Results 2,461-2,480 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (16 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda powers in response to the Covid -19 pandemic were provided for under section 31A of the Health Act 1947, as inserted by the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 and brought temporarily into effect through subsequent regulations – the Health Act, 1947 (Section 31A – Temporary...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Support Services (16 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: 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 classification of parental alienation as a clinical disorder affecting children,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (16 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I am informed by the Garda authorities that Fixed Charge Notices (FCNs) are issued for learner drivers unaccompanied by a qualified driver. The number of Fixed Charge Notices issued for Learner Drivers unaccompanied by a qualified driver was as follows: FCNs Issued for Learner Drivers Unaccompanied Year FCNs issued 2019 6,145 ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, residents who have been granted an international protection status (refugee status or subsidiary protection status) or a permission to remain have the same access to housing supports and services as Irish and EEA nationals. My Department has a specific team who work in collaboration with Depaul Ireland, the Jesuit Refugee Service, the Peter McVerry Trust,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: Under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in exercising its functions. In order to be of assistance, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has informed me that it does not own any courthouses in south county Kildare...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Parental Leave (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 came into effect from 1 November 2019 and allows for two weeks paid leave for each parent within 52 weeks of the birth or placement of their child from that date. This is in addition to leave for parents already in place. The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 provides that parent’s leave can be taken by a relevant parent. A...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Parental Leave (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: In recognition of the particular challenges that mothers and parents 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: Rights of People with Disabilities (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international treaty that establishes two procedures aimed at strengthening the implementation and monitoring of the Convention. The first is an individual communications procedure allowing individuals to bring petitions to the Committee claiming breaches of their rights; the second is an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Maternity Leave (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the law now stands, a mother is entitled to paid maternity leave of up to 26 weeks, and up to a further 16 weeks of unpaid leave. Two weeks must be taken before the baby is due, and at least four weeks must be taken after the birth. Any amendment to the legislation governing the provision of maternity leave, which falls under my responsibility, would require primary legislation. There...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Responsibilities (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Data Protection Commission (DPC) is the national independent authority responsible for upholding the fundamental right of individuals in the EU to have their personal data protected. The DPC is the Irish supervisory authority for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and also has functions and powers related to other important regulatory frameworks including the Irish ePrivacy...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: On 16 July 2020, I announced that immigration permissions due to expire between 20 July and 20 August 2020 will be automatically extended for one month. Any permission which was renewed by an earlier notice of 20 March 2020 and 13 May and which therefore has a new expiry date between 20 July 2020 and 20 August 2020 is also renewed. Provided the person otherwise meets the conditions set out in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: 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 policing priorities, to ensure their optimum use. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Reform (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, a review of Ireland’s anti-fraud and anti-corruption structures, chaired by the former DPP Mr James Hamilton, is currently examining the effectiveness of the State’s procedural, legislative and resourcing frameworks for the investigation, prosecution and prevention of fraud and corruption offences. I am advised that the Hamilton Review Group is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 568, 570 and 571 together. Community-based CCTV is governed by section 38(3)(c) of Garda Síochána Act 2005 and the Garda Síochána (CCTV) Order 2006. This legal framework requires that any proposed community CCTV scheme must: - be approved by the local Joint Policing Committee, - have the prior support of the relevant local authority, which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that a revised General Scheme of a Criminal Procedure Bill was approved by the Government on 9 June 2015 and the Bill is being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. Certain elements of the Bill, together with other improvements to our criminal procedure legislation, have been identified as requiring urgent progression in the context of the current...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: On the 28 April 2020, my Department agreed to undertake, on behalf of the health authorities, the collection of public health passenger locator forms on a temporary administrative basis. The Border Management Unit (BMU) operate the scheme at Dublin Airport, which is the principal route through which people enter the State by air. While the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) manage the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Advisers (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: On the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil are currently awaiting Government approval. At this stage no Special Advisers have been formally appointed by the Government. This process will start once the Guidelines have...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Government is fully committed to addressing human trafficking in all forms. We are cooperating with partners and are actively engaged in the work of multilateral international organisations who are addressing human trafficking, including the UN, Council of Europe, OSCE and the European Union. Ireland has ratified the principal international Human Trafficking treaties, namely the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (21 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close cooperation with the Office of Public Works (OPW), which has the responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. As part of the implementation of the new Operating Model, the need for a new station in Sligo has...