Results 5,301-5,320 of 15,508 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (8 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 123 together. As the Deputy will be aware the Irish Prison Service opened a new prison in Cork in 2016 to replace the old prison. I can advise the Deputy that I have not held any meeting with the Irish Prison Service to date to discuss the development of the Old Cork Prison site. I also understand that my predecessor did not hold any such meeting with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (8 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: My Department's overall objective is to have decisions made on applications from people seeking international protection as quickly as possible. This ensures that those who are found to be in need of protection in Ireland can receive it quickly and begin rebuilding their lives here with a sense of safety and security. However, efforts to improve processing times have been seriously...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (8 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: Last week, the Government approved my proposal for a once-in-a-generation scheme to regularise thousands of undocumented migrants and their families who are living in Ireland. The scheme will enable eligible applicants to remain and reside in the State and to regularise their residency status. It will bring some much-needed certainty and peace of mind to thousands of people who are already...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (8 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I note that the person referred to by the Deputy will not arrive in the country until January. I can confirm that appointments have not yet been released for January and the person will, on arrival in the State, have a 90 day period within which to register their permission. Where a preclearance permission is required to facilitate their entry to the State, a person should ensure that they...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (8 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: The citizenship application from the person referred to by the Deputy was received on 7 February 2020. This application is being processed under the temporary statutory declaration process that I announced in January. The citizenship certificate fee was paid online on 30 November 2021, and the signed statutory declaration was received by my Department by post on 3 December 2021. As...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (8 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and I know that he has campaigned over many years on behalf of the families of the victims of the Belturbet bombing. Like him and many others, I would also hold the view that the perpetrators of this appalling atrocity should be brought to justice and I wish to extend my most sincere sympathy to those who were bereaved and injured in that terrible...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (8 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together. I can inform the Deputy that both I and my senior officials are in regular and frequent communication with the Garda Commissioner and his senior management team in respect of all matters within the competency of the Commissioner under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. The Garda Commissioner is required by law to keep me, as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (8 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware the Garda Commissioner has responsibility for the general administration of An Garda Síochána under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. This responsibility includes the allocation of funding in support of all activities, operations and deployment of personnel. The Deputy may be aware that the budget provided by Government to the Garda Commissioner...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (9 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act. There is no review mechanism of citizenship decisions. However, in the past, officials of my...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (9 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I share the Deputy’s concerns for the Afghan people and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. As the Deputy is aware, the Government has approved my Department's proposal for an additional initiative: the special Afghan Admission Programme, which will provide places for up to 500 Afghan family members to travel to Ireland. Each applicant will have an opportunity to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (9 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: The amount spent by my Department on electricity costs in each of the past five years to date in 2021 is set out in tabular form below. These costs relate to 12 premises which are used by my Department. The Department cannot provide the energy costs in relation to our servers as these are hosted in the Revenue Data Centre. It is also not possible to quantify how much is spent on power for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (9 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I have referred the matter to the Garda authorities and will contact the Deputy directly when a response is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (9 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has been working closely with all Government Departments to support the national COVID-19 effort. My Department has contributed to and participated in the large scale cross-Government communications programme which has been running since the start of the pandemic. This includes supporting and amplifying Government and public health messaging...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (9 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Irish Prison Service is responsible for the safe and secure custody of all people held in prison. When a court makes an order committing a person to prison, the Irish Prison Service must accept that person into the prison as specified by the court. All people committed to prison are accommodated in accordance with their legal gender. In some cases, the Governor may make a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (9 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: Last week, the Government approved my proposal for a once-in-a-generation scheme to regularise thousands of undocumented migrants and their families who are living in Ireland. The scheme will enable eligible applicants to remain and reside in the State and to regularise their residency status. It will bring some much-needed certainty and peace of mind to thousands of people who are already...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (9 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: The rollout of community CCTV schemes across the country has benefitted many communities, helping people to feel safer in their local areas. It is a priority of mine to ensure that community groups continue to be supported in their valued contributions to their local CCTV schemes whilst ensuring sufficient, proportionate oversight of data protection statutory considerations. Since 2017,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Missing Persons (14 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I wish to acknowledge the pain and trauma experienced by all families of missing persons in the State. As the Deputy will be aware, the national DNA database, which is administered by Forensic Science Ireland (FSI), has been a significant breakthrough in identifying missing and unknown persons in recent years. To encourage more family members to participate in DNA testing, my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (14 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that the relevant review is expected to be completed in early 2022 and will be given detailed consideration within the Department and by the Irish Prison Service at that stage.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (14 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 12 February 2020. 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. I recognise the crucial role...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cybersecurity Policy (14 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: My Department and Agencies take their responsibilities seriously with regard to cyber security and use technologies and procedures to secure their networks. For reasons of operational and national security it would not be appropriate to disclose details of my Department’s cyber security arrangements, or those of State offices, agencies and bodies under my remit. Any information in...