Results 161-180 of 9,147 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Alcohol Sales (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will appreciate, I cannot provide an interpretation of legislation, or deal in hypotheticals. The sale and supply of alcohol products in licensed premises is subject to specific conditions set out in the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2018. Section 32 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 1988 provides for a prohibition on the purchase, provision, or consumption of intoxicating liquor by a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: In the interest of transparency, figures related to the Garda workforce are published on my Department's website. This information is supplied by An Garda Síochána, is operational and subject to change. The latest date for which figures are available is the end of February 2025. These figures are regularly updated by my Department, upon receipt of the information from the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Reviews (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: In accordance with section 27 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, the review looked at: (a) information as to the number of arrests and convictions in respect of offences under section 7A of the Act of 1993 since commencement of that section, and (b) an assessment of the impact of the operation of that section on the safety and well-being of persons who engage in sexual activity...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Reviews (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy is aware, my Department commissioned an independent consultant to undertake the statutory review of Part 4 of Sexual Offences Act 2017 but, for a number of reasons, it was not possible for the review to be completed within the desired timeframe. The draft report provided to my Department by the original independent reviewer was incomplete and had not met the terms of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Responsibilities (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1518 and 1519 together. The Ministerial briefs requested by the Deputy are available on my Department's website. The Ministerial brief given to Minister Humphreys in March 2021 is available at . The Ministerial brief given to Minister Harris in December 2022 is available at .

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gambling Sector (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I was pleased to commence parts of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 to enable the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (the Authority) to become operational on 5 March 2025. It is important to note that the majority of the provisions of the Act will commence only after gambling service providers are licenced under the legislation. The GRAI are responsible for ensuring the Authority...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that the application referred to was created on 07 February 2024. Supporting documentation was received in the Addis Ababa office on 22 February 2024. This application was received by the Pre-clearance Team in the Dublin Visa Office on 23 February 2024 where it awaits examination and processing. While my Department's business target for join family visa applications...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Policy Document for Non-EEA Family Reunification, which was last amended in 2016, is currently under review. The review is examining a wide range of matters relating to applications for family reunification including the nature and suitability of current income thresholds and waiting periods. Officials from my Department have consulted with a wide variety of stakeholders, including...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (29 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 visa that my Department is doing everything possible to progress these applications as quickly as possible. In 2024, approximately 201,000 visa applications, of all types, were received by the Visa Division of my Department. This reflects an increase of 21%,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Information and Communications Technology (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1524 and 1525 together. As Minister for Justice, I have regular engagement with the Garda Commissioner on the provision of policing services and security services most recently on 25 April 2025. The Deputy will however appreciate that for sound security and operational reasons, it is not the practice to comment on the detail of such engagement or the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Protected Disclosures (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, including the organisation's obligations under relevant legislation such as the Protected Disclosures Act, under section 33 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety (PSCS) Act 2024. The Commissioner is independent in these functions under Section 34 of the PSCS Act. I am advised by the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: In order to qualify for citizenship by naturalisation applicants are generally required to have 5 years legal reckonable residence in the State in the nine years prior to making an application; there are certain exception, such as for spouses of Irish nationals where the requirement is 3 years. In all cases, the final 12 months must be continuous legal residence in the State with up to 70...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: While all members of An Garda Síochána promote crime prevention and reduction, Crime Prevention Officers (CPOs) are specifically trained to carry out the role. CPOs encourage, promote, guide and advise on crime prevention to both the private and business community. There is a Crime Prevention Officer attached to each Garda Division. There are currently 37 Crime Prevention Officers...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Legal Aid Board is the statutory, independent body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to persons of modest means, in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 and the Civil Legal Aid Regulations 1996 to 2021. Section 3(3) of the Act states that the Board shall, subject to the provisions of the Act, be independent in the exercise of its...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for all operational policing matters, including roads policing. I can advise the Deputy that the table appended to this answer gives the yearly breakdown of Fixed Charge Notices issued by Gardaí for the offence of learner driver unaccompanied by a qualified driver for the past 5 years, broken down by Garda Division. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The publication of the Spring Legislative Programme, on 18 February, set out the 21 Bills that have been prioritised for publication, and 29 Bills for drafting, in the current Dáil session. The Spring Legislative Programme is the first legislative programme set by the new Government, with further commitments in the programme for Government to be prioritised in subsequent programmes....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Orders (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Keeping our communities safe is my foremost priority as Minister for Justice. Redaction of an individual’s address from a safety order where so requested by the person requesting the safety order is an issue for the courts which make the orders. Essentially this is an administration of justice issue as the content of a court order is a matter for the courts. The District...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: By law, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, which includes the enforcement of road traffic legislation and the Fixed Charge Notice system. I am informed by Garda authorities that 12,857 vehicles were seized in 2024, where one of the reasons recorded on the Pulse system was '41(c) No Tax'. A Fixed Charge Notice (FCN)...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The fees to be paid by an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation are governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 569 of 2011). There is an application fee of €175 and a certification fee of €950 is then required following a positive decision being reached on the naturalisation application. The standard certification...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is fully independent in her functions under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1974 (as amended). The Office of the DPP is not an agency or body under my remit as Minister for Justice and, as I have no role in the operations, functions, oversight or governance of the Office of the Director, I am unable to provide any statistics related to the work of the...