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There were 293 incidents of escape in the past five years

293 incidents of prison escape since 2010

Latest figures from the Department of Justice show that 15 prisoners who have absconded from prisons since 2010 remain unlawfully at large.

News • 03 Apr 15

While the prison population fell by 18% since 2011, the number of prison staff has fallen by just 3%

Prison service savings not achieved - Fitzgerald

Minister for Justice and Equality Frances Fitzgerald has said significant savings and reforms set out in the Haddington Road Agreement for the prison service have …

News • 03 Mar 15

Frances Fitzgerald said the bill is a major reform of family law

Cabinet approves child and family bill

Minister for Justice and Equality Frances Fitzgerald has received Cabinet approval for the Children and Family Relationship Bill.

News • 17 Feb 15

Minister Frances Fitzgerald is briefing the opposition on the bill this week

Child and family bill due before Cabinet next week

Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald has said that five months of detailed work had been spent on drafting the Child and Family Relationships Bill and …

News • 11 Feb 15

Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan described last year as 'challenging'

Commissioner 'determined' lessons will be learned

Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan has said she is determined that An Garda Síochána learn lessons from the past.

News • 10 Feb 15

Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan introduced a new centralised system last June

Judge to oversee operation of penalty points

The Government has appointed a judge to independently oversee the operation of the penalty points system.

News • 27 Jan 15

The number of prisoners on 23-hour lock-up was reduced from 45 in July 2013, to five in January 2014

Drug use labelled as main issue in Irish prisons

Drug use and staff shortages continue to be major issues within the Irish prison system, according to annual reports published today.

News • 18 Aug 14

Frances Fitzgerald said she is committed to implementing a comprehensive programme of change

Review finds 'secretive culture' in Justice Dept

A review of the Department of Justice has found that it had significant leadership and management problems and recommends a programme for organisational and cultural …

News • 02 Dec 16

Frances Fitzgerald said her central priority is reform of policing

Fitzgerald defends Ireland's human rights record

Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald has defended Ireland's redress scheme for survivors of symphysiotomy at the UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva.

News • 14 Jul 14

Frances Fitzgerald again declined to express confidence in Brian Purcell

Process to appoint garda commissioner set to begin

Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald has said the process of appointing a new garda commissioner will begin next month.

News • 20 Jun 14

Pearse Doherty said garda complainants who come forward have to be listened to and protected

Pearse Doherty names whistleblower in Dáil debate

Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty has named Garda Keith Harrison as the latest whistleblower, during a Dáil debate on the Guerin Report.

News • 02 Dec 16

Frances Fitzgerald took on the role of Minister for Justice after Alan Shatter's resignation last week

Dept of Justice review in wake of Guerin Report

The Government is to review the performance of the Department of Justice following adverse findings in the Guerin Report last week.

News • 02 Dec 16

Frances Fitzgerald was Ireland's first Minister for Children

Profile: Frances Fitzgerald

Frances Fitzgerald has been nominated to succeed Alan Shatter as Minister for Justice.

News • 08 May 14

Neknomination involves people being nominated to drink large amounts of alcohol and post a video online

Minister: Neknomination censorship not the answer

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has said she does not believe censorship is the answer following the emergence of the Neknomination internet challenge …

News • 12 Feb 14

Frances Fitzgerald said game a lethal combination of peer pressure and excessive drinking

Minister 'concerned' over online drinking game

Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald has said she is very concerned about the online drinking game known as ‘NekNomination’.

News • 02 Feb 14

Frances Fitzgerald said aspects of the Child Care Act would be re-examined

Minister says Child Care Act may be re-examined

Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald has said Section 12 of the 1991 Child Care Act, which is used to remove children at risk from their …

News • 26 Oct 13

The power of play is to be discussed at the event

Dublin event discussing early childhood

Six hundred delegates from around the world are taking part in a three-day Global Gathering for Early Childhood at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin today.

News • 17 Oct 13

There will be tighter controls and tougher sanctions under new measures

Supervision regime at creches to be strengthened

Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald is to strengthen the supervision regime in Irish creches and childcare facilities.

News • 24 Sep 13

Frances Fitzgerald said pageants are an inappropriate sexualisation of very young children

Minister welcomes cancellation of pageant booking

Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald has welcomed a Dublin hotel's decision to cancel the booking of a child beauty pageant, which was due to take …

News • 20 Sep 13

Frances Fitzgerald said she is concerned about the numbers of people employed in creches who have not been Garda vetted

Concern over lack of garda vetting of crèche staff

Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald has said she is concerned that so many crèche and pre-school staff had no garda vetting when they were last …

News • 13 Jul 13

Four Fine Gael TDs, including Peter Mathews (above) voted against the bill

Govt passes second stage of abortion legislation

The Dáil has passed the second stage of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill by 138 votes to 24.

News • 02 Jul 13

People seeking to open a pre-school service will have to register

Creche inspection reports to go online from July

Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald has confirmed that all inspection reports of creches will be published online from 1 July.

News • 11 Jun 13

Frances Fitzgerald has asked the HSE to assess if any patterns exist

Créche reports to be online 'within weeks'

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald has said parents will be able to go online "within a matter of weeks" to look at …

News • 30 May 13

A judge at Dublin’s Children's Court said the officials' explanations were not good enough

Minister responds to juvenile detention criticism

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald has said there has been an increase in demand for places for juvenile offenders in recent years.

News • 10 May 13

Frances Fitzgerald said she is awaiting the findings of the Education Committee

'Financial issues' around free pre-school

Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald has said there are a range of financial issues that need to be addressed before a second year of free …

News • 09 May 13