Results 9,641-9,660 of 16,457 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Protocol No. 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: Motions (11 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: There are elements that have to be worked through in terms of the data.

Protocol No. 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: Motions (11 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: I will get that clarified. There is no general population use in this regard. With regard to police records, the proposal seeks to establish a procedure for the automated searching of police records but it does not propose a new exchange of data. I will get something for the Deputy on that. In terms of the Kyoto Declaration, it is adopting the declaration. It is our commitment to...

Protocol No. 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: Motions (11 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: I move the following motions: That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application...

Defamation Act 2009 Review: Statements (11 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputies for providing me this opportunity to update them on my plans to reform and modernise defamation law in Ireland. Copies of my statement should have been left in. I will check.

Defamation Act 2009 Review: Statements (11 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: I want to ensure that our legislation addresses the challenges posed by an increasingly complex media landscape. I strongly believe the rule of law and democracy cannot truly flourish without robust protection for the right of freedom of expression though, of course, this must always be carefully balanced, as it is under our Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights, with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (11 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is an independent law officer under the provisions of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1974 (as amended). The Office of the DPP is under the Vote of the Department of the Taoiseach and I have no role in the functions of the Director or the Office of the DPP and am unable to provide statistical information relating to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 219 and 220 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is the independent statutory body established under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) to deal with complaints concerning Garda conduct. As Minister, I play no role in the internal administration of GSOC. I am advised that, as a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Emergency Services (11 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: I have contacted the Garda authorities to provide the information sought by the Deputy, unfortunately this was not to hand in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is received.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Emergency Services (11 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: I have contacted the Garda authorities to provide the information sought by the Deputy, unfortunately this was not to hand in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is received.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (11 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service have a range of programmes, support services and through-care options for prisoners who wish to address their substance misuse. The Prison Service advise me that approximately 70% of prisoners who are committed to custody have addiction issues. It is the policy of the Service that, where a person committed to prison gives a history of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Wildlife Conservation (11 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department is committed to fostering biodiversity and currently is in the process of providing for beehives on one of its Dublin buildings while the offices in Killarney have set aside a large area of managed wild garden to provide habitats for insects, butterflies and birds. The progress of this will be kept under review and the next logical...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Stardust Fire (11 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, in May of last year, the Civil Legal Aid Regulations 2021 (SI No 248 of 2021) were made. These Regulations facilitated the granting of legal aid to the family members of the victims of the Stardust fire, without reference to their financial resources, in respect of the new Stardust Inquests. On foot of a request received from the Dublin City Coroner pursuant...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (11 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm that an application for a Stamp 4 immigration permission from the person referred to by the Deputy has been approved. They can expect to receive their new Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card within the next 10 working days. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (10 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: At the end of April 2022, the median processing time for successful naturalisation applications was 19 months. There are currently 26,934 applications on hand at various stages of processing, of which 4,631 applications (17%) were received prior to 1 May 2020. Of the applications in progress, 3,191 have been issued with a decision but the applicant has yet to complete the required...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (10 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service are responsible for processing of information requests pertaining to prison and prisoner records. Section 7 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 (Section 37(8)) Regulations 2016 applies to the making of a Freedom of Information request pertaining to a case in which the individual to whom the record concerned relates is deceased. Under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (10 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: The application for naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy, continues to be processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation, and will be submitted to me for decision in due course. The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (10 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: Management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Process (10 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: The General Scheme of the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021 was approved for drafting by the Government in June 2021. The purpose of the General Scheme is to provide for amendments to provisions across a range of civil and regulatory law by way of updating and enhancing their application and to better meet current or pressing policy objectives. Miscellaneous Bills...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (10 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: The persons referred to by the Deputy created online Short Stay 'C' Visit visa applications on 15 and 16 March 2022. The supporting documentation and fees were received on 29 March 2022 and these visa applications were forwarded to the Dublin Visa Office for further processing and were received there on 25 April 2022. Processing of these applications is ongoing at present. As each...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (10 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: Applications for naturalisation and general queries in respect of same are dealt with in chronological order by date received. When applications for a certificate of naturalisation are received by the Citizenship Division of my Department, they are subject to an initial check/examination. Citizenship Division is currently completing initial checks on applications received in September 2021....