Written Answers Nos 140-157
140. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of burglaries recorded in each area in the Dublin metropolitan region in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6166/18]
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. The Deputy will be aware that the CSO has not yet published crime statistics for 2017 as there is an process ongoing to review Garda homicide statistics. However, I am advised that the CSO intends to publish the crime statistics ‘under reservation’ for 2017 in the second quarter of this year.
141. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of incidents of criminal damage recorded in each area in the Dublin metropolitan region in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6167/18]
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. The Deputy will be aware that the CSO has not yet published crime statistics for 2017 as there is an process ongoing to review Garda homicide statistics. However, I am advised that the CSO intends to publish the crime statistics ‘under reservation’ for 2017 in the second quarter of this year.
142. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to proceed with the building of a prison on the Thornton Hall site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6186/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn January 2015, the then Secretary General of my Department established a Working Group to examine options for the future use of the Thornton Hall site. The group comprises officials from my Department, the Office of Public Works and the Irish Prison Service. It is tasked with reviewing potential options for the lands and house at Thornton and to make recommendations on how best to maximise value to the State.
I am awaiting the Working Group's Report, in advance of which I am not in a position to indicate the possible future use of the site.
143. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding an application for a stamp 4 update of naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6194/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the processing of the application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy, who currently has permission to reside in the State until 4 September 2018, is ongoing. On completion of the necessary processing the application will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible.
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.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. While most cases are now generally processed within six months, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of 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 from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
144. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of reported house burglaries in each Garda division in Cork city and county in each of the years 2014 to 2017 in tabular form. [6213/18]
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 for the period 2014-2016. The Deputy will be aware that the CSO has not yet published crime statistics for 2017 as there is an process ongoing to review Garda homicide statistics. However, I am advised that the CSO intends to publish the crime statistics ‘under reservation’ for 2017 in the second quarter of this year.
145. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 96 of 7 December 2017, if he has received a full report into complaints his Department received on conditions at a location (details supplied); if so, if all appropriate actions to remedy the identified defects have been addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6229/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department was made aware of complaints in relation to the accommodation centre in question. These complaints were forwarded onto the contractor and the response has been received.
It is worth noting that not all of the accommodation centre in question is used for accommodation and the unused section is blocked off to residents. The contractor has confirmed that 12 of the 20 photographs that accompanied the complaint are from this unused part of the building and access to that part is strictly limited to authorised personnel. Another picture is of a skip that has since been removed. I am informed that the remaining photographs either required no action or if a defect was identified then all appropriate action to remedy the identified defect has been carried out.
As stated in my earlier reply, all accommodation centres under contract to the Department are inspected by staff from the Reception and Integration Agency and by an independent inspector, QTS Health and Safety Limited.
The accommodation centre in question has been inspected three times in 2017 - once by QTS Health and Safety Limited on 12 April and twice by two different staff members from the Reception and Integration Agency - on 29 June and as recently as 29 November.
All accommodation centres are also subject to inspection by other State inspectors such as the environmental health service, the fire service and the Data Protection Commissioner.
Each centre under contract to the Department is required to have a current and active fire certificate renewed on a yearly basis. In the case of the accommodation centre in question, the latest fire certificate covers the period to 14 September 2018.
Residents of the centre (or indeed any accommodation centre) have the possibility to register a complaint in relation to any aspect of the accommodation centre with the Manager or with an inspector as the case may be. The only complaint raised by a resident during the inspections mentioned above was on 29 June 2017 and that was in relation to a transfer.
In addition to the foregoing it is of course always open to any resident in the centre in question to make a complaint to the Ombudsman about any matter in relation to their accommodation at that centre.
146. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on a case (details supplied) in view of recent revelations regarding discrepancies in allocation of homicide figures being incorrectly categorised as accidental or suicide. [6280/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will appreciate that the Garda investigation of the case to which the Deputy refers is currently the subject of an inquiry established under section 42 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 which is conducted by His Honour Judge Donagh McDonagh. Given the independence of this Inquiry, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the matter further.
In the context of the homicide statistics, I can advise the Deputy that An Garda Síochána is working in consultation with the Central Statistics Office (CSO) to resolve an issue which emerged in relation to the classification of homicide offences. The expert oversight by the CSO of crime statistics is welcome in order to ensure that we can have confidence in the official crime statistics and can tailor our policies accordingly.
I, along with officials from my Department, met with representatives from the Policing Authority and An Garda Síochána today to discuss the progress being made on this important issue. Earlier this week, I also discussed this issue with the Garda Commissioner during the course of one of our more general meetings.
Please be assured that my Department remains in close contact with the CSO, An Garda Síochána and the Policing Authority to resolve the issues that have been identified.
147. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the courthouse in Tralee will be renovated (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6286/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is 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 it is aware of the deficiencies in the court accommodation and facilities in Tralee Courthouse and 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 envisages a courthouse comprising four courtrooms and related facilities as being required to meet current and future needs in Tralee and that this will require a building significantly larger than the existing courthouse on Ashe Street. In terms of providing upgraded court accommodation the refurbishment, extension and development of existing courthouses has always been the Courts Service's preference. However, while this is an option for Tralee, the scope for refurbishing and developing the existing courthouse on Ashe Street to provide the envisaged accommodation is extremely limited due to the nature of the building and the constrained nature of the site.
The Courts Service has also advised that it is currently considering a number of options for Tralee Courthouse, including the level of extension and refurbishment achievable within the confines of the existing courthouse site; whether it would be feasible to acquire an adjacent town centre site and the degree of extension and refurbishment this would allow. Previous efforts to acquire adjacent sites on Ashe Street have not been successful as the sites could not be acquired at a price that represented value for money. A further option is to build a new modern courthouse on a greenfield/brownfield site. The Courts Service has informed me that a decision has not yet been made and that all options are under review.
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.
148. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his Department has commissioned economic or regulatory impact assessments of the risks to sectors under the purview of his Department following the decision of the UK to exit the EU and the various types of future relationships that might result; if he will provide a copy of such studies conducted; the persons or body commissioned to conduct this research; the cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6309/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraContingency planning at both a domestic and an EU level is focused on three areas: preparing for a no-deal scenario or so-called “disorderly Brexit”; preparing for a transition period based on the “status quo”; and preparing for the future EU-UK relationship.
While the outcome of the December European Council and the move on to Phase 2 has lessened the likelihood of a disorderly Brexit, very detailed work on a no-deal or worst-case-scenario is advancing intensively through the cross-Departmental coordination structures chaired by the Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade. This work is also informed by ongoing stakeholder engagement. Separately, a new preparedness unit in the Commission is considering EU-level responses.
All this work provides a baseline scenario for the policies and sectors impacted, which can then be adapted as appropriate in light of developments in the EU-UK negotiations. In this regard, it is welcome that the direction of travel is now firmly towards achieving a “status quo” transition period. Agreement on a “status quo” transition will provide certainty to individuals and businesses while also aiming to avoid any cliff edge effects between the UK leaving the EU and a future relationship agreement coming into force. The period will provide time for businesses and citizenship to prepare for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU based on the outcome of the negotiations on the framework for the EU’s future relationship with the UK. In this respect, the expectation is that the European Council will adopt additional Guidelines at its meeting on 22-23 March 2018 on the framework for the future EU-UK relationship. These guidelines – as well as further clarity on the UK position, which has been sought by the European Council – will provide a clearer picture of the direction of travel in the negotiations.
The Government’s contingency planning continues to be firmly grounded in the extensive work and outreach that has already been undertaken by individual Departments and agencies, as well as by stakeholder organisations, academics and others. Much of this is in the public domain.
My Department has not commissioned any outside bodies to carry out economic or regulatory impact assessments in this regard.
149. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the additional budget for 2018 or other years provided to his Department and all agencies and bodies within his remit to plan or prepare for Brexit; the number of additional staff who have been recruited to work on this policy area in each body, agency and his Department; the number of dedicated staff planning and working on Brexit matters in each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6326/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe International Policy Division within my Department has been assigned responsibility for coordinating the Department's work as it relates to matters concerning the UK's withdrawal from the EU (Brexit). The Division is headed-up by an Assistant Secretary and comprises a team in Dublin, and a team based in the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU in Brussels, currently consisting of eleven officers and three vacant posts which are due to be filled in the coming weeks. This figure included two additional posts at Assistant Principal level which were allocated during 2017 to support the Division during the negotiation process.
Complementing the International Policy Division, six senior officers from each of the key areas in the Department (who are in turn supported by relevant staff) were selected to make up a cross Divisional working group to focus on the key negotiating issues.
The number of staff assigned to work on Brexit related matters is being kept under review and regular progress updates are provided to the Department's Management Board on the analysis and preparations under way. Costs incurred are being met from the Department's overall budget, and those related specifically to Brexit cannot be readily extracted from overall ongoing work in the Department.
150. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the involvement his Department has had in respect of contracts with a company (details supplied) that provides public private partnership contracts; the nature of the contract; if it was for capital construction or service supply; the duration of each contract; the value of fee commitments; the alternative arrangements he has made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6343/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to inform the Deputy that my Department has not engaged in any PPP related contracts with the specified company.
In so far as non PPP related contracts are concerned, my Department is currently compiling information in this regard and this information will be forwarded directly to the Deputy.
151. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the persons on State boards under the aegis of his Department who also serve on other State boards; the persons on State boards under the aegis of his Department who have previously served on other State boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6467/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Justice and Equality, I am responsible for appointments to the boards of relevant bodies under the aegis of my Department.
All appointments are made in accordance with the requirements of the governing legislation and the Government Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards. However, the specific information sought by the Deputy is not available. Details of the current membership of all applicable state boards are published on the www.stateboards.ie.
153. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which she and her Department continue to establish new global trade links to compensate for Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3671/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland is one of the world’s most open export based countries. We rely on external demand and access to international trade markets for sustainable and continued economic growth. Trade constitutes an increasingly important means of creating more and better jobs and growing our economy. The combination of export-led growth and foreign direct investment has transformed Ireland’s economy over recent decades.
In view of the potential impacts of Brexit, promoting access to and deepening existing trade relationships across a diversified portfolio of export markets has taken on even greater importance for Ireland. My Department’s focus on trade diversification includes markets that are growing and have scale as well as markets where we are already well established but with potential for further growth. Through the Government’s Trade Strategy, 'Ireland Connected: Trading and Investing in a Dynamic World ’, we aim by 2020 to increase indigenous exports by Enterprise Ireland supported companies, including food, to reach €26 billion, achieve 80% of indigenous export growth outside of the UK market and secure 900 new foreign direct investments.
Most recently, the EU–Canada Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) entered into force provisionally from 21 September 2017. This means that Irish companies may now take advantage of the all important provisions of CETA including the elimination of tariffs on almost all key exports, access to the Canadian procurement market, the easing of regulatory barriers and more transparent rules for market access. CETA will present new opportunities for Irish business and professionals to work and provide services in Canada.
The EU and Mexico hope to reach political agreement early this year on the modernisation of the EU-Mexico Global Agreement, to include provisions on regulatory cooperation, increased trade in agriculture and food, common sanitary (health) standards and sustainable development. Ireland supports comparable trade conditions for investors and businesses across the Americas, making it easier for Irish businesses to trade in and enter these markets. Negotiations with the Mercosur countries continues and political agreement was reached last year with Japan on an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). The EU/Japan EPA has the potential to generate significant benefits for Ireland. The agrifood sector, which is Ireland’s largest indigenous industry, will see particular benefits, with improved access for beef and dairy products. The Agreement will also ensure tariff elimination on medical devices and pharmaceutical products which are manufactured in Ireland.
Moreover, in his September 2017 State of the Union Address to the European Parliament, Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, proposed opening trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand. The draft negotiating mandates for Australia and New Zealand are currently being discussed by the Commission and Member States.
The EU's suite of Free Trade Agreements, coupled with our programme of Minister led trade missions and bilateral visits overseas, have provided a key foundation on which to further build our strong economic and trading links in export markets and this will continue. Enterprise Ireland delivered an impressive programme of international trade events in 2017, giving Irish companies the opportunity to meet with potential buyers and network with key influencers in countries around the world. In total, 57 internationally focused trade events were organised by Enterprise Ireland in 2017 including ministerial-led trade missions to Canada, Singapore and Japan, the UAE and Oman, and a major trade programme as part of the Presidential State visit to Australia.
Ireland will also continue to support the EU’s ambitious programme of negotiating new Free Trade Agreements giving Irish firms expanded market access and a predictable trading environment in third countries. To this end, my Department has commissioned a major examination of the economic opportunities and impacts for Ireland arising from EU Free Trade Agreements which we hope will be available later this year.
155. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if there are plans to give the programme for research in third level institutions back to the Department of Education and Skills as the fund is critical for continued investment in research institutes and higher education facilities. [51905/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe PRTLI was launched in 1998 and there have been 5 cycles of awards to date. The programme awards funding on a competitive basis to Higher Education Institutions to build underpinning research infrastructure, develop postgraduate research education, and develop sustainable, long-term and broadly-based research capability in key strategic research areas.
The PRTLI has involved €1.2 billion of public and private investment to date in physical research facilities and support for human capital for research. This has complemented the investments of Science Foundation Ireland and other research funders.
Up to 2010 the PRTLI was the responsibility of the Department of Education and Skills (DES), and was administered by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). With effect from 1 May 2010 responsibility for the PRTLI transferred to my Department under the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2010. The HEA was requested to continue administering PRTLI Cycle 5 on behalf of my Department.
The transfer of functions was intended to bring together a streamlined and focused programme of funding of research and development and further strengthen the alignment of the programme with other R&D programmes of my Department. There are very significant synergies between the PRTLI and the Science Foundation Ireland human capital development activities which are in turn closely connected to industry and the work of IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland.
Innovation 2020 includes an action to scope out and develop a successor to PRTLI Cycle 5 to support new investment in research infrastructure. It also contains an action to increase the enrolment of PhD and Research Masters students. While my Department is working closely with the Department of Education and Skills to develop a successor to achieve the aims of the PRTLI, there is no proposal to reallocate the programme back to the Department of Education and Skills.
Pending a decision on a successor to PRTLI Cycle 5, and in the context of Budget 2018, the Government announced funding would be made available through my Department to address the need for increased enrolment of PhD and Research Masters students in disciplines aligned to enterprise needs. This programme will be rolled out through Science Foundation Ireland and outline detail has been included in SFI's published work plan for 2018.
My colleague the Minister for Education and Skills also announced a range of measures in Budget 2018 addressing physical infrastructure and human capital development in the higher education sector, including for research.
While a decision has not yet been made regarding a new cycle of PRTLI, my Department will continue to work closely with the Department of Education and Skills and other Government Departments to ensure that all Government investment in research and innovation is well aligned and is focused on delivering on goals and targets as set out in Innovation 2020.
