Written Answers Nos. 268-291
268. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of appeals made regarding rateable valuations to the Valuation tribunal for each local authority area under the revaluation 2017 programme, in tabular form. [50098/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra269. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of appeals made regarding rateable valuations of commercial property to the Valuation tribunal for each local authority area revalued under the national revaluation programme, in tabular form. [50099/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 268 and 269 together.
The Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 provide for the valuation of all commercial and industrial property for rating purposes. The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Acts and the making of valuations for rating purposes is his sole responsibility. I, as Minister for Justice and Equality, have no role in decisions in this regard.
Having a modern valuation base is very important for the levying of commercial rates on a fair and equitable basis across all economic sectors. As the Deputy will be aware this has been the policy of successive governments and is the express purpose of the National Revaluation Programme now being rolled out by the Valuation Office.
In relation to the information sought, it should be noted that prior to the commencement of the Valuation (Amendment) Act 2015 a ratepayer could appeal a final valuation firstly to the Commissioner of Valuation and subsequently to the Valuation Tribunal. Since the passing of this Act, appeals are now made solely to the Valuation Tribunal. Appeals from the recently completed Reval 2017 programme (including the second revaluation of South Dublin County Council rating authority area) were made under the new provisions for the first time. It continues to be the case that, when a ratepayer is provided with a proposed valuation earlier in the valuation process, he/she can make representations to the Valuation Office if dissatisfied.
The information sought by the Deputy is relation to appeals to the Valuation Tribunal is contained in the following table.
|
Year Revaluation Completed |
Rating Authority |
Number of appeals to Valuation Tribunal |
Overall Appeal Rate to Valuation Tribunal (%) |
|
2007 |
South Dublin County Council |
228 |
3.29% |
|
2009 |
Fingal County Council |
100 |
1.63% |
|
2010 |
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council |
303 |
5.83% |
|
2013 |
Dublin City Council |
927 |
4.54% |
|
2013 |
Waterford City and County Council |
74 |
1.87% |
|
2014 |
Limerick City and County Council |
68 |
1.03% |
|
2017 |
Carlow County Council |
119 |
5.98% |
|
2017 |
Kildare County Council |
225 |
4.45% |
|
2017 |
Kilkenny County Council |
196 |
6.85% |
|
2017 |
Leitrim County Council |
33 |
3.05% |
|
2017 |
Longford County Council |
47 |
3.36% |
|
2017 |
Offaly County Council |
62 |
2.49% |
|
2017 |
Roscommon County Council |
93 |
4.45% |
|
2017 |
Sligo County Council |
98 |
4.42% |
|
2017 |
South Dublin County Council (2nd Reval) |
274 |
3.97% |
|
2017 |
Westmeath County Council |
124 |
4.16% |
270. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the bodies under the aegis of his Department which receive in excess of €1 million funding per annum; the public funding received by these bodies; the bodies for which 50% or more of their income comes from public sources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50119/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that in excess of €1 million was provided under my Department's Vote to the following bodies during 2016, the most recent full year for which such information is available. I am informed that all of these bodies receive 50% or more of their income from public sources.
|
Body |
€ |
|
Foroige |
5,395,315 |
|
Youth Work Ireland |
4,297,649 |
|
P.A.C.E. |
1,595,030 |
|
Crosscare |
1,563,479 |
|
The National Collective of Community Based Women’s Networks |
1,385,000 |
|
Pavee Point |
1,316,377 |
|
IASIO |
1,231,250 |
|
Le Cheile |
1,139,000 |
271. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the crime statistics for the Garda R and J districts for the first ten months of 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50153/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of the official recorded crime statistics. To be of assistance, I have requested the CSO to forward the available statistics directly to the Deputy.
272. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí assigned to the Tipperary, Waterford and Carlow Kilkenny Garda divisions in the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50164/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources.
I am informed by the Commissioner that on the 30 September 2017, the latest date for which figures are readily available, the strength of the Tipperary Division, Waterford Division and the Kilkenny/Carlow Division was 372, 285 and 318 respectively. There are also 18 Garda Reserves and 40 civilians attached to the Tipperary Division, 19 Reserves and 30 civilians attached to the Waterford Division and 26 Reserves and 31 civilians attached to the Kilkenny/Carlow Division. When appropriate, the work of local Gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Armed Response Unit, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
I am further informed by the Commissioner that since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, close to 1,400 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide, 35, 49 and 44 of whom were assigned to the Tipperary Division, Waterford Division and the Kilkenny/Carlow Division respectively. In addition, another 200 trainee Garda are scheduled to attest next month which will see Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, increase to around the 13,500 mark by year end - an increase of 500 since the end of 2016.
This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and to deter crime. The substantial increase in Garda numbers is tangible progress on achieving this Government’s vision of an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians.
I am pleased to say that Budget 2018 will support the continuation of this high level of investment in the Garda workforce and ensure that the vision of an overall workforce of 21,000 by 2021 remains on track. A further 800 new Garda Recruits will enter the Garda College, an additional 500 civilians will also be recruited to fill critical skills gaps across the organisation and to facilitate the redeployment of Gardaí from administrative and technical duties to front-line operational duties. There are plans to strengthen the Garda Reserve with new Reserves expected to commence training early in 2018.
This focus on investment in personnel is critical. The moratorium on recruitment introduced in 2010 resulted in a significant reduction in the strength of An Garda Síochána. We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources needed to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí across every Garda Division, including the Tipperary Division, Waterford Division and the Kilkenny/Carlow Division, in the coming years.
The strength of the Tipperary Division, Waterford Division and the Kilkenny/Carlow Division in each of the years 2013-2016 and on 30 September 2017, the latest date for which figures are readily available from An Garda Síochána, are as set out in the following table.
|
Garda Strength by Division 2013 - 2017 |
|||||
|
Division |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017* |
|
Tipperary |
371 |
359 |
354 |
364 |
372 |
|
Waterford |
274 |
274 |
282 |
277 |
285 |
|
Kilkenny/Carlow |
289 |
279 |
284 |
296 |
318 |
*Up to 30 September 2017
273. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda mountain bikes purchased in 2016 and to date in 2017; if further funding has been made available to purchase additional bikes in 2018. [50228/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda resources, including mountain bikes, are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that no mountain bikes were purchased by An Garda Síochána in 2016 and to date in 2017.
I am further informed that in late 2015, 100 mountain bikes were purchased and that these were distributed to Divisions in early 2016. I understand that, based on operational requirements, there are no plans to purchase additional bikes in 2018.
274. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to meet the US Secretary for Homeland Security. [50230/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have no plans at present to meet the US Secretary for Homeland Security.
275. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to provide funding to purchase high-powered unmarked motorcycles for the Garda traffic corps. [50231/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, 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 and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
The Deputy will be aware that there has been unprecedented investment in the Garda Fleet in recent years with some €46 million being invested over the lifetime of the Government's Capital Plan 2016 - 2021 to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit for purpose fleet.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that, as at 13 November 2017 (the latest date for which figures are available), there were some 131 motorcycles in the Garda fleet and that some 12 marked 1200cc motorcycles were recently delivered to An Garda Síochána and will be allocated shortly.
I am further informed that there are currently no plans to purchase unmarked motorcycles.
276. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of deportation orders which have been signed in each of the years 2000 to 2016, inclusive, and to date in 2017, on a yearly basis; the number of deportations that have been effected on a yearly basis in each of the years 2000 to 2016, inclusive, and to date in 2017; the cost for same for the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50311/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the figures requested by the Deputy are as set out in the tables below.
The statutory criteria which must be considered in relation to a decision to make a deportation order under section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1999 include national security and public policy, the character and conduct of the person concerned and the common good. In determining whether to make a deportation order, in addition to the factors set out in Section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1999, all relevant constitutional and international human rights arising including those enshrined in the Refugee Convention, the UN Convention Against Torture and the European Charter of Human Rights must be considered. The question of not returning a person to a place where certain fundamental rights would be breached (or non refoulement as it is commonly referred to) is also fully considered in every case when deciding whether or not to make a deportation order. This involves consideration of whether returning the person would result in the life or freedom of that person being threatened on account of his or her race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, or whether the person would be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
A deportation order requires the person concerned to remove themselves from the State and it is only where they fail to do so that the State is forced to remove them and enforce the rule of law. The enforcement of deportation orders is an operational matter for the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). The costs for effecting deportations for the period requested by the Deputy of almost 18 years is in the order of €16.2m.
Deportation orders signed by Year 2000 to date (Up to and including 23/11/2017)
|
Year |
Deportations Signed |
|
2000 |
767 |
|
2001 |
1,690 |
|
2002 |
2,052 |
|
2003 |
2,093 |
|
2004 |
2,641 |
|
2005 |
1,723 |
|
2006 |
1,406 |
|
2007 |
373 |
|
2008 |
705 |
|
2009 |
1,012 |
|
2010 |
1,027 |
|
2011 |
1,361 |
|
2012 |
1,624 |
|
2013 |
1,776 |
|
2014 |
732 |
|
2015 |
760 |
|
2016 |
1,191 |
|
2017 |
829 |
|
Total |
23,762 |
Deportations Effected by year 2000 - 2017 (up to and including 23/11/2017).
|
Year |
Deportations effected |
|
2000 |
177 |
|
2001 |
311 |
|
2002 |
410 |
|
2003 |
522 |
|
2004 |
554 |
|
2005 |
386 |
|
2006 |
293 |
|
2007 |
140 |
|
2008 |
160 |
|
2009 |
336 |
|
2010 |
341 |
|
2011 |
279 |
|
2012 |
302 |
|
2013 |
209 |
|
2014 |
114 |
|
2015 |
251 |
|
2016 |
428 |
|
2017 |
129 |
|
Total |
5,342 |
277. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the top three nationalities deported in each of the years 2000 to 2016, inclusive, and to date in 2017; the number of persons who have been refused leave to enter the State in each of the years 2000 to 2016, inclusive, and to date in 2017; and according to nationality the number that were failed asylum applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50312/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the information requested by the Deputy is as set out in the tables below.
The statutory criteria which must be considered in relation to a decision to make a deportation order under section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1999 include national security and public policy, the character and conduct of the person concerned and the common good. In determining whether to make a deportation order, in addition to the factors set out in Section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1999, I must also consider all relevant constitutional and international human rights arising including those enshrined in the Refugee Convention, the UN Convention Against Torture and the European Charter of Human Rights. The question of not returning a person to a place where certain fundamental rights would be breached (or non refoulement as it is commonly referred to) is fully considered in every case when deciding whether or not to make a deportation order. This involves consideration of whether returning the person would result in the life or freedom of that person being threatened on account of his or her race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, or whether the person would be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
A deportation order requires the person concerned to remove themselves from the State and it is only where they fail to do so that the State is forced to remove them and enforce the rule of law.
It is to be noted that the enforcement of deportation orders is an operational matter for the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
Table 1: Individuals deported broken down by top 3 Nationalities from 2000 to 2017 (up to and including 25/11/2017)
|
Year |
Nationality 1 |
Nationality 2 |
Nationality 3 |
|
2000 |
Poland |
Romania |
Czech Republic |
|
2001 |
Romania |
Czech Republic |
Poland |
|
2002 |
Romania |
Czech Republic |
Poland |
|
2003 |
Romania |
Czech Republic |
China |
|
2004 |
Romania |
Nigeria |
Moldova |
|
2005 |
Nigeria |
Romania |
China |
|
2006 |
Romania |
Nigeria |
China |
|
2007 |
China |
Nigeria |
Brazil |
|
2008 |
Nigeria |
China |
Brazil |
|
2009 |
Nigeria |
South Africa |
Brazil |
|
2010 |
Nigeria |
Georgia |
Moldova |
|
2011 |
Nigeria |
South Africa |
Georgia |
|
2012 |
Nigeria |
Pakistan |
Georgia |
|
2013 |
Nigeria |
China (Including Hong Kong) |
Mauritius |
|
2014 |
China (Including Hong Kong) |
Nigeria |
Malaysia |
|
2015 |
Nigeria |
China (Including Hong Kong) |
Mauritius |
|
2016 |
Nigeria |
China (Including Hong Kong) |
Ghana |
|
2017 (to date) |
China (Including Hong Kong) |
Nigeria |
Pakistan |
Table 2: The number of persons that have been refused leave to enter the State in each of the years 2002 to 2017 is provided in the following table.
|
Year |
Number of refused leave to land |
|
2000 |
5,852 |
|
2001 |
5,388 |
|
2002 |
4,417 |
|
2003 |
4,827 |
|
2004 |
4,477 |
|
2005 |
4,433 |
|
2006 |
5,366 |
|
2007 |
5,854 |
|
2008 |
5,390 |
|
2009 |
3,252 |
|
2010 |
2,941 |
|
2011 |
2,308 |
|
2012 |
1,958 |
|
2013 |
1,844 |
|
2014 |
2,147 |
|
2015 |
3,451 |
|
2016 |
3,951 |
|
2017 to 1/9 * |
2,578 |
* The figure for 2017 is provisional and subject to change.
Table 3: Number of individuals who claimed asylum who were then deported broken down by top 3 Nationalities from 2000 to 2017 (up to and including 25/11/2017)
|
Year |
Nationality 1 |
Number |
Nationality 2 |
Number |
Nationality 3 |
Number |
|
2000 |
Poland |
57 |
Romania |
55 |
Czech Republic |
30 |
|
2001 |
Romania |
106 |
Czech Republic |
60 |
Poland |
44 |
|
2002 |
Romania |
103 |
Czech Republic |
62 |
Poland |
57 |
|
2003 |
Romania |
148 |
Czech Republic |
66 |
Poland |
35 |
|
2004 |
Romania |
226 |
Nigeria |
73 |
Moldova |
53 |
|
2005 |
Nigeria |
130 |
Romania |
113 |
Croatia |
17 |
|
2006 |
Romania |
93 |
Nigeria |
78 |
Moldova |
18 |
|
2007 |
China |
35 |
Nigeria |
33 |
Moldova |
11 |
|
2008 |
Nigeria |
81 |
China |
13 |
Moldova |
6 |
|
2009 |
Nigeria |
213 |
Georgia |
13 |
South Africa |
9 |
|
2010 |
Nigeria |
195 |
Georgia |
43 |
Moldova |
9 |
|
2011 |
Nigeria |
119 |
Georgia |
18 |
Moldova |
17 |
|
2012 |
Nigeria |
77 |
Pakistan |
35 |
Georgia |
27 |
|
2013 |
Nigeria |
51 |
Albania |
15 |
Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The |
10 |
|
2014 |
Nigeria |
20 |
China (Including Hong Kong) |
12 |
Somalia |
6 |
|
2015 |
Nigeria |
107 |
China (Including Hong Kong) |
15 |
Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The |
8 |
|
2016 |
Nigeria |
173 |
China (Including Hong Kong) |
56 |
Ghana |
16 |
|
2017 |
China (Including Hong Kong) |
96 |
Nigeria |
27 |
Pakistan |
15 |
279. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the public contracts between his Department and companies (details supplied) in each of the years 2011 to 2016, inclusive; the value of each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50405/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the following payments were made to the specified companies for the requested years.
|
Year |
Ernst & Young |
Deloitte & Touche |
KPMG |
|
2011 |
- |
€6,061 |
- |
|
2012 |
- |
- |
- |
|
2013 |
- |
- |
- |
|
2014 |
- |
- |
- |
|
2015 |
€27,148 |
- |
- |
|
2016 |
€17,737 |
€2,767 |
- |
280. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the meaning of the Taoiseach’s comment during Leaders' Questions on 21 November 2017 regarding the search for an email (details supplied); and the reason his Department was looking for the email referred to by the Taoiseach. [50413/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have looked at the transcript referred to in the Deputy's question and it is clear that it is referring to the email of 15 May 2015. On 9 November, the Deputy submitted a series of questions to my Department for answer on 14 November which for the first time specified a date on which a phone call was alleged to have been made by the Commissioner to the Secretary General of my Department. Once a specific date was mentioned, an email search was carried out for that date, in order to establish if there was any record of contacts of the type concerned on that date. During the search the email of 15 May was found. Further searches were then carried out to ascertain if there were other emails of relevance. That search located a number of emails linked to the email of 15 May 2015. These were then all disclosed voluntarily to the Disclosures Tribunal.
Subsequently, as the Deputy is aware, An Taoiseach requested that a general trawl of emails be carried to ascertain whether there were other emails, in addition to that of 15 May 2015, which might be relevant to the issue of the Garda Commissioner's legal approach to the O'Higgins Commission of Investigation.
That trawl covered the period from 19 December 2014 to 11 May 2016 and was concluded over the weekend. A number of other emails were located which were sent to the Disclosures Tribunal on 27 November and have been made available publicly.
281. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the times and formats of all communications between the Secretary General of his Department and the then Minister on 15 May 2015. [50417/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, given the passage of time, it is a challenge to definitively ascertain information on all possible forms of communication covered by the question.
However, in order to endeavour to answer this question as comprehensively as possible, I have asked the Secretary General to review his diary and e-mail communications from 15 May 2015.
There were no meetings listed with the then Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald on the day in question. From the diary record of the Private Office to the Minister, it appears that the then Minister attended a number of constituency related events that day and may not have been present in the Department of Justice and Equality.
The Secretary General had one direct email communication with the then Minister on that day, in relation to a vacancy in GSOC.
Staff of the Secretary General and Minister's Offices would have also engaged in email, telephone and verbal communications on a range of issues such as diary matters and general administration issues.
282. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the next round of recruitment from the Garda panels that have been created will take place; the number of persons who will be taken from the panel at a time; the timeframe on the frequency with which persons will be drawn from the panel (details supplied). [50524/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013 the Public Appointments Service, on behalf of the Garda Commissioner, manages the initial recruitment stages for the selection of Garda trainees. The final stages of the recruitment process in which candidates are vetted, and complete a physical competency test and a medical examination, are managed by the Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no direct involvement in the matter.
This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and deter crime. To make this a reality for all, the Government has in place a plan to achieve an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians.
Taking account of projected retirements, reaching a strength of 15,000 by 2021 will require some 2,400 new Garda members to be recruited on a phased basis over the next three years in addition to the 2,000 that will have been recruited by the end of this year since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014.
This is an ambitious programme of accelerated recruitment and will require a continuous pipeline of suitable candidates. I am advised by the Commissioner that a further 800 candidates are due to enter the Garda College next year in four separate intakes. The proposed dates of these intakes in 2018 are January, April, August and October. These dates are subject to change.
I am further advised by the Commissioner that An Garda Síochána is currently calling candidates from the January 2016 and September 2016 competitions for the January 2018 intake. It is expected that candidates from the 2017 competition will enter the College towards the middle of 2018.
Any candidate for a position as a Garda trainee should contact the Public Appointments Service or the Garda Appointments Office if they have any queries in relation to their application
283. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the securing of a new courthouse for Tralee, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50611/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, 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, as part of its provincial capital building programme, one of the objectives is to provide improved court accommodation in Tralee.
The Courts Service has advised that it appreciates that the courthouse on Ashe Street is an imposing historic building in the centre of the town, however the scope for refurbishing and developing the courthouse to provide the range of services expected in a modern courthouse is extremely limited due to the nature of the building and the constrained nature of the site.
Accordingly, the Courts Service is currently considering a number of options for Tralee Courthouse including the level of extension and refurbishment that is achievable within the confines of the existing site; whether it is feasible to consider refurbishment and extension of the existing courthouse; if an adjacent town centre site could be purchased; or whether it should build a completely new courthouse on a new site.
Tralee is one of a number of provincial city/county town venues nationwide still requiring new or upgraded courthouse accommodation and collectively these venues will be the next priority for investment in courthouse facilities outside the capital.
285. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will report on the amount and value of each type of drug seized by gardaí in the R district in each of the years 2015 and 2016, and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50628/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the Deputy's question and I will provide the information requested when that report is to hand.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
286. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the Attorney General has reported back to him with advice regarding the status of the living allowance for trainee gardaí in Templemore College; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50640/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that the advices concerned have been received from the Attorney General's Office and are to the effect that the money paid in respect of the 'living allowance' out of the Garda Vote into an account in the College was public money. Accordingly, the rules of accounting for the use of that public money received from the Central Fund were applicable. This has no implications for the findings of the Internal Audit Report.
The Deputy may wish to note that the funding model for the College changed in May 2017 and the restaurant is now being run on a net cost basis. I am advised by the Garda Commissioner that the monthly funding from the Garda Vote for the restaurant is now calculated from the cost of staff wages and restaurant supplies, and takes account of till receipts. This model is designed to avoid any accumulation of surpluses in the restaurant account.
In line with the recommendation in the Interim Internal Audit Report and in order to give a transparent picture of the total costs and income of the College, from 2018 all College expenditure hitherto paid from the restaurant account (based on the living allowance direct payments) will now be paid from the Vote under a new College specific subhead and a new budget line for College income from the restaurant, etc. will be included within Appropriations-in-Aid. This together with the other steps being taken by An Garda Síochána to implement the recommendations of the Report as a matter of priority will ensure that the serious shortcoming identified in the Report cannot arise again.
I am pleased to say that there has been very substantial progress in relation to the implementation of the recommendations as noted by the Policing Authority in its second report on this matter. The Authority's report was laid before the Houses on 17 November 2017.
287. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 28 of 12 July 2017, the position regarding the promised liaison between his Department, gardaí and other relevant stakeholders to address the issue of nuisance quad bike and scrambler use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50646/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, I have written to the relevant parties, including the Ministers for Transport, Tourism and Sport and Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Garda Commissioner, the Chairman of the Revenue Commissioners and the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, in order to ascertain whether there are additional legislative or other solutions which can assist us in dealing with this issue more comprehensively, by way of a joined-up approach.
Responses have now been received from the majority of bodies. I intend to convene a meeting of all of the interested parties in order to identify additional effective solutions and assign responsibility and timeframes for implementation, as soon as all outstanding responses have been received.
288. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 136 of 22 November 2017, the names of the ten local authorities which have a migrant integration policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50651/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would draw the Deputy’s attention to my response to question number 136 of 22 November 2017. I have no responsibility in relation to the actions of local authorities. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have sought the relevant information from the Local Government Management Agency. The names of the ten local authorities which have published a migrant integration policy are as follows:
Carlow County Council
Dublin City Council
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council
Galway County Council
Kerry County Council
Kildare County Council
Kilkenny County Council
Limerick City and County Council
Longford County Council
South Dublin County Council.
Development of Local Authorities' integration strategies will be undertaken within the framework of the National Strategy. Action 52 of the Migrant Integration Strategy - A Blueprint for the future, which was published on 7 February 2017, provides for the updating of integration strategies by local authorities over the lifetime of the Strategy i.e. from 2017 to 2020.
A Monitoring and Co-ordination Committee has been established to support the process of implementing the Migrant Integration Strategy. The Committee, which comprises representatives of relevant Government Departments, State Agencies and the NGO sector, met for the second time in October 2017 and is due to meet again in January 2018. Progress on the implementation of the actions in the Strategy will be reviewed at the end of 2018 and a report prepared for Government.
289. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if further consideration will be given to the request of the local community to have a policing service restored (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50659/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is primarily responsible for the effective and efficient use of the resources available to An Garda Síochána, including the opening and closing of Garda stations. As Minister, I have no role in the matter.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for a Partnership Government commits to a pilot scheme to reopen 6 Garda stations, both urban and rural, to determine possible positive impacts that such openings will have on criminal activity, with special emphasis on burglaries, theft and public order. The Garda Commissioner has recently submitted his final report in relation to the pilot and the report contains a recommendation that Bawnboy Garda station be one of the six Garda stations to be included in the pilot.
290. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Dlí agus Cirt agus Comhionannais cén líon iomlán foirne atá fostaithe ina Roinn faoi láthair; cé mhéid post atá daingnithe nó aitheanta ag an Roinn (i scéim teanga, nó ar aon bhealach eile) mar phoist a bhfuil riachtanas Gaeilge ag baint leo; cé mhéid duine atá ann ag a bhfuil líofacht i nGaeilge agus atá ag feidhmiú sna poist sin atá daingnithe no aitheanta mar phoist a bhfuil riachtanas Gaeilge ag baint leo; an bhfuil sé beartaithe ag an tráth seo aon phost eile de chuid na Roinne a aithint mar phoist a bhfuil riachtanas Gaeilge. [50686/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra291. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Dlí agus Cirt agus Comhionannais cé mhéid folúntas a líonadh ina Roinn ó thús na bliana seo; cé mhéid de na folúntais sin a bhain le poist a bhí sainaitheanta mar phoist a raibh Gaeilge riachtanach ina leith; cé mhéid folúntas atá le líonadh faoi láthair agus cé mhéid de na folúntais siúd atá sainaitheanta mar fholúntais a bhfuil riachtanas Gaeilge ag baint leo. [50703/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 290 and 291 together.
Is é líon na bhfolúntas a líonadh i mo Roinn ó thosach na bliana ná 549 bhfolúntas. Cuimsítear sa líon sin fruilithe nua, arduithe céime agus aistrithe isteach sa Roinn. Ina theannta sin, tá amach is isteach le 55 fholúntas sa Roinn atá le líonadh fós. Ní dhearnadh aon cheann de na folúntais a shainaithint mar fholúntais a raibh riachtanas Gaeilge ag baint leo. Déanann an t-aonad Acmhainní Daonna i mo Roinn an próiseas pleanála fórsa oibre a bhainistiú, lena sainaithnítear riachtanais foirnithe sa todhchaí. Faoi láthair, níl aon phleananna ann aon phoist bhreise a aithint a bhfuil riachtanas Gaeilge ag baint leo.
Ag an tráth seo, tá 2,318 ball foirne fostaithe i mo Roinn. Tá post amháin ag an Roinn, post Aistritheora, a bhfuil sé riachtanach go mbeadh an sealbhóir dátheangach go feidhmiúil sa Ghaeilge agus sa Bhéarla. Is é príomhról an Aistritheora Rialacha Cúirte a aistriú go Gaeilge. Ina theannta sin, tá cohórt de 39 oifigeach sa Roinn atá ar fáil chun seirbhísí a sholáthar (i.e. ceisteanna agus fiosruithe a fhreagairt) i nGaeilge.
