Results 40,061-40,080 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (22 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I can confirm that my Department has received and responded to the correspondence referred to by the Deputy. I have asked officials in my Department to engage with the group concerned to better understand the issues raised. The Deputy may wish to note that, following Government approval in December last year, my Department has established an Inter-Departmental Working Group to prepare an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Process (22 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: As part of delivering on the actions contained in the Zero Tolerance Strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, I will bring forward a number of significant pieces of legislation in the coming weeks and months. This includes the Criminal Justice (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2022 which will update sexual offences legislation. Provisions in the Bill will update the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Agreements (22 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: The Government is firmly committed to ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, several legislative measures have been implemented which were necessary to ensure that Ireland is in compliance with the obligations of the Optional Protocol. Enactment of the Criminal Law (Sexual...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sentencing Policy (22 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: Management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (22 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: Management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (22 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: Management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Reports (22 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I have requested my officials to send the Deputy a copy of the report referred to.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Appointments to State Boards (22 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is not held by my Department. The nomination and appointment processes for boards of bodies under the aegis of my Department are set out in legislation. In line with a Government Decision in 2014 and Guidelines set out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, my Department, in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service (PAS), currently...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Lobbying Reform (22 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is required to publish a list of staff who are Designated Public Officials (DPO) under Section 6(4) of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015. The purpose of the Act is to provide for a web-based Register of Lobbying to make information available to the public on the identity of those communicating with designated public officials on specific...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Schemes (22 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware, I obtained approval from the Government to close the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) to further applications from 15 February 2023. The Immigrant Investor Programme was established over a decade ago during a time of unprecedented economic difficulty to stimulate investment in Ireland that would be of strategic and public benefit to the State. Since its inception,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (22 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I can advise the Deputy that all visa applications must be made from the applicants home country, or a country where they are legally resident. This is the norm among visa/immigration services worldwide. The applicant should be advised that processing times can vary between countries. They can also vary during high volume periods during the year. However, the applicant can generally expect a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (23 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy, however, this information was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Projects (23 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: The table below lists the live studies, reviews and research undertaken or commissioned by my Department, and includes the scheduled completion date of each. Study/Review/Research Scheduled Completion Date Review of the operation of Section 31 (Digital Age of Consent provision) of the Data Protection Act, 2018 Q4 2023 Review of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (23 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department, with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation. It will be submitted to me for decision in due course. The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Industrial Relations (28 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Senators Hoey and Gavan, and Senator Black in her absence, for raising this important issue. I genuinely appreciate the opportunity it gives me to update them, the Seanad and, most importantly, the tutors, on the matters the Senators have raised. As we all know, more than 3,300 adult education tutors are employed across our 16 education and training boards, ETBs. I agree they do...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Industrial Relations (28 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I would like to bring this to a conclusion within the coming weeks. I acknowledge the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform is engaging fully and intensively with my officials. Indeed, I am engaging with the Minister in that Department on this matter. It is appropriate that engagement takes place. We are seeking to move to a different scenario as...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: An Garda Síochána (28 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Ahearn for raising this matter and for taking me to Kickham Barracks in Clonmel on a number of occasions to see the significant progress being made on the site, which in no small part is thanks to his work and advocacy. It was brilliant to see the plaza site and superb to be able to say that Kickham Barracks will be home to a new third level campus. It is one of the first...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: An Garda Síochána (28 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I understand the Senator's frustration on behalf of his constituents and the people of Clonmel. There has been some progress made. Planning permission has been in place since 2021 to build a Garda station in Clonmel. When this Government was formed and our party came to office this was identified as a priority. It has been on the list of projects that will be funded. This planning...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Third Level Education (28 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Senator for raising this important and timely matter. When the Government came into office and I became Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, there were no plans to expand veterinary medicine in Ireland. If officialdom had been asked whether we needed extra veterinary places, the answer would have been no. I found that quite bizarre because...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Third Level Education (28 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I believe Senator Ahearn also wants to be associated with these remarks. As much as I have great regard for all of my colleagues and for the points they have made, they will understand why I am resisting commenting on any specific application out of respect to the independence of the process. I will just make two points. On a general point with respect to the University of Limerick, we do...