Results 2,841-2,860 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (10 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 184, 190 and 192 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (10 Sep 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 responsibility for 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (10 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management and control of An Garda Síochána and for the effective and efficient use of Garda resources. Further, the Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. Works in relation to Garda accommodation are therefore progressed by the Garda authorities working in close...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Data (10 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that Irish Prison records indicate that over the past 7 years 61 persons are deemed to have absconded, and that 8 remain unlawfully at large. The Irish Prison Service defines an absconder as a prisoner who leaves an Open Centre without the relevant approval. Year  Number of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gender Balance (10 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and operation of An Garda Síochána, including matters of personnel and Human Resources policy. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters, however I fully support the Commissioner and his management team in their efforts to strengthen and diversify An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the operation and allocation of resources within An Garda Síochána are matters for the Commissioner and his management team. As Minister I have no direct role in these matters. I am assured by the Commissioner that the allocation of resources is kept under constant review to respond to emerging crime trends. An Garda Síochána are of course...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Travel Documents (10 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, staff in the Immigration Service Delivery function of my Department have had limited access to their offices and to the relevant case files until recently. However, it is expected that the person concerned should receive a determination on their travel document application in the coming days. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (10 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: An application for naturalisation in relation to the person referred to is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision in due course. Documentation requested from the person concerned on 13 June 2020, has yet to be received. The granting of Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (10 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: The application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (10 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: The person concerned was granted a Certificate of Naturalisation at a citizenship ceremony held in Killarney on 9 December 2019. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (10 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: I am pleased to have the opportunity to present this important Bill. I welcome the broad support it received in the Dáil last week. The purpose of the Bill is very clear from its Title. It is about new enforcement powers for the Garda Síochána for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic. More specifically the Bill relates to commercial premises where alcohol is sold or...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (10 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: I thank all Senators for their comments and especially for their broad support for the legislation. I did not say it at the outset but, to be clear, I am very grateful to all Senators for their support and for allowing the Bill to go through and bypass the pre-legislative scrutiny. I understand and fully appreciate that this is not the way we should be passing legislation. Unfortunately,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (15 Sep 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 Minister I have no direct role in these matters. I am informed by the Garda authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Agreements (15 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: At the outset it is important to note that Ireland’s laws are already in line with the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (commonly referred to as the Lanzarote Convention). This was largely achieved by the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017. The 2017 Act brought in a new offence of accessing child...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (15 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: My Department has commissioned the School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice and University College Dublin to carry out research on the question of adding a discriminatory ground of socio-economic status to the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 and the Equality Status Acts 2000-2015. The research involves: - A review of literature that analyses the inclusion of socio-economic...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (15 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to end the current system of Direct Provision within the lifetime of the Government and to replace it with a new international protection accommodation policy, centred on a not-for-profit approach.  Last year, Dr Catherine Day was asked to bring together an expert group with representation from asylum seekers and NGOs to examine...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (15 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: The transfer of functions between Departments is governed by the Ministers and Secretaries Acts 1924-2017, and will be determined by a Government decision and resulting Transfer of Functions Order. The implementation of the transfer of functions is also guided by the Transfer of Functions Guidelines and Best Practice Handbook developed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (15 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: There are a number of avenues available to public representatives to raise matters with me or directly with officials of my Department in respect of direct provision accommodation centres. Public representatives can make representations on behalf of a person or a group by writing to my office by post or by e-mail or by telephone. Contact details are available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (15 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: The application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (15 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Civil Debt (Procedures) Act 2015 was enacted in July 2015 but has not been commenced.  As well as providing for attachment of earnings, the Act provides for deductions from social welfare payments. It is envisaged that the Act will be commenced once the drafting of the necessary Rules of Court has concluded and once the appropriate procedures have been put in place in the...