Results 5,341-5,360 of 15,508 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Appointment of Member and Chair of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission: Motion (15 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I move: That Dáil Éireann, noting that the Government on 7th December, 2021, nominated Judge Rory MacCabe for appointment by the President as a member of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and as its chairperson, recommends, pursuant to section 65(1)(b)of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, that Judge Rory MacCabe be appointed by the President as a member and as...

Appointment of Member and Chair of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission: Motion (15 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputies for their contributions and their good wishes for Judge MacCabe. I wish to touch on a number of points that have been raised. We all recognise the vital role that GSOC plays in oversight. We all acknowledge that the vast majority of people working with An Garda Síochána do exceptional work in protecting us and keeping our communities safe. The vast majority...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Support Services (15 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: A new Immigration Service appointment and scheduling system, which will streamline and further improve the registration process, is currently being developed and is expected to be available to customers shortly. In the meantime, the online booking system is available to all customers who should continue to apply directly for appointments as they become available without charge, at:...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (15 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I wish to reassure the Deputy that the accommodation of women prisoners in the Irish Prison Service is operated in full compliance with the Bangkok Rules passed at the United Nations in 2010. The ethos upon which Irish Prisons are operated is that women prisoners should live together in a community style setting with no categorisation of female prisoners and a regime very much focused on...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (15 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: It has not been possible to obtain the information requested by the Deputy in the time permitted. Relevant information has been sought which I will send to the Deputy directly when it has been compiled.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (15 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: It has not been possible to obtain the information requested by the Deputy in the time permitted. Relevant information has been sought which I will send it to the Deputy directly when it has been compiled.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (15 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: It has not been possible to obtain the information requested by the Deputy in the time permitted. Relevant information has been sought which I will send it to the Deputy directly when it has been compiled.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (15 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together. It has not been possible to obtain the information requested by the Deputy in the time permitted. Relevant information has been sought and I will send it to the Deputy directly when it has been compiled.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (15 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that the information sought by the Deputy regarding the number of remand prisoners and prisoners under sentence in the Dochas Centre and Limerick female prison who are primary caregivers to children is not recorded by the Irish Prison Service. I can however advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service introduced a new feature to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (15 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Office of the Inspector of Prisons is a statutory body, independent in how it carries out its work, set up under the Prisons Act 2007. The Inspector's key role is to carry out regular inspections of prisons. The Inspector has been asked to carry out an investigation into matters arising in the Dóchas Centre, under section 31(2) of the Prisons Act. The Inspector has indicated...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (15 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, vetting applications are an operational matter for An Garda Síochána. Neither I, as Minister, nor my Department have any role in the processing of individual vetting applications. I am informed by the Garda authorities that all Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNVB) staff have continued to work on-site over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (15 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: In February 2021 I published Justice Plan 2021, the first in a series of annual plans outlining actions to drive reforms across the Justice sector to build a justice system that works for everyone. These actions reflect my priorities as Minister for Justice, in line with the various commitments set out in the Programme for Government. The various actions are aligned with the Department's five...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (15 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: Tackling domestic abuse and providing supports for victims is a priority for me and for this Government. We are working collectively to address the immediate challenges posed by the pandemic, but is also working to improve how we deliver supports and services to domestic abuse victims going forward. The organisations referred to by the Deputy are among our important partners helping us take...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Management Companies (16 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 (MUD Act) was enacted with the primary purposes of reforming the law relating to the ownership and management of common areas of multi-unit developments and facilitating the fair, efficient and effective management of owners' management companies (OMCs). OMCs are companies registered under the Companies Acts, the members of which are the owners of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (16 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: It is important to state that detention for immigration reasons only arises when all other possible options have been considered. In the case of persons refused leave to land to enter the State, arrangements are madeby the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) to return them to their point of embarkation at the earliest opportunity, which may take a number of days. Arrangements for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: State Bodies (16 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, selection processes for appointments to State boards are now supported by the Public Appointments Service. The Deputy will be aware that the State boards process is designed to enable any person to apply for a position on a State board. My Department regularly advertises positions for appointment to State boards on www.stateboards.ie. In making appointments to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Data Protection (16 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: Under the EU General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, the Data Protection Commission is independent in the performance of its tasks and the exercise of its powers. The Programme for Government commits to ‘recognise the domestic and international importance of data protection in Ireland’ and states that the Government ‘will ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (16 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 489 and 490 together. Any inappropriate cancellation of 999 incidents on the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system is a very serious issue which falls significantly below the high standards that the public expect from the Gardaí and the high standards that An Garda Síochána set for themselves. I welcome the apology that has been made in this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (16 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: The visa application for the person referred to by the Deputy was refused by the Visa Office in Abuja on 18 December 2019. The reasons for this decision were set out in the refusal letter sent to the applicants at that time. An appeal of this decision was made on 8 January 2020. Appeals for applications of this type are processed in the order in which they are received, to be fair to all...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (16 Dec 2021)

Helen McEntee: At the outset I would emphasise to the Deputy that prosecutions are a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions who is independent in the performance of her functions. I am informed by the Garda authorities that a search of the PULSE database was conducted on 14 December 2021 for charges and summons associated with Part 4, Purchase of Sexual Services of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences)...