Results 9,081-9,100 of 9,410 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution of Garda members between the different Garda units and Divisions. The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Under Section 33 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, 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 Units. I am informed by the Garda authorities that as of 31 March 2025, the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Local Community Safety Partnerships (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1648 and 1649 together. The Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which I commenced on Wednesday 2 April 2025, provides for the establishment of Local Community Safety Partnerships within each local authority area. A key principle of the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland is that community safety requires...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Bail Supervision Scheme offers courts an alternative option to detaining a young person who comes before them. It provides for the possibility of granting bail with intensive supervision. By reducing the need for remand places, this also provides an opportunity to focus on developing successful community resources designed to prevent young people being detained in a youth justice...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Irish Prison Service must make the best use of all available prison capacity when managing accommodation across the estate. Sex offenders, both sentenced and remand, were previously accommodated at 4 locations – Midlands Prison, Arbour Hill Prison, Castlerea Prison and Mountjoy Training Unit. However, due to limitations at these locations and rising sex offender committals to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is a central priority for myself, my Department and this Government that our immigration laws are robust and enforced. The number of International Protection applications have been rising over the past number of years, reaching 18,500 in 2024. This year, we are beginning to see application numbers noticeably reduce. There have been 42% less applications in the first three months of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Directives (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy, 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 (BoTP) 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1654, 1655 and 1659 together. It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am fully committed to ensuring that Ireland’s International Protection system is robust and rules based, and that our borders are protected. In 2024 the International Protection Office (IPO) delivered over 14,000 first decisions compared to over 8,500 in 2023, while the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) closed around 3,100 appeals in 2024 compared to over 1,700 in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Local Community Safety Partnerships (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: 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 crucially with communities themselves. The Commission's report recommended the establishment of national and local structures to bring together Departments and State agencies involved in harm prevention to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Communications (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1658, 1663, 1664 and 1665 together. I am advised that my Department has no direct involvement in this symposium. I understand that the Correctional Research Symposium (CRS) is an international conference co-organised by EuroPris - a network of European prison agencies and the International Corrections & Prisons Association (IACP). I am...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Directives (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Ireland did not opt in to this Directive under Article 3 of Protocol 21 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union. This decision was based on concerns about the legal basis underpinning the Directive, and potential incompatibility with the Irish legal system. In Ireland’s case, protection orders are a preventive measure governed by civil law. In the area of family...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: In keeping with the Government commitment to significantly enhance the delivery of public services digitally, phase one of my Department's Immigration Digital Contact Centre (DCC) went live in October 2024. The DCC is a self-service portal that enables applicants to check the status of their visa applications, book first-time registration appointments, and submit queries. The DCC has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Programme for Government commits to the establishment of a transport security force under the remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA). As the NTA falls under the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Transport, I can confirm that my Department does not have a role in the establishment of this force at this time. Officials in my Department are available to liaise with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Control of Firearms (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Responsibility for firearms policy and legislation rests with my Department. As issues arise or changes in EU legislation occur, we engage with, consult or inform, as appropriate, individual firearms representative organisations and other stakeholders. My Department also works closely with the Firearms Policy Unit of An Garda Síochána, who are responsible for licensing firearm...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (8 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It has not been possible to collate complete information as requested by the Deputy in the time allowed. I will write to the Deputy directly when the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (8 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: A response will be provided directly to you in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (8 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is a central priority for me as Minister that our immigration laws are robust and enforced. There has been a significantly increased investment into the international protection system, which combined with digitisation and process reengineering has facilitated a major increase in processing capacity. Accelerated processing has also been introduced for certain international protection...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (8 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can assure the Deputy that I am fully committed to ensuring that Ireland’s International Protection system is robust and rules based, and that our borders are protected. As part of this, my Department ensures that international protection applications are dealt with fairly and efficiently within the framework of Ireland's international obligations. The International Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (8 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Border Management Unit (BMU) of my Department has responsibility for frontline immigration duties at Dublin Airport. When a person arrives in Ireland an Immigration Officer will ensure that the individual is legally entitled to enter the State. In performing their duties, an Officer is required to consider all circumstances of the individual at the time of entry. If a person...