Results 5,841-5,860 of 15,508 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (16 Feb 2022)

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: Deportation Orders (16 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Unfortunately, it has not been possible to collate the statistics requested by the Deputy within the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly when the information is to hand. 

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Support Services (16 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: To better inform further discussion on parental alienation, my Department arranged for research to be carried out. Following a competitive tender process in May, research commenced on this important work in June. The aims of the research include to: - Identify the various definitions and characteristics of parental alienation being used internationally. - Investigate what is known...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (16 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management and control of An Garda Síochána and for the effective and efficient use of Garda resources, including all Garda stations. Further, the Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. Works in relation to Garda accommodation are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (16 Feb 2022)

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, which includes decisions on the deployment of personnel among the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Community Development Projects (16 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, Budget 2022 provides for the establishment of the new Community Safety Innovation Fund. It is intended that this fund will support investment in projects which will improve community safety. The fund, which is expected to grow in the coming years, will have an initial outlay in 2022 of €2m. It is important to note that the assets seized by the Criminal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (16 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware from replies to his previous questions on funding, my Department provides funding to promote and assist the development of specific support services to victims of crime within the criminal justice system, which of course includes victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. While there are a number of organisations funded that specialise in supporting victims...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (16 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I have sought the information concerned from An Garda Síochána but did not receive it in time. I will write to the Deputy with the information when I have received it.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Bodies (16 Feb 2022)

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 has staff drawn from An Garda Síochána, the Office of the Revenue Commissioners (including Customs), the Department of Social Protection and my Department. The Bureau’s remit is to target assets, wherever situated,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Capital Expenditure Programme (16 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 to 204, inclusive, together. A breakdown of the capital expenditure allocation for 2022 for the Justice, Garda, Prisons and Courts votes is outlined in tabular form below. Justice (Vote 24) Area of Expenditure Amount €0000 Additional Information ICT 5,350 Mainly relates to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probate Applications (16 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Staff (16 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that there are two civilian drivers in my Department. The payroll costs of those drivers in 2020 and 2021 are set out in the table below. 2020 2021 Grand Total Grand Total €125,750.14 €74,963.08 €200,713.22 As I hope the Deputy will appreciate, for policy and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 84 together. The Deputy focuses on rural issues in his question. I might address city centres, towns and villages in my second response. My thoughts are with the victims of the most recent horrific attacks. This happened in their own home. It should never happen to anybody. An Garda Síochána is conducting a criminal investigation. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I agree with the Deputy's comment that when something like this happens, particularly when an elderly person is living at home, there is fear about it. There is an onus on all of us to make sure that we do not exaggerate or create a greater fear. Something like this is rare. It is horrifying and terrible for the people it happens to and we need to make sure that those who perpetrate it are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: In response to the Deputy's last comment, I think that, more in the past two years, people have seen just how proactive An Garda Síochána is, including in responding to emergencies and crimes as they occur and in the proactivity with which it has responded through Covid-19, reaching out to communities and looking at domestic violence. It is a fact that An Garda Síochána...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: In response to two specific points the Deputy has raised, in areas in certain parts of the city that people feel are less safe at night, there are particular operations in place. From 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. there are specific gardaí allocated along our boardwalks and in certain other areas where we know there has been an increase in recent times in assaults and where people, in particular...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: To reassure the Deputy and colleagues again, an investment of more than €2 billion, an increase of a third in less than six years, shows the commitment that is there to An Garda Síochána. It represents more than 60% of my justice Vote in total, so, obviously, there is a huge amount of investment overall going into An Garda Síochána, in personnel, equipment, cars,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I am conscious that all the families impacted by the incidents seen by many of us in the recent RTÉ series have had to revisit issues that happened in the past. It has impacted them, and they have suffered over the years because of the way in which those investigations were conducted. Such incidents cast a shadow over the trust we place in our criminal justice and policing systems to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: There is no doubt but that the alleged practices, which were detailed once again in the recent programme, were unacceptable at the time and they certainly would not be tolerated today. I know and understand the impact this has had and the deep hurt it has caused to many different families that were represented, and this aspect was highlighted in the series. Several of the investigations...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The many things I outlined in my initial response, including the new laws that have been put in place, the new policies and the new code of conduct to ensure that we hold An Garda Síochána to the highest standards, all acknowledge that work needed to be done in this regard. I must again stress that we have a robust system in place now. Those who are wrongly accused suffered...