Results 4,441-4,460 of 15,429 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 (as amended) is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Health. In regards to the information requested of the number of persons convicted under Section 15A of the Act (as inserted by the Criminal Justice Act 1999), "Offence relating to possession of drugs with value of €13,000", I have been advised by the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 720 and 721 together. The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of prisoners committed for a sexual offence in 2020 broken down by sentence length has been received from the Irish Prison Service and is provided in the table below. Less than 1 year 1 to < 2 Years 2 to <3 Years 3 to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, and I, as Minister, have no direct role in such matters. I have requested information from the Garda Commissioner in relation to this question and will write to the Deputy directly with the information sought, when it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (24 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 operational matters and recording of crimes. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. The Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 provides for offences of theft, the handling of stolen property and the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (24 Feb 2021)

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

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Alcohol Sales (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: Under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions. This includes responsibility for granting applications for special exemption orders of the District Court, exempting the holder of an on-licence from the provisions of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003, relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Bench Warrants (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is, by law, responsible for the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including the allocation of Garda resources in respect of identified operational demands. As Minister, I have no direct role in these decisions. As the Deputy will appreciate, difficulties in relation to the execution of warrants, including bench...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) has a hugely important role to play in ensuring that public confidence in An Garda Síochána is safeguarded and, as such, it has extensive powers under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. The Government is committed to ensuring that GSOC has the necessary supports and resources in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Correspondence (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy refers to correspondence concerning legacy matters related to the troubles in Northern Ireland. The main focus of the correspondence is a series of ongoing independent UK police investigations or reviews into Northern Ireland legacy cases that are collectively described as the Kenova cases and are headed up by former Chief Constable Jon Boutcher. The Deputy will appreciate...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Private Security Authority (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 729 to 731, inclusive, together. The Private Security Authority (PSA), established under the Private Security Services Act 2004, as amended, is responsible for the licensing and regulation of the private security industry in the State. The PSA is an independent statutory body under the aegis of my Department and I have no involvement in the day-to-day...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Private Security Authority (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that at the end of 2020 there were 1,760 Private Security Authority licences in circulation, comprising a total of 1,434 contractors. Some contractors have licences to operate in several sectors.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: Family law reform is a major element of my Justice Plan 2021. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to enact a Family Court Bill to create a new dedicated Family Court within the existing court structure and provide for court procedures that support a less adversarial resolution of disputes. In September 2020, the Government approved the drafting of a Family Court Bill along...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 12 February 2018. This application 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 as expeditiously as possible. If any further documentation is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Parole Boards (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The establishment of the Parole Board is a priority under my Justice Plan 2021, which envisages the new Board being fully operational by July 2021. The Government has supported this commitment with funding allocated for the Parole Board for 2021 of €1.3 million, which is more than double previous allocations. I have put in place a dedicated project team to coordinate, track...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Driver Licences (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána, including operational matters and the deployment of resources. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. Further, road traffic legislation and related matters, including drivers licences, are in the first instance matters for my colleague the Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Investigations (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 738 and 739 together. As the Deputy may be aware, the Minister for Justice is a competent authority, responsible for supervising a range of designated persons for compliance with their anti-money laundering/counter financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) obligations, under the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 as amended. I...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: For reasons of maintaining full confidentiality, it is not my Department's practice to comment on whether an application for asylum or subsidiary protection has been made in the State. An applicant for such protection status, or their legal representative, should contact either the International Protection Office (IPO) or the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) directly, as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the effective and efficient use of Garda resources. This includes responsibility for the formulation of proposals in relation to the opening and closing of Garda stations and the manner in which Gardaí are to be distributed and stationed throughout the State. The programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic my Department has been working closely with all government departments to support the national COVID-19 effort. At all times my Department has contributed to, and participated in, the large scale cross-Government communications programme which has been running since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has involved supporting and amplifying...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Work Permits (24 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As part of Government efforts to tackle the pandemic, with effect from close of business on 29 January 2021, the Immigration Service of my Department has temporarily ceased accepting new visa/preclearance applications. The Immigration Service is continuing to accept and process Emergency/Priority applications during this time. Applications received prior to 29 January 2021, continue to be...