Tuesday, 21 Jun 2022

Written Answers Nos. 700-713

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (700)

Martin Kenny

Ceist:

700. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice the staffing levels in her Department by section in each of the years since 2018 to date in tabular form. [32368/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Justice underwent significant organisational change in 2019, which saw the complete reorganisation of the Department’s structure. In 2018, prior to the Department’s restructuring, there were 1,411 staff members.

Staff numbers by section from 2019 to date in 2022 are set out in the tables below.

2022

Staffing by Section	Number
Secretary General and Deputy Secretaries	3
Change, Technology and Innovation	78
Civil Justice Governance	26
Civil Justice Immigration Service Delivery	854
Civil Justice Legislation	26
Civil Justice Policy	21
Corporate	284
Criminal Justice Governance	43
Criminal Justice Legislation	30
Criminal Justice Policy	33
Criminal Justice Service Delivery	84
Security and Northern Ireland	11
European Affairs	10
Transparency	114
Total	1,617

2021

Secretary General and Deputy Secretaries	3
Operations and IM&T	77
Civil Justice Governance	25
Civil Justice Immigration Service Delivery	811
Civil Justice Legislation	25
Civil Justice Policy	21
Corporate	281
Criminal Justice Governance	37
Criminal Justice Legislation	26
Criminal Justice Policy	36
Service Delivery	89
Security and Northern Ireland	11
European Affairs	10
Transparency	116
Total	1,568

2020

Secretary General and Deputy Secretaries	2
IM&T	30
Civil Justice Governance	22
Civil Justice Immigration Service Delivery	720
Civil Justice Legislation	19
Civil Justice Policy	15
Civil Justice Operations and Service Delivery	47
Corporate	282
Criminal Justice Governance	33
Criminal Justice Legislation	28
Criminal Justice Policy	34
Service Delivery	77
Security and Northern Ireland	9
European Affairs	9
Transparency	115
Total	1,442

2019

Secretary General and Deputy Secretaries	3
IM&T	43
Civil Justice Governance	23
Civil Justice Immigration Service Delivery	792
Civil Justice Legislation	24
Civil Justice Policy	27
Civil Justice Operations and Service Delivery	60
Corporate	252
Criminal Justice Governance	36
Criminal Justice Legislation	29
Criminal Justice Policy	29
Criminal Justice Operations and Service Delivery	65
Security and Northern Ireland	10
European Affairs	9
Transparency	113
Total	1,515

An Garda Síochána

Ceisteanna (701)

Martin Kenny

Ceist:

701. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Justice the number of vehicles used by gardaí by area in each of the years since 2018 to date in tabular form. [32369/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

The Deputy will be aware that, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. The allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner, in light of identified operational demands. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use. 

Budget 2022 provides in excess of an unprecedented €2 billion for An Garda Síochána, of which I am informed that €12m has been allocated for investment in the Garda fleet, which will mean more high visibility policing in our towns and cities.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the information in the attached spreadsheet sets out the vehicles assigned to each Garda Division at end December 2018 up to end December 2021 and at 31 May 2022, the latest date for which figures are available. 

The Deputy may also wish to be aware that An Garda Síochána publish information on Garda fleet, including a Divisional/District monthly breakdown, on their website at: 

www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/finance-services/finance-fleet-management.html.  

Garda Fleet by Division

Question No. 702 answered with Question No. 659.

Question No. 703 answered with Question No. 659.

International Protection

Ceisteanna (704)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

704. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the process to be followed by a person (details supplied) whose IRP card has expired since 11 June 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32538/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

The person referred to by the Deputy lodged a review application in respect of their EU Treaty Rights application decision on 28 September 2021. This application is currently under consideration by my Department. My officials will correspond with them if further documentation or information is required.

Applications are dealt with in strict chronological order, and a decision will issue to the applicant in due course. While every effort is made to process these applications as soon as possible, processing times will vary having regard to the volume of applications received, their complexity, the possible need for the EU Treaty Rights office to seek further information in relation to the application and the resources available to process them. Although it is not possible at the present time to provide a definitive date by which a decision will be reached in this case, the Deputy can be assured that there will be no avoidable delay in completing same.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility ([e-mail]), 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 is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.

Departmental Data

Ceisteanna (705)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

705. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the fact that some of the security provisions put in place to protect a person (details supplied) have been withdrawn, despite an agreement that they would have this protection for life; and the reason these security measures are now being withdrawn; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32571/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the detail of security matters in relation to any individual.

Question No. 706 answered with Question No. 668.

Travel Documents

Ceisteanna (707, 708)

Mick Barry

Ceist:

707. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Justice if it is permissible for seafarers who obtain transit visas from the UK authorities to cross the Border on this island and board vessels in ports in this State without any prior notification of the relevant authorities in this State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32652/22]

Mick Barry

Ceist:

708. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Justice if her Department will consider the findings of a recent report (details supplied) on the abuse of UK transit visas in the engagement of migrant fishers and citations with it that fishers who have been engaged on these visas have subsequently been engaged to work in this State as opposed to in the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32653/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

I propose to take Questions Nos. 707 and 708 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, I have no role in the administration of immigration matters of any other jurisdiction. Any queries relating to immigration matters in another jurisdiction should be addressed to the immigration authorities of that jurisdiction.

I note the content of the referred to briefing document, which is addressed to Immigration and Fisheries policymakers in the United Kingdom. Clearly, any allegation of persons being smuggled or trafficked and exploited for their labour in this jurisdiction is of great concern.

The Deputy will be aware that there is close and ongoing cooperation at strategic and operational level between Irish and UK authorities to ensure that the Common Travel Area is not abused in this way. Any further consideration required of the matters raised in the briefing document can be addressed as part of that ongoing cooperation.

The cross-departmental group recently completed its work on the Review of the Atypical Working Scheme (AWS) for Sea Fishers and its report remains under active consideration by the relevant Departments, with a view to bringing recommendations to Government in the near future.

As part of its work, the Review Group consulted with various stakeholders involved in the scheme. Observations on the operation of the scheme were made by stakeholders either via meetings with the Review Group and/or submissions received. Almost all stakeholders provided observations on the scheme.

In the meantime, the Oversight Committee, chaired by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine continues to oversee the scheme as currently structured.

Question No. 708 answered with Question No. 707.

Residency Permits

Ceisteanna (709)

Mick Barry

Ceist:

709. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Justice if an application by a person (details supplied) for a refund for a Irish residence permit card will be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32658/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

My Department's Registration Office in Burgh Quay has requested information from the person concerned.

Once the information requested has been received the issue of a refund will be examined further.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at [e-mail], 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 Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.

Prison Service

Ceisteanna (710)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

710. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice the reason that proceedings are being taken against a person (details supplied); the reason that a case such as this should be pursued through the courts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32763/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

I am advised by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that the matter raised by the Deputy is being investigated under the Civil Service Disciplinary Code. It would not be appropriate to comment further on an ongoing internal disciplinary matter.

I am also advised that information on the disciplinary process is readily available to all staff of the Prison Service through their Human Resources Governor or directly from the Human Resources Directorate in the Prison Service Headquarters.

Health Services

Ceisteanna (711)

Cormac Devlin

Ceist:

711. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32092/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

A significant number of business cases in respect of additional incremental credit beyond point 6 of the consultant pay scale under the procedure in place for such applications were received by my Department in respect of consultants who worked in private hospitals when the Safety Net agreement was put in place. To deal with these cases, my officials worked through large volumes of submitted documentation, with relevant material to be considered in respect of each case.

I understand that all of these cases have now been processed by my officials and will be submitted shortly to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in line with the Incremental Credit Framework, for consideration and final determination. 

Departmental Budgets

Ceisteanna (712)

Duncan Smith

Ceist:

712. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the budget that has been provided for the new advanced nurse practitioners as recently advertised by his Department; if this is a new payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32786/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

As the Deputy may be aware, in November 2021 I requested that the number of nurses and midwives practicing at an advanced level (AN/MPs) across the health service be increased from 2% of the workforce to 3% over the two/ three years. A target of 2% had been recommended in A Policy on the Development of Graduate to Advanced Nursing and Midwifery Practice. I have allocated funding of €11.9m to the HSE in 2022 for approximately 160 new AN/MP posts. 

Legislative Reviews

Ceisteanna (713)

Gary Gannon

Ceist:

713. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health if Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005 that outlines the main provisions of the assessment of needs process will be reviewed having regard to the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 that is currently under review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32816/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I wish to advise the Deputy that there are currently no plans to review the Disability Act.

However, the Department does keep its legislative programme under ongoing review.

In the context of improving services, the Department of Health is currently working with the HSE in order to bolster the capacity of the respective Children's Disability Network Teams throughout the country, in order to provide both Assessments of Need and quicker access to therapy supports than are currently available.

In this regard, HSE recruitment for therapy posts continues and there is ongoing engagement with the Heads of Disability Services across the nine CHOs to review service provision. In parallel, detailed discussions are ongoing with relevant stakeholders and representative groups in relation to a revised approach to the Assessment of Need, one which seeks to be both legally compliant and ensure a timely pathway to therapeutic interventions .