that the McAleese Report sets out in detail the basis for its data. It further explains that the Central Statistics Office carried out a review of the database used to ensure the highest levels of professionalism and accuracy in analysis.
I understand that the main database used was based on congregations' records and was limited to 14,607 recorded admissions to Magdalen Laundries from 1922 to the closure of the last Magdalen Laundry in 1996. Because of multiple entries the total number of individuals who entered in the period in question was estimated at 10,012 - see Chapter 7 para.34 of the Report. The remit of the Committee was limited to State involvement with the Magdalen Laundries and therefore the Committee did not examine in any detail material predating the establishment of the State in 1922 - see Chapter 2 paras. 11-17. However legacy cases (i.e. women who were admitted to Magdalen Laundries before 1922 but were still there after 1922) were included separately and totalled an additional 762 women - see Chapter 8 para. 75 and following.
As pointed out in Chapter 7 paragraphs 20-30, there are gaps in available information and the records are not always clear. There is no assertion, therefore, that the database is definitive but it is the most comprehensive database available and provides a statistically sound basis for providing general information on routes of entry and exit and lengths of stay.
I also understand that the religious congregations gave full access to the Committee to their records and that these records were returned to the Congregations. I can also advise the Deputy that the McAleese Archive is not held by my Department. It has been deposited with the Department of An Taoiseach. This had been agreed as the most appropriate course of action in order to ensure the proper maintenance of the records gathered as a result of Committee's work and as a resource for future researchers.
520. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of items of legislation regarding legal birth parents' progression to become inclusive of surrogate families. [37252/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI presume that the Deputy's question concerns the legal recognition of parentage through surrogacy arrangements. As the law stands, there is no legal recognition of surrogacy arrangements although they are not prohibited. Accordingly, there is no legislation specifically recognising parenthood through surrogacy. Policy responsibility in relation to surrogacy is a matter for the Department of Health. I understand that the Department is preparing detailed proposals for the overall regulation of assisted human reproduction, including surrogacy.
521. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason persons (details supplied) have not received a genuine reply addressing their surrogacy concerns. [37253/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe persons in question have received responses in relation to the specific issues raised in their correspondence. The matters raised concern the issue of surrogacy. While the draft General Scheme of the Children and Family Relationships Bill originally included provisions concerning the recognition of certain surrogacy arrangements, these provisions were not subsequently advanced within that Bill. Policy responsibility in relation to surrogacy is a matter for the Department of Health. I understand that the Department is preparing detailed proposals for the overall regulation of assisted human reproduction, including surrogacy.
522. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of gardaí currently stationed at the Garda Síochána stations at Clondalkin Village and Ronanstown and at Lucan Village in County Dublin; her plans to increase the number of gardaí numbers at these stations in 2015; in 2016; if she will consider providing further additional resources to address the high levels of house break-ins, and other serious crime, in these areas. [37305/15]
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 continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of resources. The Garda stations mentioned are in the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) West which on the 30 September 2015, the latest date for which figures are readily available has a total Garda strength of 694, of which there are 197, 94 and 74 assigned to Clondalkin, Ronanstown and Lucan Garda stations respectively.
This Government is committed to the ongoing recruitment of trainee Gardaí, and to this end the first intake since 2009 of new recruits commenced training at the Garda College, Templemore, in September of last year. To date there has been five intakes of Garda Trainees to the Garda College, giving a total intake of 475. It is planned that a further 75 recruits will enter college by the end of November, bringing total recruitment of Garda Trainees to 550. So far 295 of the new Garda Trainees have attested as members of An Garda Síochána. On attestation, new Probationer Gardaí are assigned to Garda stations throughout the country by the Garda Commissioner, where they are assigned to mainstream uniform policing duties. I am assured by Garda management that the needs of all Garda Divisions are fully considered when determining the allocation of newly attested Gardaí.
The increased budget allocation for An Garda Síochána in 2016 which I recently announced, provides for the recruitment of 600 new Gardaí in addition to the 550 that will be recruited by year end. This will bring the total number of trainee Gardai recruited since September 2014 to 1,150 by the end of 2016. The ongoing recruitment of new Gardaí is crucial to An Garda Síochána and for the safety of communities throughout the State. This ramped-up recruitment underscores the determination of this Government to deliver an effective, responsive police service to protect our communities and respond to emerging crime trends.
This Government has also invested over €34 million in new Garda vehicles since 2012 with over 640 new vehicles coming on stream in 2015, ranging from more Garda patrol cars to high-powered vehicles for armed units. This will ensure Gardaí can be mobile, visible and responsive, on the roads and in the community. We are also investing in airborne surveillance and enhanced technology and ICT systems.
Operation Thor, a new multi-strand national anti-crime and anti-burglary operation which was launched yesterday by the Garda Commissioner will make full use of this continuing investment. Operation Thor, which has been in planning for several months, builds on previous and current Garda operations and entails a broad range of activities to tackle crime, particularly burglaries in both urban and rural communities nationwide. A further allocation of in excess of €5 million has been committed to Operation Thor. This allocation, which includes funding for Garda overtime will support a combination of additional patrols, checkpoints, rapid armed response and public awareness measures. Operation Thor will be further supported by new laws aimed at prolific offenders which I am introducing including the Criminal Justice (Burglary of Dwellings) Bill, which is currently going through the Oireachtas. That Bill will
- require the District Court to provide for consecutive jails sentences where a burglar is being sentenced for multiple offences;
- allow Courts to refuse bail for offenders who have a previous conviction for domestic burglary coupled with two or more pending charges.
I am confident that the totality of the Government's response in terms of resources and legislative initiatives will disrupt the activities of burglars, organised crime gangs and prolific offenders and will improve the safety for all communities across the country.
523. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated expenditure of her Department in 2015, in tabular form; the budget for expenditure agreed at the start of the year for 2015; the extra expenditure or savings in this budget during the year to date; when and under what process this expenditure and these savings were approved; and her Department's budget for expenditure in 2016. [37266/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe net expenditure allocation for the Justice and Equality vote (Vote 24) in 2015 is €311.126 million. As there are a number of variable expenditure amounts which remain to be quantified, it is not possible to fully determine the year end expenditure position as yet.
The net expenditure budget for the Justice and Equality vote in 2016 is €345.599 million.
524. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 168 of 13 October 2015, if she will provide a breakdown, by institution, of the 879 women and girls who died in the Magdalen laundries between 1922 and 1996, given that the McAleese report merely offers a total figure, rather than a breakdown by laundry (details supplied). [37315/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe available statistics are those in the report of the Inter-Departmental Committee to establish the facts of State involvement with the Magdalen Laundries - otherwise known as the McAleese Report - which submitted its report to Government in February 2013. That Report is available on my Department's website - www.justice.ie. This Committee no longer exists. As advised in my response to Dáil Question No. 168 of 13th October 2015, the McAleese Report did not try to establish an exact number for deaths that took place in Magdalen Laundries. The Report states that these searches were complex and that there were gaps in available information as well as difficulties with identifying and matching records for a variety of reasons. Further, the Report points out that an examination of grave sites would not in itself provide a definitive figure for those who died in Magdalen laundries. Specific issues that had been raised around death registration, burials and exhumations are addressed in Chapter 16 of Report.
525. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 168 of 13 October 2015, the way the interdepartmental committee arrived at the conclusion, at chapter 16, Summary of Findings, that 879 deaths represents 8.8% of the estimated number of admissions to the Magdalene laundries, given that 879 is not 8.8% of any of the three total figures cited by the McAleese report (details supplied). [37316/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Inter-Departmental Committee to establish the facts of State involvement with the Magdalen Laundries - otherwise known as the McAleese Report - submitted its report to Government in February 2013. That Report is available on my Department's website - www.justice.ie. The Committee, with Dr. McAleese as its independent Chair, was established in July 2011 and no longer exists. I can advise the Deputy that the Committee's Report did not try to establish a definitive number for deaths that took place in Magdalen Laundries. However, in its summary of findings for Chapter 16 it states that "his Chapter applies only to the small number of women who remained in the Magdalen Laundries until their death or who, after death elsewhere, were buried there. These cases represent approximately 8.8% of the estimated number of women to have been admitted to the Magdalen Laundries".
I understand that the main database used was based on congregations' records and was limited to 14,607 recorded admissions to Magdalen Laundries from 1922 to closure of the last Magdalen Laundry in 1996. Because of multiple entries the total number of individuals who entered in the period in question was estimated at 10,012 - see Chapter 7 para.34. The number of deaths occurring in the Laundries from 1922 was estimated at 879 which is approximately 8.8% of 10,012.
526. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of women who died in the Magdalen laundries who were taken home to be buried by their families, as stated in chapter 16, section 34 of the McAleese report. [37317/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe available statistics are those in the report of the Inter-Departmental Committee to establish the facts of State involvement with the Magdalen Laundries - otherwise known as the McAleese Report - which submitted its report to Government in February 2013. The Report is available on my Department's website - www.justice.ie. That Committee no longer exists and its report does not contain information with regard to the number of women who died in the Magdalen Laundries and were taken home to be buried by their families.
I can advise the Deputy that the Committee's Report did not try to establish a definitive number for deaths that took place in Magdalen Laundries. However, in its summary of findings for Chapter 16 it states that "This Chapter applies only to the small number of women who remained in the Magdalen Laundries until their death or who, after death elsewhere, were buried there. These cases represent approximately 8.8% of the estimated number of women to have been admitted to the Magdalen Laundries"
527. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the allocation for her Department in 2016 which covers the Lansdowne Road agreement; and the demographic or other inflationary pressures. [37282/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe net expenditure budget for the Justice and Equality vote (Vote 24) in 2016 is €345.599 million and this includes provision for a number of budgetary factors including centralised pay agreements such as the Haddington Road and Lansdowne Road Agreements.
528. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will ensure that persons visiting the Garda Síochána National Immigration Bureau offices receive information in the location of the processes involved, in terms of both getting work and getting a personal public service number. [37332/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer the Deputy to my reply to his question of 6 October, 2015 (Question No. 433) which sets out the position in this regard.
The purpose of non-EEA nationals attending at the Registration Office, Garda National Immigration Bureau is to obtain or renew permission to be in the State and to furnish particulars as required as part of the registration process pursuant to Section 9 of the Immigration Act, 2004. On completion of the registration process, the non-EEA national is issued with a registration certificate. In addition an inscription is placed on his/her passport on behalf of the Minister, authorising the non-EEA national to be in the State.
Information is provided regarding the requirements for registration and in relation to the particular permission to remain sought (e.g. work or study). This information is available on both the GNIB and Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) website. It is the case that those who are primarily coming to work in the State will usually have obtained an employment permit from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation before they complete their registration obligations.
Matters concerning the issuing of PPS numbers and the securing of employment do not come within the remit of the aforementioned process. The terms and conditions for issuing a PPS number to a non-EEA national and the methods for providing information are a matter for the Department of Social Protection. Similarly the requirements for the issue of an Employment Permit and the provision of information are a matter for the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.
