Results 9,801-9,820 of 15,638 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Contracts (21 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: My Department adheres to the principle of competitive tendering for Government contracts when acquiring goods and services. This is requirement of EU law in accordance with the EU Procurement Directives. Central to these procedures is the requirement to allow fair competition between suppliers through the submission of tenders following advertising of the tender competition on the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (21 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will appreciate that it is neither feasible nor appropriate to detail all circumstances in which engagement or involvement with other jurisdictions may have arisen. This is particularly the case in relation to security matters. I am also informed that is not possible to determine whether any company based elsewhere in the world who is involved with my Department or agencies...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (21 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, under the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017, if you are the victim of a crime in Ireland you have the right to interpretation and translation services. I'm informed that, in circumstances where a need arises, An Garda Síochána engage the services of an interpreter for interviewing victims of crime, providing legal rights and procedures to a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (21 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: I understand that the charitable organisation in question is working closely with Tusla and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth regarding their current financial difficulties. I would urge them to maintain this contact as colleagues in Tusla/DCEDIY will be best placed to assist. It is not intended that counselling for children will transfer from Tusla to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am advised by the Citizenship Division of my Department that a Form 13 for the person referred to by the Deputy has been processed and will issue shortly. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Traveller Community (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: My Department’s vision is of a safe, fair and inclusive Ireland. This report will be a valuable contribution to the evidence base available to inform future policy development in this regard. While it is clear that there is more to be done, significant work is underway across the justice sector to develop better relationships with the Traveller community. An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under Section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended). The Commissioner also determines the distribution and stationing of the Garda Síochána throughout the State under Section 33 of the Act. As Minister, I have no role in these independent...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: The persons referred to by the Deputy created on-line Short Stay 'C' visa applications on 18 June 2023. Upon creating an on-line visa application, the summary sheet must be printed and signed by the applicant and then submitted to the relevant visa office, along with supporting documentation & the relevant fee, within 30 days. Only upon receipt of the necessary documentation...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: My Department is taking all necessary steps to manage the international protection process fairly and efficiently, as part of the broader Government response to this challenging issue. In July this year, I published a report on the international protection modernisation programme for 2023 and 2024. As part of this programme, a number of measures have been implemented to improve efficiencies...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Irish Prison Service continually monitors staffing requirements and vacancies across the organisation, which arise as a result of multiple factors such as mobility, resignations, promotions and retirements. Recruitment campaigns are launched accordingly. Previous Prison Nurse recruitment campaigns have resulted in the successful placement of Prison Nurses across the estate. Recruitment...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: My Department takes all necessary steps to manage the international protection process efficiently and effectively, while ensuring the integrity of those processes is maintained at all times. The number of international protection applications last year was 13,650, a significant increase on recent years. It represents a 186% increase on the number received in 2019, the most recent year in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: A breakdown of headcount in functions involved in processing international protection applications from 2015 to 2023 up to 8 November 2023 is set out in the table below. Statistics before 2015 are not easily available in the manner sought as data would have to be extracted from a number of legacy systems. - 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: My Department is taking all necessary steps to manage the international protection process fairly and efficiently, as part of the broader Government response to this challenging issue. The number of international protection applications last year was 13,650, a significant increase on recent years. It represents a 186% increase on the number received in 2019, the most recent year in which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 122 together. I can advise the Deputy that deportation and removal processes are an essential part of any immigration system. It must be acknowledged that those who do not have a legal right to remain in this country must remove themselves from the State. A person subject to a Deportation Order has no legal basis to remain in the State. Their case to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: My Department is taking all necessary steps to manage the international protection process fairly, efficiently and effectively, as part of the broader Government response, while ensuring the integrity of Ireland's rules-based immigration system is maintained. The State is required to examine the application of anyone who presents at the borders of the State, or is in the State, and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 124 together. My Department is taking all necessary steps to manage the international protection process fairly, efficiently and effectively while ensuring the integrity of Ireland's rules-based immigration system is maintained. In July this year, I published a report on the international protection modernisation programme for 2023 and 2024. This...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 126 together. My Department is taking all necessary steps to manage the international protection process fairly and efficiently, as part of the broader Government response to this challenging issue. The number of international protection applications last year was 13,651, a significant increase on recent years. This represents a 186% increase...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (22 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: The application for an Extension of Student Conditions (ESTC) permission from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department. To be fair to all applicants, applications are dealt with in chronological order by date received. My Department endeavours to process applications as quickly as possible. However, processing times may vary due to a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (23 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that they have received an application from the named person in recent weeks, to transfer their sentence from the United Kingdom to Ireland. Transfers from the United Kingdom take place under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, and accordingly require the consent of both the UK and Irish authorities,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (23 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: My Department has engaged in an extensive consultation process with representative bodies in the licensed trade, businesses, public health bodies and advocacy groups, consumers and communities in relation to the proposed legislation. A public consultation, including an online survey and a request for submissions, ran from November 2021 until January 2022. More than 5,000 responses were...