Results 15,221-15,240 of 17,803 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Seanad: Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. These are not ideal circumstances in which to pass legislation.These measures, however, are different. It is not just, as Senator Ward has outlined, that they are contingencies for unforeseen eventualities. They are also changes, many of which have been sought for some time, that happened to be needed to try to deal with Covid and to ensure there...

Seanad: Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I apologise as I had intended to address this issue in my previous remarks. These provisions are not meant as an attack. What is envisaged by them is nothing more than what is set out here. The intention is that this should be an alternative. It is not meant as a replacement. The rules of court may provide for a statement of truth in place of an affidavit but this is obviously where the...

Seanad: Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I wish to reassure the Senator that this is not a pluralist measure but a reform that allows the rules of court to be made, allowing a statement of truth to be made and communicated electronically. It is not in place of swearing an affidavit or oath.

Seanad: Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: Earlier, I outlined the provisions of the Bill on Second Stage and informed the House I would bring in this amendment. It is a small technical amendment. Section 31 provides for the designation of bodies by relevant Minsters for the purposes of holding hearings remotely. Under the provisions the Ministers may designate bodies that may hold remote hearings, and persons who would otherwise...

Seanad: Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: Section 31 of the Bill provides for the designation of bodies by relevant Ministers for the purpose of holding meetings remotely. A person required to attend a hearing in person shall be required to do so by remote means and the designated body shall have the power to make any arrangements to conduct the hearings by remote means. Designated bodies will also have the power to determine,...

Seanad: Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I thank all Senators for their co-operation and look forward to working with them in the years ahead.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child Protection (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on an individual case. Parental alienation has been described as a situation when a child’s resistance or hostility towards one parent is not justified and is the result of psychological manipulation by the other parent. The issue of parental alienation is highly complex and I am aware that some professionals advocate for the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Oireachtas Joint Committee Reports (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 747, 748, 751, 752 and 791 to 793, inclusive, together. The Report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee of the Reform of Family Law System which was published towards the end of last year made almost 40 recommendations across the area of family justice. All of the recommendations are currently being examined by my Department.  As the Deputy will...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Alcohol Sales (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The position is that where alcohol is purchased online and delivered, the same restrictions on the sale and supply of intoxicating liquor apply, including the restrictions in relation to hours of trading and the provisions in relation to the sale and supply of intoxicating liquor to young persons. There is no dedicated licence for online sales of intoxicating liquor but licensees of licensed...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Parental Leave (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: In recognition of the particular challenges that mothers and fathers have faced during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government is considering a proposal to advance the extension of Parent’s Leave and Benefit to five weeks for all parents of children born after 1 November 2019, to enable every eligible parent of young children to spend additional time with their child. At present,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Wards of Court (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 753 and 754 together. There have been 1,455 adult wards of court declared since the signing of the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015. The Wards of Court office does not collate data on the number of applications brought by the Health Service Executive and it is not possible to retrieve this data from its systems. During the period March to June...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Wards of Court (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 755 to 757, inclusive, together. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (“the 2015 Act”) provides a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity difficulties. The 2015 Act was signed into law on 30 December 2015 but has not yet been fully commenced. The Act provides for the establishment of new...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Wards of Court (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: Until the commencement of the various parts of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act, 2015 the Wards of Court Office is required to comply with the Lunacy Regulation (Ireland) Act, 1871. Where it is appropriate the Court will appoint a Guardian ad Litem during the wardship application to represent the views of the person and ensure that their voice is heard by the Court. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: Published in December 2016, the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill's stated purpose was to address remaining legislative barriers to Ireland's ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).  The opportunity was also taken to progress other miscellaneous amendments to statute law. The Bill amends: - the Juries Act to accommodate (i) deaf...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: All persons making an application for a certificate of naturalisation are required to provide satisfactory evidence of their identity and nationality. This is usually in the form of a current valid passport along with other original supporting documents, such as a previously held or out of date passport. As such the person concerned will be required to submit a current passport with any...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: There are currently 596 residents in the accommodation centre referred to by the Deputy.  The centre accommodates a mix of families, couples and male and female single people.   These residents occupy 197 accommodation units. These units are a mixture of houses (54) and apartments (143) and all units have their own kitchen, living room and bathroom. 20...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of An Garda Síochána. I have requested information from An Garda Síochána on the matter raised and will write directly to the Deputy when it is received.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I am informed by An Garda Síochána that section 38 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, as amended by section 12 of the Road Traffic Act 2006, creates the offence of 'Driving without a Driving Licence', namely, upon summary conviction, a fine not exceeding €1,000, and in any other case, a fine not exceeding €2,000. I am further informed that section 38 (5) of the Road Traffic...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and deployment of resources.  As Minister, I have no role in these matters.  I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Safety (28 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that my Department, alongside An Garda Síochána and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, is acutely aware of the severe difficulties and dangers the misuse of quadbikes, scramblers and similar vehicles can cause in the communities it impacts. Targeted enforcement measures have been introduced in a number of areas where quad bikes and...