Results 9,501-9,520 of 10,346 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can inform the Deputy that all visa applications are processed in chronological order, based on date order of receipt. While every effort is made to process applications as soon as possible, processing times will vary having regard to the volume and complexity of applications, the possible need for my Department to investigate, inquire into, or seek further information, and the resources...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Local Community Safety Partnerships (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: In 2021, the creation of the Community Safety Innovation Fund was announced to reinvest proceeds of crime funds returned to the exchequer by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) back into communities, in order to fund innovative local projects aimed at building stronger, safer communities. The Fund has since been renamed the Community Safety Fund (CSF). The Community Safety Fund 2024 received...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Contracts (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: In meeting our obligation to provide material reception conditions to people seeking international protection, the Department can consider offers of accommodation from a tax-compliant company, subject to compliance with statutory requirements and minimum standards. The Department carries out due diligence on accommodation being contracted including checks via the Companies Registration...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Bodies (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Family Justice Strategy 2022-2025 is an ambitious programme of reform which sets out a vision for a system refocused on the needs and rights of children, who are central to many family justice matters. The implementation of over 50 actions across nine goals contained in the Strategy will lay the foundation for this reformed system, one which will assist families to resolve their family...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can inform the Deputy that the application referred to was created on 16 February 2024. Supporting documentation was received in the Dublin Visa Office on 29 February 2024 where it awaits examination and processing. My Departments business target for join family visa applications is 12 months. It must be made clear that these are business targets for the immigration service. The business...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that as the child referred to is a visa required national and will not be accompanied by her parents when she returns to the State, she must be issued with a re-entry visa in advance of traveling. Applications for re-entry visas for children under 16 can be made by parents or legal guardians using my Department’s Customer Service Portal, which is available...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Seized Property (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Road traffic legislation is enforced as part of the day-to-day duties of members of An Garda Síochána, as well as through a programme of high-visibility road safety and enforcement operations carried out in partnership with other state agencies, in order to make our roads safer for all. Gardaí continue to enforce road traffic legislation and detect dangerous use of scramblers...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probation and Welfare Service (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Young Persons Probation (YPP) is a specialist division of the Probation Service. YPP Probation Officers work with children in the community, in detention settings and post-detention, and have been trained in specific approaches to the assessment and management of young people. I am advised that two key principles underpin the work of YPP, namely that detention be used only as a last...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The visa application referred to by the Deputy was refused by the Visa Office in Dublin on 23 April 2024. The reasons for this decision were set out in the refusal letter sent to the applicant on 30 April 2024. An appeal of this decision was launched on 25 June 2024. All visa applicants are advised that the onus is on them to provide as much information in support of their application as they...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Garda College is utilised to offer training, not only to trainees, but to established Gardaí and others. The College also provides residential training programmes covering Leadership, Management & Professional Development and Crime, Specialist & Operational Skills such as driving courses, firearm courses or specialist interview courses. The Garda College is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 310, 311 and 312 together. People are living longer and working longer in their chosen career across all sectors, and it is important that members of An Garda Síochána can continue to work to 62 if they wish to do so. There is a real appetite for this in An Garda Síochána. Since 2020 the Department of Justice has processed over 190...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the first year estimated payroll and fixed subsistence cost of recruiting 1,000 Garda is in the region is in the region of €31.4 million. This sum includes a basic training allowance for 35 weeks along with 17 weeks of post attestation salary in year 1 of employment, and an estimation of certain fixed allowances and variable unsocial...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Tackling the scourge of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) is a central priority for me as Minister for Justice. The Zero Tolerance Strategy to address DSGBV is ambitious and is structured around the four pillars of the Istanbul Convention – Protection, Prevention, Prosecution and Policy Co-ordination. One of the overarching goals of this Strategy is ensuring that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: 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 (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is a central priority for me as Minister for Justice that our immigrations laws are robust and enforced. There has been a significant increase in investment into the international protection system which, combined with digitisation and process reengineering, has facilitated a major increase in processing capacity. It is my intention to continue to ramp up investment in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 317 and 318 together. The company details provided relate to the provider of accommodation services at Dundrum House IPAS Accommodation Centre. Accommodation has been provided at this property for people from Ukraine since 2022, and for international protection applicants since 2024. A new contract commenced at the property in April 2025 to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (28 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 319, 320 and 321 together. Providing reception conditions to international protection applicants is part of Irish and EU law. The State is currently accommodating almost 33,000 people in over 320 international protection accommodation centres around the country. At the moment, over 90% of accommodation capacity is provided through commercial providers....

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

Jim O'Callaghan: The Bail Supervision Scheme (BSS) offers courts an alternative option to remanding a young person to detention by providing them the possibility of granting bail with intensive supervision supports. The scheme both reduces the need for remand places and also provides an opportunity to focus on developing successful community resources designed to prevent young people from engaging in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Restorative Justice (29 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Probation Service delivers restorative justice directly, and through several community-based organisations that receive referrals at specific points in the criminal justice process. I am advised the Probation Service provides funding to five community-based organisations to provide dedicated restorative justice programmes. The funding provided to these organisations in 2024 for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Juvenile Offenders (29 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 450 and 451 together. The Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) are a fundamental support to the operation of the statutory Garda Youth Diversion Programme and provide a vital ingredient in enhancing community policing partnerships. YDPs are community based, multi-agency youth crime prevention initiatives which primarily seek to divert young people who have...