Results 8,001-8,020 of 9,409 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Reviews (11 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The majority and minority reports of the Independent Review Group, appointed to examine all aspects of the Offences Against the State Acts, were considered by Government and published in 2023. The Offences Against the State Acts are Ireland's primary counter-terrorism legislation. They have served, and continue to serve, the State well and fulfil a vital role in our criminal justice...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (11 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Temporary Protection Directive has been extended until March 2026 at a meeting of the European Council in June 2024, thereby providing certainty for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection who can continue to avail of the protections that the Directive provides during this time. Consideration as to the arrangements to be put in place following the expiry of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Functions (11 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Programme for Government commits to the establishment of a Public Transport Security force under the National Transport Authority. As the NTA rests under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Transport, at present my Department has no role in the establishment of this force. Officials will, of course, engage with colleagues in the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (11 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 458 and 459 together. International students from outside the EU/EEA are granted a permission on Stamp 2 conditions where they have enrolled on, and commenced a course listed on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) issued by the Department of Education and Science. A stamp 2A permission is granted where a person has enrolled in full time study in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Student Visas (11 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that international students who are from visa required countries must apply for an Irish visa before traveling to study in Ireland. It is normal practice throughout EU Member States to charge a fee for immigration services. The current fees for visa applications are €60 euro for single entry visas and €100 euro for multi entry visas. Some...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will appreciate, community safety is not a job for An Garda Síochána alone. It is something that requires a multi-agency, multi-sectoral and a whole-of-Government response. A key principle of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland is that community safety requires multi-agency cooperation working in partnership with An Garda Síochána and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 462 and 464 together. ">Garda Fleet Details As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. This includes the distribution of resources, including the Garda fleet, across the various Garda Divisions and National/Specialist...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the purchase, allocation, and effective and efficient use of Garda resources. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions. Garda vehicles are purchased under contracts...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Garda Vote in Budget 2025 saw unprecedented funding of over €2.48 billion for this year, a 27% increase since 2020 which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Internet Safety (11 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Deputy may be aware that Coimisiún na Meán has been established further to the provisions of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 and operates under the aegis of my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The Act empowers an Online Safety Commissioner, as part of the wider Coimisiún na Meán, to hold designated...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (12 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The review of the Policy Document for Non-EEA Family Reunification, which was last amended in 2016, is examining a wide range of matters relating to applications for family reunification, including the nature and suitability of current income thresholds and waiting periods. My Department has consulted with a wide variety of stakeholders and the expectation is that the review will be brought...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Artificial Intelligence (12 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can inform the Deputy that Protocol 21 does not arise in respect of the EU AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689). Protocol 21 only applies in instances where the legal basis for a new legislative measure is drawn from Title V of Part 3 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This is not the legal basis for the EU AI Act. The information referred to in the details supplied...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (12 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I have made tackling domestic violence a central priority for my Department. There is a significant amount of legislation on the statute books which might assist in dealing with the situation to which the Deputy refers. Section 32(2) of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 provides that while the exercise of a person’s right to occupy a place is suspended by virtue of a barring order,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (12 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Temporary Protection Directive has been extended until March 2026 at a meeting of the European Council in June 2024, thereby providing certainty for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection who can continue to avail of the protections that the Directive provides during this time. Consideration as to the arrangements to be put in place following the expiry of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Climate Action Plan (12 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy may be aware, under Circular 01/2020 issued by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, my Department is required to record the carbon emissions associated with all official flights made within a calendar year, and to pay a corresponding amount into the Climate Action Fund, based on the prevailing rate of carbon tax (€48.50 per tonne in 2023). ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sentencing Policy (12 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is important to emphasise that the conduct of any court case is a matter entirely for the presiding judge. The courts are, subject only to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions, including sentencing. The Judicial Council Act 2019 established an independent Judicial Council, and, within that body, a Sentencing Guidelines and Information...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (12 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 223 together. At the outset I'm sure the Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. This includes all operational policing matters. As Minister I have no role in these matters and cannot seek to direct the Commissioner in relation to such. I can assure...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (12 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Deputy may be aware that, last September, the Government increased the age of retirement from 60 to 62. This means that Gardaí who wish to work on to 62 may do so. Government took this decision on foot of a request from the Garda Commissioner and the Garda representative associations. This increase in the mandatory retirement age reflects the reality that people can and want to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (12 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Establishing a zero tolerance approach to domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence (DSGBV) is vital for safeguarding individuals and promoting a safer society. In 2022, the five-year Zero Tolerance DSGBV Strategy was published and in January 2024, Cuan, the DSGBV Agency, was established to drive the Strategy forward. Under Budget 2025, DSGBV funding was increased to €70m. As...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Staff (12 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can inform the Deputy that Adrian O'Higgins has been appointed as my policy adviser, at Principal Officer (PPC) grade.