Bernard Durkan
Question:115. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the upgrading of the Garda motor fleet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36070/14]
View answerGarda Transport Provision
Questions (115)
Written answers
The provision and allocation of Garda transport is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of identified operational circumstances and the availability of resources.
In that context, the Deputy will be aware that an additional 438 new Garda vehicles were purchased in 2013 at a cost of €10 million. In addition, €4 million has been made available for the purchase and fit out of Garda transport in 2014. I am advised that, to date, a further 88 Garda vehicles have been purchased in 2014.
I am further informed that, as at the 22nd of September 2014, the Garda fleet consisted of 2,513 vehicles. The fleet strength at the end of 2013 was 2,407 vehicles.
This most recent financial investment in Garda transport is indicative of our commitment to ensure that, to the greatest extent possible, An Garda Síochána are provided with sufficient resources to enable them to deliver an effective and efficient policing service. I am of course conscious of the importance of the Garda fleet and in that regard I am continuing to engage with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to investment in the fleet.
Garda Recruitment
Questions (116)
Bernard Durkan
Question:116. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the Garda recruitment programme; the extent to which the numbers of the force have fluctuated in each of the past five years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36071/14]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy will be aware that the first intake since 2009 of 100 new recruits entered training at the Garda College in Templemore on Monday 15th September 2014. This marked a positive step forward for policing in Ireland. It is my intention that there will be ongoing recruitment and I am discussing the details of this with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
The personnel strength of An Garda Síochána on 31 December of each of the last four years and as of 31 July 2014 was as follows:-
|
Year |
Strength |
|
2010 |
14,377 |
|
2011 |
13,894 |
|
2012 |
13,424 |
|
2013 |
13,093 |
|
31 July 2014 |
12,905 |
Courts Service
Questions (117)
Bernard Durkan
Question:117. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the backlogs that exists throughout the court system; the extent to which remedial action taken has been successful to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36072/14]
View answerWritten answers
The scheduling of court cases and the allocation of court business is a matter for the Presidents of the courts and the presiding judge who are, under the constitution, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions. The Presidents monitor waiting times across all court lists and seek to ensure the optimum use of court time. The Deputy may wish to refer to Section 6 of the recently published Courts Service Annual Report which contains information on Waiting Times across the various court jurisdictions.
However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that the primary objective for the Courts Service and the judiciary is to maintain the delivery of front line court sittings and services. The Courts Service continuously works to support the judiciary and assist in so far as is possible and appropriate, within the terms of its mandate, in ensuring that cases are dealt with as effectively and as speedily as possible. Available resources and operational and organisational structures are under ongoing review to ensure that resources are targeted and focussed on keeping waiting times in the provision of services to a minimum.
The Presidents of the various courts are determined to achieve improvements in waiting times and they are working with the Courts Service to target judicial resources at the areas of greatest need. The Presidents continue to arrange additional sittings where possible within the resources available to them to deal with any delays in the hearing of cases. The Courts Service is also working with the judiciary on the implementation of a number of initiatives in relation to court procedures and initiatives arising from the report of the cross agency Working Group established to identify and implement efficiency measures with a specific focus on the high volume Circuit and District Courts. These include the centralisation of custody cases and the use of alternative courts venues in the District Court; a new practice direction in the Circuit Court in relation to sending forward for trial; a pre-trial procedure which is operating in the Dublin and the Midland Circuits on a pilot basis from 1 December 2012; increased use of video links between courts and prisons; and the provision of same-day probation reports.
I am informed that waiting times in the Circuit and District Courts vary from venue to venue based on the number and complexity of cases. In relation to the High Court, waiting times are generally in the range of 1 to 5 months except in relation to Asylum cases where the delay is currently over 2 years. I am informed that delays in the Asylum list are due to several factors including the high volume of cases. Delays in lists also occur where parties who have certified the case as ready to proceed and/or applied for a hearing date inform the court that they are not ready to proceed on the allocated date and apply for adjournment.
The President of the High Court keeps waiting times under continuous and additional sittings were held during August and September with a view to maintaining the improvements made in waiting times in recent years. The High Court has, as is usual, dealt with bail lists on one or two days each week during the court vacation and sat each day and during several weekends to hear matters arising of an urgent nature. These sittings will continue until the commencement of the next legal term.
The ongoing delegation to court officials of administrative functions previously dealt with by the High Court judges has also yielded significant savings in judicial times resulting in increased judicial availability for trial work. The re-organisation of sittings of the High Court outside Dublin by the President of the High Court also continues to achieve efficiencies in the use of judicial time.
The Courts Service has indicated that the waiting times in the Central Criminal Court are 16 months. Waiting times in the Supreme Court for certified cases are on average 11 months for the priority list and 48 months for the general list. In the Supreme Court remedial actions have been taken to reduce the number of uncertified cases. A total of 255 appeals have been disposed of by the Supreme Court to date this year in its continuing programme of managing uncertified appeals. A further 115 uncertified appeals are proposed to be listed on 29 September 2014 for this purpose.
In the first and second quarters of 2014 there was a 13% increase in new appeals lodged and an 81% increase in the number of appeals disposed of when compared with the same period in 2013. While some immediate improvement has been achieved in reducing the backlog that has accumulated in the Supreme Court over the past number of years, the issue of capacity in the Supreme Court will only be fully resolved through the introduction of the Court of Appeal which is due to be established in October 2014.
It should also be noted that delays in the hearing of cases can occur for a number of reasons which can be outside the control of the courts and the Courts Service, e.g. the unavailability of a witness or where the parties or the legal practitioners may not be ready to proceed. This can give rise to adjournments which can have an impact on the time taken to complete the hearing of a case and on the number of cases which can be disposed of in a court sitting.
Garda Investigations
Questions (118)
Bernard Durkan
Question:118. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which various cold cases continue to receive attention; if she remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of resources available in respect of such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36073/14]
View answerWritten answers
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the function of the Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT) is to assist Senior Investigating Officers assigned to the case in question in bringing investigations to a successful conclusion by identifying further investigative opportunities and ensuring that investigations conform to approved best practice guidelines.
At the conclusion of each review a substantive report is provided to the Senior Investigating Officer who considers the opportunities for further investigation for dissemination back into the investigative and operational units. Any recommendation of organisational effect is disseminated within the Garda organisation to improve the overall investigative capability of An Garda Síochána.
As the Deputy will be aware, the provision and allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of identified operational demands. In this regard I am informed that the SCRT continues to review serious cases that remain unsolved and continues to identify evidence and witnesses to assist in the development of these cases.
Garda Commissioner Appointment
Questions (119)
Bernard Durkan
Question:119. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when it is expected that the appointment of the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána will be approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36074/14]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy will be aware that an open competition for the selection of the next Garda Commissioner is currently under way and an information booklet setting out all the details is available on the website of the Public Appointments Service. Applications are invited from any person who believes they possess the requisite competencies, skills and experience to carry out this very challenging role. The closing date for applications for the position is Thursday 25th September 2014.
The Public Appointments Service are handling all aspects of the competitive process for the Government and they are being assisted by executive search partners.
It is expected that the competitive selection process will take approximately 8 weeks to complete after which the Government will make the necessary appointment as set out in the Garda Síochána Act 2005.
Direct Provision System
Questions (120)
Bernard Durkan
Question:120. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which she remains satisfied regarding the quality and standard of accommodation available to refugee-asylum seekers through the direct provision system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36075/14]
View answerWritten answers
The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of protection applicants in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. Direct provision provides for full board accommodation supports while a final decision is awaited by a person on their protection or any related leave to remain application. Currently, 4,330 persons are residing in 34 asylum accommodation centres under contract to RIA.
The Deputy will be aware from my answer to Question 35740/14 today as to how the Government intends to give effect to the commitment in the Statement of Government Priorities 2014 – 2016 in relation to the protection process, including direct provision.
I believe that we can make improvements which will have a direct bearing on the quality of life which those in direct provision enjoy. That is what lies behind the decision to establish the Working Group to report to Government on improvements with the protection process, including direct provision and supports for asylum seekers.
More generally, we should not lose sight of the fact that the direct provision and dispersal system means that the State has been able to fulfil its obligations to meet the needs of persons arriving in the stage seeking protection who cannot provide their basic needs for themselves. Direct provision has ensured that the housing needs of more that 51,000 protection seekers have been met since the system was introduced in 1999 and that no protection seeker has been left homeless in that time.
Student Visas Applications
Questions (121)
Joanna Tuffy
Question:121. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the probationary extension visa (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36132/14]
View answerWritten answers
A further notice regarding the 2004 Student Probationary Extension was published on the INIS website on 25 August 2014. This updated notice set out the next steps for those students currently registered on the 2004 Student Probationary Extension. The updated notice also outlines how the application process will operate and states that the immigration levy/ application fee which will apply is set at €1000. My Department has committed to making a final decision on all applications, in respect of students who were granted a Two Year Student Probationary Extension during the period 28 August 2012 to 26 February 2013, by 31 March 2015. In the interim period, while the applications are being processed students resident on Stamp 2 under the terms of the Student Probationary Extension can attend for registration on temporary Stamp 4 conditions for a period of six months. This temporary permission is entirely without prejudice to their application.
Full details of the updated notice are available on the INIS website at www.inis.gov.ie