Results 9,001-9,020 of 16,457 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Northern Ireland (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Independent Reporting Commission plays a very important role in highlighting what still needs to be done to tackle residual paramilitarism in Northern Ireland.   To facilitate monitoring of the implementation of measures aimed at ending paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland, the 2015 Fresh Start Agreement provided for the establishment by the two Governments of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: I want to once again extend my sympathies to the family concerned on the tragic death of their son and brother. I am aware of the reports submitted to the United Nations (UN) as part of Ireland's Fifth Periodic Examination under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). As the Deputy will know, for each UN Covenant or Convention, States Parties are obliged to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: Coercive control is a form of psychological abuse that is arguably a defining feature of cases of domestic violence, with can affect a victim as much as physical violence. It is an abuse of the unique trust associated with an intimate relationship. Creating a specific offence of coercive control sent a clear, consistent message that non-violent control in an intimate relationship is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, last week I published Zero Tolerance: the Third National Strategy to combat Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV). The goal of our third national strategy is clear: zero tolerance of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. It is an ambitious five-year programme of reform to achieve a society which does not accept DSGBV or the attitudes which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Antisocial Behaviour (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to tackling anti-social behaviour and a number of priority actions are contained in the Programme for Government to reduce instances of such behaviour and help people to be safe and feel safe in their local communities. Justice Plan 2022, which I published earlier this year, will continue the Department’s focused commitment to working with An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, which includes all operational policing decisions regarding the Garda estate. This includes the opening of any individual Garda station. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions and am unable to seek to direct the Commissioner in such matters. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the transition to a new and modern Garda Operating Model as recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland is currently being piloted in four Divisional Policing Models (DPM), one of which is Mayo Division. A key aspect of the reform is to assign more Gardaí to frontline duties and to provide a greater focus on community policing based on...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Traveller Community (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The recently published Irish Travellers Access to Justice Report is a welcome and valuable body of research. The Department’s mission is for a safe, fair and inclusive Ireland and a justice system that works for all. This report will be a valuable contribution to the evidence base available to inform future policy development in this regard. While it is clear that there is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. This includes responsibility for the deployment of Garda members throughout the State. As Minister, I have no role in the matter. I am assured that Garda management keeps the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The development of the Community Safety Innovation Fund is a key commitment under Justice Plan 2022 which will have a significant impact on the development of community safety projects throughout the country. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department opened applications for the new Community Safety Innovation Fund on 11 April 2022. The new fund will use money seized from the proceeds of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to ensuring that there is strong, visible policing throughout the country. The budget provided by Government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to unprecedented levels, with an allocation of over €2 billion for 2022. An Garda Síochána has a strong tradition of community engagement and visible...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, the rollout of community CCTV schemes across the country has benefitted many communities, helping people to feel safer in their local areas. It is a priority for my Department to ensure that community groups continue to be supported in their valued contributions to their local CCTV schemes. Community-based CCTV is currently governed by Section 38(3)(c) of the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: It is my intention that every person who needs a refuge space will have access to one. I fully acknowledge the need for a significant increase in the provision of refuge spaces and I am committed to achieving this in order to ensure that victims have a safe place when they need it. Last week, I brought to Government the Third National Strategy to combat Domestic, Sexual and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Reports (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the publication and implementation of the recommendations of the Drogheda scoping report are key actions in my Department's Justice Plan 2022. Last year my Department published a report I had commissioned from the former Director of the Probation Service, Mr. Vivian Geiran, who made over 70 recommendations on short and long-term responses to challenges the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Inquiries (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: In February 2019, retired District Court Judge Gerard Haughton was appointed by the then Minister for Justice and Equality to carry out a scoping exercise in the light of the public controversy surrounding the circumstances of the death of Shane O'Farrell. The purpose of the scoping exercise was to advise the Minister as to whether any further investigation or inquiry beyond those already...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Strategies (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, Minister Browne and I published the new Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027 in April last year. I wish to thank the Deputy for his significant work on the Strategy during his tenure as Minister of State. The Strategy includes consideration of the full range of issues connected to children and young people at risk of coming into contact with the criminal justice...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: In line with goal one of Justice Plan 2022 to Tackle crime, enhance national security and transform policing, I have been informed that An Garda Síochána are undertaking a number of operations in Dublin as part of the government’s overall aim to ensure that people are safe and feel safe in their own community. As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: My Department opened the once-in-a generation scheme for the Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants in the State on 31 January 2022 for a six month period. The scheme is designed, following detailed engagement with the people affected, to give long-term undocumented people without a current immigration permission the chance to regularise their status, access the labour market and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drug Dealing (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Government is acutely aware of the substantial and ongoing damage that drug dealing has on communities across the country. Organised criminal activity, including drug dealing, represents a serious threat to community safety. As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Health leads on Government policy in the area of drugs, and this policy is guided by the national drugs and alcohol...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The government has allocated An Garda Síochána with an unprecedented budget of over €2 billion for 2022. This level of funding is enabling sustained, ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff. As a result, Garda numbers are now at over 14,300 Garda members and over 3,100 Garda staff nationwide. The Deputy may be aware that there was a very strong interest in the recent...