Results 9,741-9,760 of 10,346 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Judicial Reviews (17 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: My Department has reviewed its records and the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in the case of every judicial review defended by the State in each of the past ten years. Officials in my Department are engaging with the CSSO regarding this request and will follow-up with the Deputy when this information is received. However, officials in my Department have been...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: An Garda Síochána (18 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I publicly apologise for the fact there was confusion last Wednesday. Deputy Kelly put down this issue for last Wednesday but I was not here through some confusion in the office. To answer the Deputy's question directly, I am not aware of the December 2016 report he referred to, which was commissioned by the OPW and the State Claims Agency, in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: An Garda Síochána (18 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: A person is only entitled to take a claim for personal injuries if they have sustained an injury. First, there has to be an injury before somebody can bring a claim and then allege the injury was caused as a result of, in this instance let us say, the presence of asbestos. If people have sustained an injury, it will be diagnosed when they go to the doctor and complain about a specific...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: An Garda Síochána (18 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: That is why when I engage with the Commissioner, I probe him. The Deputy has brought things to my attention, which I welcome. When he does that, I say I will raise them with the Commissioner and I do. The same will apply to other Members of this House. I have huge respect for this House. If a Member raises an issue of concern with me relating to the Garda, I will bring it to the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Deputy Murphy. As he will be aware, Tipperary County Council declared the site an exempted development last January. As a result and following on from that, a contract was entered into with the Department. I believe it was last Monday that the local authority effectively gave into the judicial review applications and, as a result, the section 5 declaration will be quashed. My...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Deputy for his question. Four weeks ago, I was in Limerick city and met the chamber and members of An Garda Síochána. It is true to say that requests were made for further Garda visibility on the ground. I brought that message back to the Garda Commissioner. There was also a request for a community van, which would be of assistance. I am trying to see, through the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Deputy Collins is correct in stating that yesterday I got approval from the Cabinet for the State to purchase Citywest for €148 million. The reason the Government approved that was because it was going to give effect to a saving of money from the point of view of the State. After four years, we will be making our money back in respect of it. We are spending far too much money...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (18 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Irish Prison Service advises me that work, training and education is available in all prisons. Programmes of education are provided in prisons in partnership with the Education and Training Boards. Supports and services provided include basic literacy and numeracy education provision, state exams and third level qualifications. Work and training in prisons is provided by Work and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Garda authorities have provided me with the tables below which detail the breakdown of the 120 probationer Gardaí by station, following their attestation from the Garda college on 6 June: Dublin Metropolitan Region Division Allocation DMR North Central 19 (1 Bridewell, 4 Mountjoy, 14 Store Street) DMR South Central ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (19 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 346 and 347 together. In the interest of transparency, information in relation to the allocation of Gardaí by Division, Station and rank, including for Kildare Division, is publicly available and can be found at the following link: The Deputy should select Garda Workforce and access the file titled “Garda Members by Division District Station...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (19 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that on 10 July 2024 a visa requirement was introduced for nationals of South Africa, thereby aligning our approach with that applied by Schengen countries, and by the UK. My Department established a dedicated “South Africa desk” to process applications from residents of South Africa. It also established Visa Application Centres, located throughout South...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (19 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Ireland welcomes international students who wish to travel here in order to pursue a full-time course of study, thereby providing economic and other benefits to Ireland, as well of course as to the students themselves. At Government level, the administration and management of international student programmes is within the remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (19 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: In general terms the law sets out the maximum sentence that can be imposed for an offence and it is then a matter for the court to decide the appropriate sentence in each particular case, taking into account all the circumstances. The judiciary is independent in the exercise of judicial functions, subject only to the Constitution and the law. The specific question raised by the deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probation and Welfare Service (19 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will appreciate, management of the courts, along with related operational matters and logistical functions, are the responsibility of the judiciary and the Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and through the separation of powers in the Constitution. It should be noted that the Department does not record data...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (19 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Programme for Government commits to "fully implement the Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual, Gender Based Violence Zero Tolerance (DSGBV) 2022-2026". Action 2.5.4 of the Zero Tolerance Implementation Plan 2025-2026 is "to scope and develop an operational framework to introduce Operation Encompass in the Irish system, including identifying any necessary legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff (19 Jun 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.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Deputy for raising the Women's Aid report. At 11 o'clock this morning, I was down on Wood Quay and I launched that report. I commend Women's Aid on the excellent work it has done for 51 years in Ireland in identifying the unacceptable behaviour of abuse against women. The Deputy raised a number of issues, which Government is dealing with, and I will identify a few of them....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Domestic violence against women is taken extremely seriously by the Government. I outlined some of the measures in my response to the Deputy but more are ongoing. I did not mention the fact that we are going to amend the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964, which will ensure greater rights for the families of children whose mother, generally, has been murdered by the father of the child. We...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Deputy. I never heard anyone say, "Ah, it’s only a domestic." I do not see how anyone could say that when reflecting on the level of violence, homicides and killings of women that, regrettably, have taken place on the island. It is simply an unacceptable aspect of violence in this country that a significant amount of the violence is targeted against women. Of course,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I hope that some of the measures she called for are already being acted upon by me, such as the counselling notes, guardianship of infants and the issue in respect of a disclosure system to reveal individuals who have been convicted of domestic abuse previously. I have no difficulty with that. I will speak to the new Commissioner, and I have spoken to the current Commissioner as well, in...