Results 6,521-6,540 of 46,267 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Parole Boards (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy may be aware, the Parole Board was established as a statutory body under the Parole Act 2019 on 31 July 2021, replacing the former Interim Board which had been in place since 2001. At present, the provisions of the Parole Act 2019 apply to those serving a sentence of imprisonment for life. To date, no regulations have been made pursuant to s. 24(3) of the Parole Act 2019 to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: Immigration officials conduct passport checks on arrival to ensure passengers are properly documented in accordance with Section 11 of the Immigration Act 2004. Valid travel documentation is required by carriers for boarding a flight to Ireland. However, some passengers are arriving at passport control without documents. My Department’s Border Management Unit and the GNIB are working...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the members of the committee and appreciate them giving me this time today. I have circulated my script so I will be quite brief in order to engage. I am seeking the committee's approval for the Revised Estimates for the Justice Vote group to provide for much-needed investment across our sector. The Estimates provide for a gross expenditure of over €3.4 billion across the...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I definitely will not comment on that. I thank colleagues for the questions. Deputies Kenny, Ó Ríordáin, Smyth and Farrell raised the issue of Garda numbers and recruitment. Recruitment and the growth of numbers in An Garda Síochána is a top priority for the Government, the Department of Justice, and the Garda Commissioner. As recently as Friday, I met the...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: Will the Deputy remind me of the specific station?

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: While it is an operational matter, that is not to say a Member of Dáil Éireann should not be able to get information about that. I see it on a pipeline of projects and I see funding allocated against it. Perhaps I can get a detailed note for the Deputy on timelines.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: Turning to Bailieborough and Deputy Smyth's question, I am pleased that there is real progress on this. It looks from the timing and allocation of funding that the bulk of works will be carried out this year, with some smaller amount of works going into next year. There is a very significant allocation in terms of moving that project forward in a real and substantive way. I know that is...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: It can be rolled out to the Garda. The Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022 is to make provision for expanded use. As the Deputy will remember me saying in the Dáil last week, that is about linking in with the Dublin Port Company and the National Roads Authority. If the issue the Deputy is referring to is one of having the equipment in the cars, that roll-out is...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I will request information as to when we will have the roll-out to all Garda vehicles and I will revert to the committee.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: Deputy Smyth's question about the soon to be old building and community use in Bailieborough is probably a matter for the OPW, but I will certainly relay that to the OPW. I think there has been a good tradition of community involvement and discussion about the use of former buildings. I am not sure of the OPW's plans, but I will certainly relay her view, which sounds sensible. I am...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: There were a lot of good questions there. I might stay with the technical ones first. The reason the spend on buildings is down is simply due to the completion of Limerick prison. Those works are now finished. I asked the same thing of the prisoner support services because the spend on them is down. I wanted to check that that was not an issue we should be concerned about. It is a...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: There we go. The Deputy has caught me.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: Fortunately, I cannot because it is an area I am truthfully passionate about, as, I must acknowledge, is the Minister of State, Deputy Browne. Long story short, it is my intention, while I hold these two Departments, to have a prison and education task force established. I have spoken to the director general of the Prison Service. It simply makes sense. Pretty much all the agencies...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I understand that we do own it and we have made a portion available. I should say that this issue arises from time to time. We have made it clear to colleagues in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, who are doing an extraordinary job in appallingly difficult circumstances, that part of the site could be available, if deemed suitable, for Ukrainian and...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I am not passing the buck when I say that a lot of the Garda stations infrastructure is owned by the OPW. There is an awareness and a knowledge across the OPW and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth about the availability of stock. To be very clear, our sector will not, and should not, be found wanting in any way in making available anything and...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I appreciate that and we will take up the offer. The prison population remains overwhelmingly male. We have a male to female prisoner ratio of 30:1. The number of female prisoners was as low as 66 in 2008 but in recent years the number has generally ranged between 100 and 120 so the Deputy is right to raise the issue of gender. I will state some other figures that may be of interest to...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised)
Vote 44 - Data Protection Commission (Revised) (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I have the report.