Results 281-300 of 10,435 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drug Dealing (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Tackling drug dealing and targeting the work of organised crime groups, who inflict intimidation, violence and misery on families and communities, is a top priority for the Government and my Department. A number of key actions have been taken as part of our plan to tackle illegal drug use. This includes: Increasing the maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder from 10 years to life in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can assure the Deputy that my Department works closely with colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs to ensure a coordinated national response to humanitarian crises and conflicts such as the situation in Gaza. This includes work to evacuate Irish citizens and their families who may require visa assistance. In respect of Gaza, my Department is in regular contact with the Embassy...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy may be aware, there has been a significant increase in investment into the international protection system which, combined with digitisation and process reengineering, has facilitated a major increase in processing capacity. In 2024 the International Protection Office (IPO) delivered over 14,000 first decisions compared to over 8,500 in 2023, while the International...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 set out a new framework for how An Garda Síochána operates. This significant legislative reform which was implemented over the course of the last year necessitated a temporary pause in promotion competitions for certain senior ranks, that is, superintendent and above, until the commencement of the Act and implementation of new...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will appreciate, the allocation of court business is the responsibility of the judiciary who are, under the Constitution, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions. Furthermore, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is carried out by the independent Courts Service. Insofar as the administration and management of An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am advised that the Courts Service purchased a site in 2020, at Kylekiproe, on which to build a new Courthouse. Further progress in relation to the Portlaoise project and several others which form part of Courts Service projects included in the National Development Plan (NDP), will depend on the next round of NDP funding. The inclusion of courthouses in the National Development Plan,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, I am absolutely committed to combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV), and to ensuring that the victims of these crimes have access to the appropriate supports. Any increase in reported cases of rape and sexual assault, while deeply concerning, may also be evidence that greater numbers of people feel...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Agreements (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: My Department publishes a list of measures that Ireland has opted into on our website. This list, up to December 2022, is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migrati on/policy-information/european-affairs/ Those measures Ireland has opted into since the start of December 2022 are contained in the table at the link below and I have made...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Irish Prison Service (IPS) has a total of 26 dedicated Integrated Sentence Management (ISM) Coordinators operational across all prisons and open centres. These ISM coordinators support rehabilitation, to address offending-related risks and assist with release planning and integration into the community. They are supported by prison management and the prison-based multi-disciplinary...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Employment Support Services (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: In November 2024, my Department launched ‘Building Pathways Together: Criminal Justice Reintegration Through Employment Strategy 2025-2027’. This builds on the strong foundations laid by the 2017 Social Enterprise strategy ‘A New Way Forward’, and the 2020 ‘Working to Change’ strategy. The aim of this strategy is to remove barriers to employment for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I would like to reassure the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service are committed to making the best use of all available prison capacity when managing accommodation across the estate.Sex offenders, both sentenced and remand, were previously accommodated at 4 locations – Midlands Prison, Arbour Hill Prison, Castlerea Prison and Mountjoy Training Unit. However with rising sex offender...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Ireland is currently accommodating almost 33,000 people seeking international protection in over 320 International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres around the country. Due to severe shortages of accommodation over recent years, the State was unable to offer accommodation to all people seeking international protection since 2024, and there are currently 2,577 people awaiting...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) provides accommodation in over 320 centres around the country. These centres are a mix of State-owned sites, long-term centres, and emergency accommodation contracted commercially. In line with the Programme for Government 2025, and the Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for International Protection approved in 2024, the State is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda Síochána is central to this policy. The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Trainee allowance increased from €305 to €354 per week with effect from 1 October 2024 and has increased by a total of €170 per week when compared...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that on 10 July 2024 visa requirements were introduced for nationals of South Africa, bringing our arrangements into alignment with the visa requirements of Schengen members states, and with those of the UK.The Dublin Visa Office have established a dedicated “South Africa desk” to process applications from residents of South Africa. My Department also...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Historical Investigation Unit structure was a proposal contained in the Stormont House Agreement specific to Northern Ireland. In this jurisdiction, the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, led by the Assistant Commissioner for Organised and Serious Crime, holds a national investigative remit and is specialised in the area of major crime...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including the training of its members. As Minister, I have no role in the matter. I am advised by the Garda authorities that Garda trainees receive comprehensive instruction in the areas of Roads Policing during the course of their training at the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Emergency Accommodation (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: While the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) does not comment on individual cases, www.assets.gov.ie/static/documents/ipas-infectious-disease-p rotocol-february-2024.pdf sets out how IPAS, centre management, HSE Departments of Public Health, and the HSE's National Social Inclusion Office (NSIO), interact in the event of a case or outbreak of specified infectious diseases...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can assure the Deputy that I am fully committed to ensuring that Ireland's International Protection system is robust and rules based. The International Protection process decides if an applicant has a well-founded fear of persecution, or is at risk of serious harm in their country of origin. An assessment of the applicant's identity and the credibility of their application forms a key...