Results 4,841-4,860 of 15,429 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to ensuring that the Stardust inquests will proceed as soon as it is safe to do so, having regard to public health guidelines. Extensive work has already been undertaken towards this end. Government funding of up to €8m has been allocated for the new inquests to cover a number of areas including legal aid for families. A bespoke courtroom has been built...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Assisted Decision-Making (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: Under the Powers of Attorney Act 1996, an adult who has decision-making capacity may appoint an attorney under an enduring power of attorney to make decisions on his or her behalf in circumstances where the person no longer has decision-making capacity. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 provides a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: The International Protection Office (IPO) of the Immigration Service of my Department is absolutely committed to ensuring that all applicants have an equal opportunity to present their case, while adhering to measures to ensure the safety of all participants. Staff in the IPO have worked both onsite and remotely throughout the pandemic to ensure the protection process continues to operate. In...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: As I have set out in my Justice Plan 2021, it has been my key priority to reform how our courts operate and the judicial system to ensure that a progressive strategic approach is taken to the appointment, deployment and training of judges. I have identified and driven a suite of significant reforms in this area since becoming Minister for Justice. All of the processes for filling judicial...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, a wide variety of parking offences are dealt with by way of Fixed Charge Notice. I am informed by Garda authorities that a non-exhaustive summary of such offences would be, as follows: Parking or entering bus lanes (or streets) and taxi stands Public Service vehicles exceeding allowed parking times Heavy Goods Vehicles exceeded allowed parking weights Parking or...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 7 June 2019. Documentation was requested by letter dated 7 April 2021. The application will progress further upon receipt of this requested documentation. The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Procurement Contracts (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: I would like to inform the Deputy that correspondence was received on 13 September 2019 in relation to alleged procurement irregularities involving the Irish Prison Service and a named company. The correspondence was forwarded to my Department’s Internal Audit Unit for examination. I am informed that following examination and communication with the correspondent, an investigation in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Protected Disclosures (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: Overall responsibility for the policy and procedures of the Irish Prison Service Protected Disclosure Policy rests with the Director General. I am informed that in line with the Act, day-to-day responsibility for the policy and procedures is delegated to the Director of Corporate Services, or her/his nominee and day-to-day responsibility for the administration of the policy and procedures is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Assets Bureau (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is a multi-agency statutory body established under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act, 1996. The Bureau’s remit is to target the assets, wherever situated, of persons which derive or are suspected to derive, directly or indirectly, from criminal conduct. Since its inception, the Bureau has conducted investigations into...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: The information requested by the Deputy can be found in the attached spreadsheet. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the legislation. There are no provisions to apply different criteria depending on the nationality of the applicant or the length of time they have resided in the state. All applicants are required to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: The decision to temporarily cease accepting new visa/preclearance applications, with the exception of Priority or Emergency applications, applies to all countries and has been in place since 29 January 2021. Applications that were received prior to 29 January 2021, will continue to be processed. However, unless the application meets the Emergency or Priority criteria, a visa or preclearance...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to applications for permission under the Zambrano judgment (related to decisions under a scheme whereby a non-EEA national who is the biological parent of a minor dependent Irish Citizen Child living in Ireland, can be granted residency rights in Ireland) is not readily available for the entire period in question. Collating this information...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cross-Border Co-operation (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: On 24 December 2020, the EU and UK negotiating teams reached agreement in principle on a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which came into effect from the end of the transition period, 31 December 2020. The Agreement includes cooperation on law enforcement and criminal justice. In particular, the EU and the UK have agreed to establish a new framework for law enforcement and judicial...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: I am advised that the detailed breakdown of information requested by the Deputy is not available due to the manner in which information in relation to the grant of criminal legal aid is compiled by the Courts Service.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Reserve (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the recruitment and training of Garda members and staff. As Minister, I have no direct role in such decisions. The Deputy may wish to note that, earlier this year, 72 Garda Reserves attested upon completion of their training. Members of the Reserve already work...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (21 Apr 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 regarding insolvency cases in the Circuit Court. The number of Judges assigned to each...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: As part of Government efforts to tackle the pandemic, on 27 January 2021, I signed an Order that imposes new visa requirements on passport holders from a number of South American countries and South Africa. In addition to the new requirements, the Immigration Service of my department also took the decision to temporarily cease accepting new visa/preclearance applications with the exception of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 18 September 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: Courts Service (21 Apr 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. Furthermore, the scheduling of individual court cases and the allocation of court business are entirely matters for the Presidents of the Courts and the presiding judges who are, under the Constitution, independent in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: Due to the public health restrictions currently in place under Level 5 of the Government's Framework for Restrictive Measures in Response to Covid-19, the Registration Office in Burgh Quay has been closed since 23 December 2020, until further notice. The ability to register an immigration permission in person, for those living in Dublin, is unfortunately not possible until the Registration...