Results 4,261-4,280 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Investigations (4 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, former Chief Constable Jon Boutcher heads up a series of ongoing independent UK police investigations and reviews into Northern Ireland legacy cases that are collectively described as the Kenova cases.  The Deputy will appreciate that the manner in which these police investigations and reviews are pursued is entirely a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (4 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and deployment of resources.  The allocation of Garda resources is made in light of identified operational demand.  This includes deployment of personnel among the various Garda Divisions.  As Minister,...

Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Second Stage (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to bring the Criminal Procedure Bill 2021 before the House. It is a relatively short Bill the primary purpose of which is the introduction of preliminary trial hearings. The need for these hearings has been agreed and their implementation has been called for over many years. The programme for government highlights the...

Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Second Stage (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I thank all Deputies for their comments and their support for this Bill. It is clear that there is overwhelming support from all Members for the many reasons we have all touched on. The Bill will ensure that we have more streamlined, efficient and effective criminal proceedings. Particularly in the context of juries and jurors, it will enable us to create a system where they know that when...

Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Referral to Select Committee (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Justice pursuant to Standing Orders 95 and 181.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Minister for Health is primarily responsible for our overall national Covid-19 strategy. The Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA) is the independent statutory body established under the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011, with responsibility to licence and regulate property services providers (auctioneers, estate agents, letting agents and property management agents). To...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities and I will contact the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Northern Ireland (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, this Government is deeply conscious of the enduring suffering and hardship that survivors of Troubles-related attacks bear. The Government has always sought to acknowledge and address the legitimate needs and expectations of victims’ families and survivors of Troubles-related attacks in this jurisdiction. A substantive measure in this regard was the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation (10 Feb 2021)

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 its functions. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has provided the following update on this matter. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Garda National Vetting Bureau processes vetting for relevant organisations registered with the Vetting office whose employees (paid or otherwise) are conducting “Relevant Work or Activities” as defined in Schedule 1, Part 1 and Part 2 of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016. I am aware of the issue to which the Deputy refers and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, the former Director of the Probation Service, Mr Vivian Geiran, recently completed the scoping exercise in question and prepared a report on his findings. I have received the report and I am currently considering the findings therein. My officials are drafting an action plan and will consult on it with other relevant Departments and agencies. I look forward to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: From midnight on 15 January 2021, all passengers arriving into Ireland by air or ferry are required to produce evidence of a negative/not detected RT-PCR Covid-19 test, taken up to 72 hours prior to arrival. Regulations under the Health Act 1947 underpin these new requirements. Under these Regulations, passengers are legally required to produce evidence of a negative/not detected result...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Work Permits (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: For reasons of confidentiality I am unable to comment on any individual immigration or international protection case. The health and well-being of all people who apply for international protection is of the highest priority to me and my Department and to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth who are responsible for providing accommodation and related supports...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Assets Bureau (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the identification, tracing, freezing, and ultimate confiscation of criminal assets does not rest with a single body in Ireland and is spread across a number of different agencies and statutory bodies, not all of which are within the responsibility of the Department of Justice. The relevant bodies include An Garda Síochána, the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Releases (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 611 and 612 together. TRAIL is part of the Peter McVerry Trust (PMVT) organisation and was established in 2004. It provides transitional high quality accommodation to offenders released from prison, who would otherwise be homeless. The project aims to reduce client’s risk of re-offending by alleviating the stresses which homelessness creates. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for policing the current Public Health regulations rests with the Garda Commissioner. Further, responsibility for the legislation underpinning the Public Health response lies with my colleague, the Minister for Health. I am advised by the Garda authorities the Fixed Charge Processing System (FCPS) reports on the number of fines which have been...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The applicants referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for a residence card to the Immigration Service of my Department on 20 October 2020. Processing of these applications is ongoing. As each application is examined on its own merits, the Immigration Service is unable to give an exact timeframe for their completion. However, I am advised that a decision will issue in the coming...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Support Services (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I am aware that increasing attention is being drawn to the area of certain family relationships termed parental alienation. Indeed, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality Report on Reform of the Family Law System includes a recommendation that consideration be given as to whether laws should be amended to take into account situations where one parent is wrongfully influencing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. In addition, the allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner, in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for the allocation of Garda vehicles. As...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: Under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for carrying on and managing the administration and business of the organisation as well as for the allocation of Garda resources, in light of identified operational demands. As Minister, I have no role in those matters. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the table below details the total expenditure...