Results 10,761-10,780 of 16,457 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: What is really important with the next domestic, sexual and gender based violence strategy is that have we a joined-up, coherent response to many of the issues mentioned. This will involve Tusla working with Departments of Justice and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth but also that, where there are issues that need to be resolved, we have a structure in place to enable...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The community safety innovation fund is on my desk and I hope to finalise the terms of reference for the fund in the next few days. This is extremely important for many reasons. I hope that each individual community will have an opportunity to identify what its priorities are, what innovative ways it can apply to protect the community and respond to the issues in the locality. The fund...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: There is good and bad there.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: On GSOC, acknowledging the workload and the need to continuously expand and support the work that it does, the budget has increased by around 19% from last year. That is quite a significant increase. I believe the budget has increased by €2.133 million, bringing it to €13.406 million. GSOC is obviously independent in its function and its work. What we will be moving to do in...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The €1 million in funding is an acknowledgement of the fact that while some of the divisional protective service units have been up and running for a number of years, there are many that were only established in the last year. It is provided to ensure that those who are working in the units have adequate provisions and the resources that they need. Some will require additional...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Yes. With the publication of the accommodation review next week, what we will make clear is that while nine counties do not have refuge spaces at all, that is not necessarily where the immediate need is and there may be a crossover. We need to look at where there is a lack of capacity, and at where there are already refuges spaces but a significant need for further and additional ones. ...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: No, it has not been ruled out. We need to have a number of options available because at the moment we have one. While there are a number of excellent people working between Tusla and the organisations, it is not happening and not working fast enough so we have to look at all options.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I will come back to the Deputy with the timeline and I am conscious that I did not answer a previous question on reports. There are reports that were signed off in the last few days. The delay has been due to the fact that the inspector has not been able to get into the prisons and inspect in the way that she would have previously. There are reports that will be published in the coming...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: On the gambling piece, this is a work of progress in progress at the moment. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, is working on bringing forward legislation, which he hopes to have enacted by the end of the year. To show our intent in this regard, there was initial seed funding of €200,000 allocated and then a further €500,000 for this year. The...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: There was a 9% fall in Legal Aid (Criminal) because this is a demand-led subhead where we have seen a reduction. It is always difficult to predict the final outturn for the year. It depends on the volume of legal aid certificates that are issued and the length and complexities of cases, especially in the Circuit Court and higher courts. In 2020, the expenditure was in the region of...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I am aware. I meet regularly with legal representatives about quite a number of issues regarding to legal aid. What I committed to last year and what we are working towards now is a review of civil legal aid in particular, acknowledging that there are challenges within the structure as it currently exists. That is obviously separate from the funding for those who carry out the functions....

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Vote 21 - Prisons has a gross estimate in 2022 of €401.3 million, plus an additional €3.601 million in unspent capital brought forward from 2021 under the capital carryover provisions. I am pleased that an additional €2.4 million has been made available to increase investment in medical, mental health, psychology and other services to a vulnerable group in our prison...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Regarding the visits and the legal representation, in most instances, there is a hybrid model, where there is still availability for prisoners to speak to or engage with their legal representatives or family members via video link or Zoom. Family visits have returned, but not to full capacity in every prison, because, as people may be aware, outbreaks are still happening within our prisons,...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Regarding Limerick Prison, despite the impact of Covid-19, significant progress has been made. The estimated date for completion is quarter 2 of this year, and we expect to open the accommodation later in the year. Hopefully, that will happen by quarter 4. It will be a welcome and positive development for all the reasons I have outlined.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: It is. On several occasions when I have been here, questions have been posed concerning the practice of slopping out. That is a process and procedure that we want to eliminate completely and this development will play a huge role in bringing that about.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: A total estimate in gross terms of almost €164 million is being provided for the Courts Service in Vote 22. This is in addition to €3.648 million of unspent capital being carried over from 2021. The allocation of a further €1 million for the new courts modernisation programme builds on €8 million already provided in the Estimates in 2021 and retained in 2022....

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Regarding the allocation for the modernisation programme, that has been set out through the Courts Service. I will have to respond later to the Deputy on whether those funds cover the costs for translators. In the last year, however, we have allocated €9 million specifically for the courts modernisation programme, and I would be surprised if translation did not form part of that...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 20 - 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) (8 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Yes.