Results 1,301-1,320 of 10,120 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I understand that extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants and I want to assure anyone who has made an application for a join family visa that my Department is doing everything possible to progress these applications as quickly as possible. The entitlement to family reunification varies depending on the permission granted to the sponsor of the application. Accordingly, there...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that the application referred to was created on 25 October 2024. Supporting documentation was received in the Abuja Visa Office on 15 November 2024 where it awaits examination and processing. My Departments business target for join family visa applications is 12 months. It must be made clear that these are business targets for the immigration service. The business...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gambling Sector (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am advised that the recent procurement process and awarding of the subsequent contract for the Provision of Licensing and Operational Support ICT Systems and Related Services on behalf of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) was conducted in line with all national and EU procurement rules. These rules promote an open, competitive, and non-discriminatory tendering regime which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Sign Language (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: My Department and the agencies and bodies under its aegis are fully aware of their obligations under the Irish Sign Language (ISL) Act 2017 and I am committed to raising awareness of the Act across the Justice sector. My Department and all relevant aegis bodies provide ISL interpretation free of charge upon request. Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy , launched in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Common Travel Area (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 201 together. Ireland and the United Kingdom (UK) share a long history and common interest in the effective operation of the Common Travel Area (CTA) and work together to prevent any abuses of the CTA. There is extensive engagement, cooperation and data-sharing at all levels between my Department’s officials and their Home Office...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am informed by the Garda Authorities that in order to expand the Garda workforce, the Garda Commissioner set an objective to increase the number of applicants by broadening the reach of the recent recruitment campaign to attract a diverse cohort of candidates. The Public Appointments Service and the Commissioner achieved this success by employing innovative strategies, such as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Ensuring that all victims of sexual violence receive the supports that they need is a priority for me as Minister for Justice. Under Budget 2025, €3,574,000 was allocated to promote and assist the development of support services to victims of crime. This funding enables the provision of services supporting victims at different stages of the criminal justice system. This includes the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Ensuring that all victims receive the supports that they need is a priority for me as Minister for Justice. Under Budget 2025, €3,574,000 was allocated to promote and assist the development of support services to victims of crime. This funding enables the provision of services supporting victims at different stages of the criminal justice system. This includes the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Keeping our communities safe is my foremost priority as Minister for Justice. I would like to assure you that there are a range of provisions in law and in practice in relation to the management of sex offenders after they’ve been released from prison. The Sex Offenders (Amendment) Act 2023, which was commenced in 2023, strengthened our already robust system for monitoring sex...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probation and Welfare Service (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The imposition of a Post Release Supervision Order under Section 29 of the Sex Offenders Act 2001 is a matter for the judiciary as it forms part of sentencing. The judiciary is independent in the exercise of judicial functions, subject only to the Constitution and the law. It is not open to me, as the Minister for Justice, to comment or intervene in any way in relation to how particular court...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probation and Welfare Service (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 207 and 209 together. There are two forms of post-custodial supervision order that can apply:Post Release Supervision Order (‘PRSO’) under S.29 of the Sex Offenders Act 2001.Part Suspended Sentence Supervision Order (‘PSSSO) under S.99 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. Approximately half of Sex Offenders who receive some form of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probation and Welfare Service (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is provided.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (9 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service (IPS) the Building Better Lives (BBL) programme had been delivered as the treatment programme for sexual offending since 2009 in Irish Prisons. A review of the programme was conducted between February 2023 and July 2024 by Canadian expert, Professor Liam Marshall, following the emergence of updated research evidence, practice-based evidence,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: That is incorrect.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (8 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: There have been 122 Fixed Charge Notices issued for the offence of Exceeding Local Road Speed Limit 60Km/h Contrary to Section 47 (as inserted by Section 11 Road Traffic Act 2004) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 since the date of the change of speed limits on local rural roads. 107 of these instances involved a driver travelling in excess of 80 km/h and the remaining 15 were travelling...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Local Authorities (8 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Community safety is a top priority for my Department, and Community CCTV plays a vital role in this. Since 2017 my Department has administered a grant-aid scheme supporting groups wishing to establish a community-based CCTV system in their area. The CCTV grant scheme was extended in 2019 to cover not only new CCTV systems, but to also provide funding for the extension or upgrade of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: School Equipment (8 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 692 and 693 together. Improving people’s understanding of what consent is is of significant importance in delivering a society where there is zero tolerance for all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Extensive research on attitudes to sexual consent in Ireland has been carried out over a number of years by the Dublin Rape Crisis...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (8 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: At the outset it is important to state that there is no absolute privilege when it comes to the disclosure of medical records. It is for the court to decide what material is relevant to the case and what should be disclosed. Doctors’ notes are regularly disclosed at trial and doctors called to give evidence. The disclosure of counselling records is a complex and highly sensitive...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (8 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The visa application referred to by the Deputy was refused by the Visa Office in Dublin on 05 September 2023. The reasons for this decision were set out in the refusal letter sent to the applicant at that time. An appeal of this decision was launched on 15 January 2024. While I acknowledge the personal difficulties an applicant might be experiencing, it is not possible to give a definitive...