Results 11,941-11,960 of 17,543 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (3 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Following an application to the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division of my Department, the person referred to by the Deputy was granted a Stamp 4 immigration permission, which is valid until 17 December 2022. 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 (3 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Citizenship Division of my Department have on a number of occasions attempted to contact the person referred to by the Deputy, regarding their application. The correspondence has been returned by An Post. So their application for naturalisation can continue to be processed, they must notify my Department of their current address via the required form, which is available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (3 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Human trafficking is a heinous crime based on deception and exploitation of vulnerable people. Combatting it is, and will continue to be, a priority for this Government. An Garda Síochána has committed significant resources to the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking in Ireland. A specialised Garda Unit, the Human Trafficking Investigation and Co-ordination Unit...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Work Permits (2 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: All appeals are processed in chronological order, based on date order of receipt. While every effort is made to process appeals as soon as possible, processing times will vary having regard to the volume and complexity of applications, the possible need for my Department's Immigration Service to investigate, inquire into, or seek further information, and the resources available. Therefore, it...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (2 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will note that the number of prisoners granted temporary release decreased significantly from 2016 due to the implementation of the Fines (Payment and Recovery) Act 2014, which came into operation in January 2016.  The Act provides the court with a number of alternatives orders (recovery order, attachment of earnings order, community service order) that it can make before the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (2 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on my Department's immigration service delivery over the last two years. Measures introduced to support public health guidelines have unavoidably led to a reduction in processing capacity across all areas at certain times. My Department constantly manages and reviews the allocation of resources to ensure that they are optimised to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (2 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that while the Inspector of Prisons Thematic Inspection Report for Limerick Prison did not state that sanitary products were not available for women in prison, it did record some negative experiences by some women in relation to the range of products available in Limerick Prison. I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that a range of period products are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (2 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that privacy is afforded to all prisoners in all prisons for various activities, where appropriate, including the placing of phone calls to family and friends and contact with their children. In addition, there are family rooms available for physical visits in all prison and video phones are available in private areas that are readily available to facilitate...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (2 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that LGBT+ awareness training is provided to Recruit Prison Officers and also forms part of the continuous professional development of staff.  Training is provided by the Prison Service College, by way of awareness-raising from a holistic equality, diversity and inclusion perspective. The table below provides details of the training to Recruit...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (2 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 120 together. The information requested by the Deputy is provided in the table below. The Irish Prison Service committed in its strategic plan to the elimination of the practice referred colloquially as ‘slopping out’, through the provision of in cell sanitation in the older parts of the prison estate where that practice remains. A...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (2 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Firstly, I would like to apologise to the Deputy for the delay in responding to her correspondence. I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the family concerned for the loss of their loved one in such tragic circumstances. I intend to seek a report from An Garda Síochána on the matter concerned and will reply to the Deputy in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (2 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants Scheme opened for applications on  31 January 2022. Applications will be accepted for six months until 31 July 2022, when the scheme will close. The scheme is only open to those who do not have a current permission to reside in the State and will enable eligible applicants to remain and reside in the State and to regularise their...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (2 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: As outlined to the Deputy in response to Parliamentary Question No. 511 of 25 January 2022, I have been advised by An Garda Síochána that it is not possible to provide the information sought by the Deputy.  As stated, Garda members may be assigned to several investigations at one time and members do not have a system that allows for them to account for man hours...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (1 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that in-cell technology utilised in the Irish Prison Service, aside from telephones, includes the use of restricted mobile devices, such as laptops and tablets. The Prison Service Psychology Service piloted the use of a restricted mobile device in-cell to conduct individual appointments with a psychologist where clinically necessary during Covid 19. As a result of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Fines Administration (1 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The table, furnished to me by the Courts Service, shows the number of persons by District Court Area, where their offence for speeding was struck out/dismissed due to the driver making a contribution to the court poor box in each of the years 2016 to 2021. I am advised by the Courts Service that if there was no order made by the Judge to strike out/dismiss following a payment to the poor box...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (1 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (1 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware the Office of the Inspector of Prisons is a statutory body, independent in how it carries out its work, set up under the Prisons Act 2007. The Inspector's key role is to carry out regular inspections of prisons and the Inspector plays a vital role in ensuring effective independent oversight of our prison system. For the years 2016 to 2019 there were no prison...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Alcohol Sales (1 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Government commits to ‘modernising our licensing laws and application processes’ and my Justice Plan 2021 committed to reviewing and modernising alcohol licensing. In addition, the issue of outdated alcohol licensing legislation was a key challenge identified by stakeholders in the published report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce. I intend to modernise...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (1 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that EU citizens do not require a visa to travel to Ireland and may reside freely in any EU Member State. Furthermore, EEA and Swiss nationals are not required to register with immigration authorities. Not all non-EEA nationals are visa required. A full list of visa required and non-visa required countries can be found on my Department's website at:...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (1 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants Scheme opened for applications on 31 January 2022. Applications will be accepted for six months until 31 July 2022, when the scheme will close. The scheme is not an amnesty. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for people who are undocumented in the State to make an application to regularise their position, where they meet the...