Written Answers Nos 290-305
290. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if consultation with young persons has taken place in regard to the proposed changes to the provision of youth diversion services to ensure the voice of the child principle has been adhered to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12221/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra292. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the implications of the review of Garda youth diversion projects which are recommending a new model which will result in the closure of smaller independent youth organisations and the loss of jobs and important services. [12724/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra324. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has examined the impact of proposed reform to GYDP on the number of secondary referrals that can be accommodated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12222/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra325. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to request proposals in relation to the provision of GYDP services along sub-divisional levels in denser urban areas rather than the larger divisional levels as is being proposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12223/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra326. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the independent evaluation report on the pilot GYDP service delivery model that was introduced in County Kerry in 2015 will be completed; if it will be made public; his views on whether it is appropriate for the Irish Youth Justice Service to publish the new call for the proposals process for the provision of GYDP services throughout the country without the independent evaluation report having been published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12224/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra356. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the review of the Garda youth diversion projects which proposes a new model which will result in the closure of numerous projects and the cessation of the present system of secondary referrals which is an early intervention with young persons at risk. [12723/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra369. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the proposed new model for the Garda youth diversion projects; if services will be reduced in local communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12874/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra370. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if young persons that are secondary referred (details supplied) to the Garda youth diversion projects will continue to be provided for in the new model for the projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12875/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra373. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will report on the proposed changes in funding structure of the Garda youth diversion projects network by the Irish Youth Justice Service; the way in which smaller communities and projects will be protected and maintained in the changed structure; the rationale behind the proposed restructuring; the consultation that is taking place with service providers and service users on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12903/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 290, 292, 324 to 326, inclusive, 356, 369, 370 and 373 together.
As Deputies may be aware, my Department is obliged to carry out a Call for proposals process during 2018 in relation to the provision of Garda Youth Diversion Project (GYDP) services, to fully comply with requirements related to the co-funding of projects by the European Social Fund Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020.
I can assure Deputies that the new approach to GYDP provision which is being developed in preparation for the Call for Proposals will not reduce the level of service that already exists, or the importance of community involvement in its delivery. On the contrary, the intention is to build on, update and improve a very valuable service, so that it is available to every child or young person in the country who requires it. While certain aspects of the new service model have been determined, work is ongoing to complete the full details to be included in the Call for Proposals, which is expected to issue during the second quarter of this year.
To ensure State-wide coverage of GYDP services for young people, (which does not exist at present), the intention is that, in general, service provision will be aligned with Garda Divisions or other appropriate local areas with a distinct community identity as may be agreed during the consultation process. The consideration of such local arrangements may apply particularly in relation to areas with a large number of potential participants on GYDPs.
However, the provision of GYDP services in all parts of the State has obvious advantages, particularly in terms of providing services for significant numbers of young people who cannot currently access them. I might add that an independent evaluation report of the operation of an integrated approach to delivery of GYDP services within County Kerry, commissioned by the Irish Youth Justice Service (IYJS) is expected shortly. This report will help with the further development of the full service delivery model, which, as I already mentioned, is still being considered in preparation for the Call for Proposals.
GYDPs provide an effective and essential support to the operation of the statutory Garda Diversion Programme by An Garda Síochána. The principal focus of GYDPs is on young people who receive a Garda caution under the Diversion Programme for involvement in criminal or anti-social behaviour and are referred to a local GYDP (primary referrals). GYDPs also accommodate a certain proportion of young people who are considered to be at risk of involvement in offending or anti-social behaviour (secondary referrals).
In relation to secondary referrals, it has to be considered if, in principle, it is appropriate to refer a child to a Garda project where no criminal act has been identified. For some, a better option might be referral to available mainstream youth services that could appropriately support them. That being said, it is accepted that referrals to GYDPs must take account of local needs and issues in relation to access and availability of mainstream youth services. Following the Call for Proposals process, GYDP services will still accommodate a certain proportion of secondary referrals and the proportion of these may vary from area to area depending on identified local needs.
Careful consideration is being given to all issues raised by stakeholders involved in GYDPs as part of a wide-ranging consultation process, which is currently ongoing. This process includes arrangements for an extensive series of meetings with community based organisations and project workers which will facilitate closer communication and exchange of information in relation to these matters. The consultation process will help to inform further development of the service delivery model in advance of the Call for Proposals being issued, including in relation to the matters referred to by the Deputies.
In addition, the consultations will include arrangements to hear the views of young people, including participants or former participants on GYDPs.
GYDPs deliver valuable services for young people who have committed a crime or may be at risk of offending as well as providing important support for An Garda Síochána at local level. I can assure Deputies that in the context of the Call for Proposals my Department is committed to doing everything feasible to ensure continuity of service for participants on GYDPs and maintain a community driven approach to their operation, as well as minimising any disruption for workers and service providers.
291. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to review the age limits for parents to take maternity leave (details supplied); the details of the differing entitlements to parental leave for working parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12507/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the first instance, I assume the Deputy is referring to the age limits concerned with parental leave entitlements as there are no age limits associated with entitlement to maternity leave.
Section 6 of the Parental Leave Act 1998 provides for 18 weeks unpaid parental leave for a child up to the age of eight, or 16 years of age in the case of a child with a serious illness or disability.
The age of the child provided for in the Act is a statutory minimum and it is at the discretion of individual employers whether they wish to extend the eligibility criteria for their employees to avail of parental leave beyond that minimum.
I can advise the Deputy that there are no current plans to increase the age for parental leave beyond eight years of age. However this is an issue which may be considered in the current broader discussions on parental leave.
293. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the measures he plans to implement to assist persons with disabilities following the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; his plans to sign up to the Optional Protocol of the Convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12980/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe UN Convention provides that people with disabilities should have the same rights as everyone else and should be provided with the practical supports to make that aspiration a reality. It requires us to change our approach to services for people with disabilities by putting the person’s civil and human rights first and putting the resources in place to that end.
The Disability Miscellaneous Provisions Bill of 2016 along with a Bill to address deprivation of liberty issues should be enacted by the end of the year and if possible sooner. This is about ensuring that no one is deprived of their liberty without due cause and never just because the person has a disability. We do not currently have a legal framework to ensure that people in nursing homes and other residential accommodation are there appropriately and are free to leave if they wish and have the capacity to make that decision for themselves. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity Act) 2015 needs to be commenced which requires the Decision Support Service to become operational. An allocation of €3m has been provided in the 2018 budget for the establishment of the service.
In the meantime, we are continuing to take practical measures to improve the lives of people with disabilities. The Report of the Make Work Pay Group was published in April of last year and already action as announced by Minister Harris has been taken on its recommendations. We have a Comprehensive Employment Strategy in place and are working on positive action measures being taken to support public sector recruitment of people with disabilities. The Disability Inclusion Strategy was published in July 2017 and contains a wide range of practical commitments to improve the position of people with disabilities.
The amount allocated in disability budget for 2018 was 1.772 billion an increase of nearly 92 million on 2017, with an additional €10m announced for respite care in December last year.
While there was a commitment given, in the 2015 Roadmap, to ratify the Optional Protocol at the same time as the Convention, the current focus has been on ratifying the Convention itself as a first step. The Convention and the Optional Protocol cover a broad range of commitments some of which require substantive cultural change. Work is continuing on the reforms needed for Ireland's compliance with the Convention's requirements. For this reason, a phased approach is seen as the most practical and realistic way of moving ahead. Accordingly the Optional Protocol is not being ratified at this time but will be ratified as soon as possible, at the latest following completion of Ireland's first reporting cycle which will identify any actions needed with regard to compliance with the Convention.
294. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the cost to his Department of negative interest rates on deposits held; the details of same for agencies under his aegis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11741/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to inform the Deputy that negative interest costs incurred by my Department and Agencies under the remit of my Department's Vote (Vote 24) amounted to €22,320.19, for the year ended 31st December 2017.
This banking cost arose for the most part in relation to the payment and receipt processing operations of the Justice Financial Shared Services Centre, which provides financial shared services to the Justice sector and a number of other Government Departments and bodies. These charges arise where the bank requires to be put in funds before outward customer and other payments can be processed or where there are incoming receipts above a certain level which require further processing.
295. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the amount spent by his Department on third party public relations advice, communications advice, online advertising and public awareness campaigns from January 2017 to date in 2018, by year, month and company engaged in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11771/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe following table details relevant expenditure in my Department since January 2017. The work contracted has allowed valuable public attention to be drawn to important issues such as human trafficking and domestic violence:
|
DATE |
EXPENDITURE |
SERVICE |
COMPANY CONTRACTED |
|
01/02/2017 |
€5,018 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01/03/2017 |
€3,245.62 |
Realistic Imitation Firearms Public Consultation on legislative proposals |
Mediavest |
|
01/03/2017 |
€20,461 |
Public information notice in national media re. Call for funding applications for National Funding to Promote the Integration of Immigrants and the Communities Integration Fund |
Mediavest |
|
01/03/2017 |
€40,473 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01/03/2017 |
€20,171 |
Creative advertising services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
TBWA Dublin |
|
01/04/2017 |
€21,012 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01/04/2017 |
€7,862 |
Creative advertising services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
TBWA Dublin |
|
01/05/2017 |
€184,221 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01/05/2017 |
€40,329 |
Creative advertising services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
TBWA Dublin |
|
01/05/2017 |
€462.48 |
Blue blindfold campaign against human trafficking campaign materials |
Kilmartins Print |
|
01/06/2017 |
€5,163 |
Creative advertising services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
TBWA Dublin |
|
01/07/2017 |
€61,455 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01/07/2017 |
€295.20 |
Blue blindfold campaign against human trafficking campaign materials |
LogoPrint |
|
01/07/2017 |
€412.05 |
Blue blindfold campaign against human trafficking campaign materials |
LogoPrint |
|
01/08/2017 |
€22,867 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01/08/2017 |
€7,400 |
Creative advertising services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
TBWA Dublin |
|
01/08/2017 |
€339.48 |
Blue blindfold campaign against human trafficking campaign materials |
Kilmartins Print |
|
01/08/2017 |
€381.25 |
Blue blindfold campaign against human trafficking campaign materials |
Kilmartins Print |
|
01/09/2017 |
€45,095 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01/09/2017 |
€4,041.78 |
Blue blindfold campaign against human trafficking campaign materials |
LogoPrint |
|
01/09/2017 |
€517.75 |
Blue blindfold campaign against human trafficking campaign materials |
Kilmartins Print |
|
01/10/2017 |
€22,075 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01/10/2017 |
€24,454 |
Creative advertising services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
TBWA Dublin |
|
01/10/2017 |
€179.99 |
Blue blindfold campaign against human trafficking campaign materials |
Spike badges |
|
01/10/2017 |
€179.99 |
Blue blindfold campaign against human trafficking campaign materials |
Spike badges |
|
01/10/2017 |
€3,733.05 |
Blue blindfold campaign against human trafficking campaign materials |
LogoPrint |
|
01/10/2017 |
€1,291.50 |
Article - background to and awareness of human trafficking |
Metro Eireann (print and online) |
|
01/10/2017 |
€744.15 |
Blue blindfold campaign against human trafficking campaign materials |
Marketing Impressions |
|
01/10/2017 |
€424.01 |
Blue blindfold campaign against human trafficking campaign materials |
Kilmartins Print |
|
01/11/2017 |
€36,676.44 |
Fireworks Information Notice regarding the severe criminal penalties that apply for igniting illegal fireworks and the possession of same with intent to supply others |
Mediavest |
|
01/11/2017 |
€193,277 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01/11/2017 |
€1,510.44 |
Ad re: Review of Administration of Civil Justice |
Irish Independent |
|
01/11/2017 |
€1,363.01 |
Ad re: Review of Administration of Civil Justice |
Irish Times |
|
01/11/2017 |
€1,020.31 |
Ad re: Review of Administration of Civil Justice |
Irish Examiner |
|
01/12/2017 |
€6,275 |
Public information notices in national media re. CERD public consultation |
Mediavest |
|
01/12/2017 |
€315,502 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01/12/2017 |
€62,924 |
Creative advertising services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
TBWA Dublin |
|
01/12/2017 |
€49,645.42 |
Awareness Campaign for “Someone Like Me” Primary Schools Art Competition. For details see: www.someonelikemecompetition.ie/ |
Real Nation |
|
01/01/2018 |
€7,000.00 |
Payment to Act to Prevent Trafficking, for the Department of Justice and Equality funded UN.GIFT box human trafficking awareness campaign |
Association of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland |
|
01/02/2018 |
€5,018 |
Media buying services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
PHD Media (Ireland) Ltd |
|
01/02/2018 |
€18,556 |
Creative advertising services for National Awareness Campaign on Domestic Violence |
TBWA Dublin |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
€1,243,072 |
|
|
296. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on whether there are persons within An Garda Síochána and his Department that are qualified in the field of international terrorism; if there are graduates with post graduate degrees in this area of policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11800/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, one of the key responsibilities of my Department is to ensure the internal security of the State. The primarily role of the Security Division within the Department is to develop policies and strategies to support the delivery of security services and to assist the relevant authorities in deploying responses to any threat to the State's security.
Officials within the division promote Ireland's interest and contribute to work in respect of security and counter-terrorism issues at international level, with the UK, EU and US partners in particular. They are tasked with attendance at a range of relevant international and EU meetings, including the Standing Committee on Operational Co-operation on Internal Security and the Terrorism Working Party, where they have developed strong, positive working relationships with their counterparts and relevant sectorial experts. Senior officials in particular have an increased level of expertise in respect of this subject matter and focus their efforts on maintaining on-going knowledge and an analysis of the evolution of the international environment.
The skills and knowledge obtained through the practical work undertaken is invaluable and many staff have acquired high level qualifications in areas such as policy analysis and law which greatly assist in the development of relevant legislative measures and for counter-terrorist contingency planning.
Under the advice of senior officers and for security reasons, the exact figures on the number of Gardaí trained in this area have not been provided. However, I have been informed that a number of members of An Garda Síochána hold various qualifications at level 6,7,8 and 9 of the Irish National Framework of Qualifications or its international equivalent relating to terrorism studies.
An Garda Síochána has also developed a strategy to enhance training and is actively working with international partners to achieve a transfer of academic knowledge on why and how individuals and /or groups engage in terrorism. In addition, An Garda Síochána works closely with a number of third level institutions and academia who provide expert advice to specialist sections in areas such as radicalisation and extremism.
297. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if RIA has a fit and proper persons' test for organisations or persons that run direct provision centres on behalf of RIA. [11803/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll accommodation service providers are obliged to provide the services outlined in the relevant contract for services.
To ensure this is happening, my Department oversees a system of inspection of centres. These inspections are carried out at random and usually happen three times a year.
All payments based on the contract are made though the existing payments facilities which include checks with the Revenue Commissioners for ongoing tax compliance.
In addition to the foregoing, all staff in centres must undergo Garda Vetting before they can work in the centre and equally must abide by the Code of Practice for staff.
Training on Children First legislation is provided by qualified staff from my Department to all local staff.
RIA staff hold regular clinics in each accommodation centre to hear and address any concerns raised by residents. Complaints in relation to any issue that may arise should in the first instance be raised with local management or directly with RIA or directly with either the Ombudsman or Ombudsman for Children as appropriate.
298. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the consultation process provided for local communities as a general policy regarding the development of direct provision centres. [11804/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe sourcing of new accommodation centres for those persons seeking international protection is done by way of either an expression of interest published in the national press and EU Journal by the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department, or a public procurement process which is advertised on E-Tenders and the Official Journal of the European Union and managed by the Office of Government Procurement on behalf of RIA.
All proposed premises must be inspected and assessed as to their suitability. The criteria for assessment is based on quality of premises, general conformity with the recommendations of the McMahon Report, and the availability of services such as schools, general practitioners, post office etc. Once a premises is offered to RIA and has been deemed suitable following an inspection, negotiations with the proposed service provider are carried out.
During the assessment and prior to the conclusion of the negotiations, the local authority is consulted to see if there are any legal or compliance issues in relation to the property. Following the conclusion of negotiations, all local councillors and local members of the Oireachtas are contacted. It is not appropriate to commence this consultation process prior to this as it is not guaranteed that a centre will open until these negotiations are complete.
Once a premises is established, the Reception and Integration Agency establishes a local liaison group (as recommended in the McMahon Report) called the Friends of the Centre Group. RIA also work with the local State service providers to address any issues as they arise.
299. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has satisfied himself that the local community in Lisdoonvarna, County Clare was adequately consulted regarding the proposed direct provision centre to be located there. [11805/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 8 January 2018, the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department published a call for expressions of interest in the national press and EC Journal.
This call sought expressions of interest from parties who would be interested in providing accommodation and related services on a urgent and emergency basis. This was issued in response to the urgent and unforeseen demand for accommodation and related services from such persons arriving in the State seeking international protection. The closing date for receipt of expressions of interest was the 28 January 2018.
In total, just under 20 premises were offered to the Department of which 11 were made available for inspection. The criteria against which the Department assessed the offers of accommodation were availability, standard of property, ability to provide communal social spaces for residents, ability to cater at mealtimes and proximity to required services such as schools, shops, post office etc.
It should be noted that these premises were offered to the Department by individual contractors across the country. The Department did not randomly choose any one location over another location.
Following on-site assessments carried out by staff in the Department, the offer of the King Thomond Hotel in Lisdoonvarna was deemed to the most suitable premises offered to the Department. The premises was available, decorated to a high standard, capable of delivering the required services, has scope to provide the required communal social areas required by residents and is located close to a town with both primary and secondary schools, shops and a post office.
As with every other accommodation centre in the country, my Department works closely with the HSE and Departments of Education and Skills and Employment Affairs and Social Protection and all other relevant Government Departments and Agencies to coordinate the delivery of State services to residents.
Contractual discussions with the contractor concluded on Friday 16 February. On Tuesday 20 February, local politicians and members of the Oireachtas were advised of the development and invited to a meet with RIA staff on the following Friday. That meeting became a public meeting from which the community in Lisdoonvarna submitted two lists of additional queries addressing medical, educational, community and social issues. A full response to those queries has been issued.
I understand that there has been significant interest from the local community in getting involved with the residents of the centre through the 'Friends of the Centre' model and my Department will continue to engage with the Friends of the Centre to provide support and address any issues that may arise.
300. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of four wheel drive Garda vehicles in each district in the Dublin metropolitan region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11830/18]
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 light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources. As Minister, I have no direct role in the matter.
However, the information requested by the Deputy, as provided by the Garda authorities is as follows:
4 Wheel Drive Vehicles in the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) as on 7 March 2018
|
DMR East Division |
1 |
|
DMR North Division |
1 |
|
DMR North Central Division |
2 |
|
DMR South Division |
2 |
|
DMR South Central Division |
1 |
|
DMR Traffic Division |
3 |
|
DMR TOTAL |
10 |
I understand that the allocation of Garda vehicles is monitored and reviewed by the Garda authorities on a continual basis. Responsibility for the efficient deployment of Garda vehicles within each Division is assigned to the Divisional Officer, who may allocate vehicles as required by operational requirements.
301. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of four wheel drive Garda vehicles in the Tallaght Garda district; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11831/18]
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 light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources. I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the DMR South Division, of which Tallaght District is part, has two (2) four-wheel drive vehicles.
I understand that the allocation of Garda vehicles is monitored and reviewed by the Garda authorities on a continual basis. Responsibility for the efficient deployment of Garda vehicles within each Division is assigned to the Divisional Officer, who may allocate vehicles as required by operational requirements.
302. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the transport that was available to gardaí to carry out their duties during the inclement weather during the week of 28 February 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11833/18]
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 light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources. I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the position of the Garda fleet on 28 February 2018 was as follows:
|
Cars |
Vans |
Motorcycles |
4 X 4 |
Other |
Total |
|
1949 |
456 |
125 |
104 |
116 |
2750 |
I am further informed that during the recent inclement weather, An Garda Síochána leased some vehicles to supplement the fleet.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Government's Capital Plan 2016 – 2021 provides €46 million for investment in the Garda fleet to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit for purpose fleet. This is in addition to the investment of almost €30 million in the period 2013 to 2015.
In the period 2013 to end of 2017, a total of almost €44 million has been invested in the fleet, with some 2,000 vehicles coming on stream in that period.
303. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11845/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned was refused a residence card on 10 July 2017 as they were not in compliance with the relevant provisions of the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015.
I also understand that INIS received an application for a review of that decision on 28 July, 2017. The Deputy will appreciate that applications are dealt with in chronological order and there will be no avoidable delay in issuing a decision.
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.
304. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons holding Civil Service positions above clerical officer grade in his Department that entered the Civil Service via a route other than through an open competition run by the Public Appointments Service or its predecessors; the grades of each; and the basis for the non-standard recruitment. [11862/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the centralised provider of recruitment, assessment and selection services for the Civil Service. My Department engage and work with the Public Appointments Service on an ongoing basis to secure the appointment of officers at general service grades and officers with specific experience and qualifications to fill posts within my Department. My Department also holds a recruitment licence granted by the Commission For Public Service Appointments under the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 and can also avail of the services of recruitment agencies who also hold public service recruitment licences.
Depending on the availability of suitable candidates from PAS, the ability of PAS to run competitions to fill specific roles, or indeed the exigencies of business demands to fill critical vacancies that arise, while the services of PAS are utilised to the greatest extent possible, not all appointments are made from PAS.
The following table outlines those positions were as a result of the exigencies of business demands the officer was not appointed through an open process administered by PAS:
|
Name |
|
|
Assistant Principal Health and Safety |
|
|
Assistant Principal Solicitor |
|
|
Secretary to Commission on the Future of Policing |
|
|
Administrative Officer Researcher Commission on the Future of Policing |
|
|
Administrative Officer Researcher Commission on the Future of Policing |
|
|
Administrative Officer Researcher Commission on the Future of Policing |
The Deputy may wish to note that appointments that are not undertaken via PAS are typically made on a fixed term contract for 1 or 2 years duration.
305. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the directions for the payment of staff in the public sector and Civil Service that fall under the direction of his Department for the days during Storm Emma when staff were directed to stay at home; if deductions in pay and annual leave were made to staff in the public sector or Civil Service as a result of days lost during the storm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11879/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing advice from the National Emergency Coordinating Committee, all of the Department’s offices in Leinster and Munster were closed on Thursday 1 March and Friday 2 March apart from staff providing essential services in areas such as the Border Management Unit, Dublin Airport, the Irish Prison Service and An Garda Siochana. Staff with remote access were requested to attend to normal business where possible. Management across all of the areas under the direction of my Department have compiled the details of who attended for duty and those that didn't and accounted for time lost in their areas as appropriate but no deductions have been made to pay or annual leave.
