Results 8,981-9,000 of 15,638 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (11 Jul 2023)

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. The Courts Service Act 1998 sets out the nature of the relationship between the Courts Service and the County Registrar. The post of County Registrar is a statutory officer appointed by the Government, with a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am deeply conscious of how important the granting of naturalisation is to all of those who apply for it. My Department is aware that delays in processing times are frustrating and disruptive for applicants, and we are working hard to improve the position. The current backlog in citizenship application processing has arisen largely due to the legacy of restrictions imposed on staff...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Rights (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am aware that a number of organisations including those referred to by the Deputy have raised concerns from a human rights perspective in relation to the Offences Against the State Acts and the operation of the Special Criminal Court. As the Deputy will be aware, I published the majority and the minority reports of the Independent Expert Review Group appointed to examine all aspects of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to increasing Garda staff to 4,000. The purpose of this policy is, in part, to allow for the redeployment of highly skilled professional Gardaí from administrative to front-line policing roles. As far as possible, Garda members should be assigned to posts requiring police powers or experience. Indeed since 2015, almost 900 Garda members have been freed up...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: Community policing is fundamental to the new Garda Operating Model recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland and currently being rolled out under 'A Policing Service for Our Future', the Government's implementation plan for the Commission's recommendations. As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended, the Garda Commissioner...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: At the outset I would like to assure the Deputy that tackling drug dealing and associated criminal activity, including by organised crime groups, is a top priority for An Garda Síochána and this Government. As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management of Garda resources, including the assignment of Garda members to a given area or...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service and my Department are committed to providing safe and secure custody for all people committed to prison while ensuring a safe working environment for staff. Officials in the Irish Prison Service and the Department are continuously working to identify short, medium and longer term proposals to help manage the current capacity issues in our...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: National Security Committee (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: The National Security Committee is chaired by the Secretary General to the Government and comprises relevant senior officials from my Department and the Departments of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Environment, Communications and Climate along with senior representatives from An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. The Committee is concerned with ensuring that the Taoiseach and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including all human resource matters. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. I am however assured by Garda authorities that the Commissioner keeps the allocation of these resources under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: Immigration arrangements which enable Irish circuses to engage the services of non-EEA national circus performers have been in place since 2007. I can advise the Deputy that a review of the immigration arrangements for non-EEA circus performers has been undertaken by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. As part of this process, officials from...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ukraine War (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the activation of the EU Temporary Protection Directive is an emergency provision designed to quickly and humanely respond to the mass displacement of Ukrainian people by Russian aggression. Ireland participates in this EU measure, which is given legal effect under section 60 of the International Protection Act 2015. Those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including all human resource matters. As Minister, I have no direct role in such matters. As the Deputy will be aware, the findings from the Garda Cultural Audit 2022, highlighted many challenges...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am deeply conscious of how important the granting of naturalisation is to all of those who apply for it. My Department is aware that delays in processing times are frustrating and disruptive for applicants, and we are working hard to improve the position. Statistics are not complied or maintained in the manner requested by the Deputy. However, the median processing time for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Irish Prison Service operates a Merit Award Scheme, which recognises acts of bravery, outstanding heroism or merit which have been performed by staff of the Irish Prison Service. There are three levels of award, depending on the degree of bravery, heroism or merit, beyond the normal expectation of the member of staff and taking account their experience and training. The current Merit...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: Tackling violent crime is a priority for the Government, for my Department and for An Garda Síochána. Everyone has a right to feel safe and be safe in their homes and in their locality and I am committed to ensuring that is the case nationwide. The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána have the resources they need to achieve this. In 2023, over 2...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: A key element of our policy on building safer and stronger communities is that communities themselves have a crucial role to play. There is no one size fits all approach, because each community has different needs and challenges. My Department's community safety policy is about people being safe and feeling safe in their own community. This approach goes far beyond the traditional...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gangland Crime (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that tackling drug dealing and associated criminal activity, including by organised crime groups is a top priority for An Garda Síochána and the Government. My Department is working on a wide range of measures to tackle organised crime, including:the Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Bill 2023, which will make it an offence for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that the standard registration fee of €300 payable by an applicant is designed to reflect the effort and cost, over and above the cost of production, involved in processing registrations. An applicant is exempted from the registration fee if they:Have refugee statusHave subsidiary protection statusHave leave to remain under Section 49 of the International...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the family of Kirsty Ward on their tragic loss. I was deeply shocked by her killing, and it is unfortunately another appalling example of a woman’s life being taken violently, and another example of a family left suffering. An Garda Síochána have been liaising with the family and I hope that they will do all they can do assist...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána have the resources they need to deliver on their goal of ensuring communities around Ireland are safe and feel safe. As Minister I engage regularly with the Commissioner to monitor the resources needed to drive Garda recruitment. As the Deputy will appreciate the Garda Commissioner is operationally responsible for the...