Results 10,121-10,140 of 15,638 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Paramilitary Groups (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I agree. I have met the members of the Independent Reporting Commission several times. They have all been appointed for their own reasons and their experience. The way in which they have engaged with and in the community has been positive. They gained the trust of a lot of people, have been engaged and worked in a proactive and positive manner. Any of the recommendations, whether this or...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: From the outset, I assure the Deputy that the development of a substantial new Garda station and facilities on Dublin City Council lands at the corner of the R139 and the Malahide Road at Northern Cross is considered a strategic priority for An Garda Síochána and has the full support of Government. I believe the station would be a great addition, and that is the view of An Garda...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am not aware that any final decision to that effect has been made. However, if it is a new divisional headquarters, which is a significant development in itself, there will have to be a review of the resources within the vicinity. That would include local Garda stations. The most important thing is to get this project moving as quickly as possible. As the Deputy said, this is an area of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I again reiterate my support for this project, and the full support of An Garda Síochána, the OPW and the wider community for this project. We are hopefully turning a corner in achieving progress and getting that across the line. I intend to have further meetings with An Garda Síochána more generally on capital projects in the new year. I hope we will have some progress...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: On the overall figures, I have a breakdown for community gardaí in the DMR region 2019 in comparison to 2023. This includes DMR east, DMR north, DMR central, DMR north central, DMR south, DMR south central and DMR west. The figures were 301 in 2019. They are 276 in 2023. While that is a decrease of 25, there has also been a decrease in our overall garda numbers since the pandemic due...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I fully agree with the Deputy that gardaí, and community gardaí in particular, are an integral part of the community, whether in a rural or urban setting. People feel safe and secure when they know they can pick up the telephone and contact a community garda. Engagement can take place at public meetings or by directly engaging with the garda on issues arising in the community. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: For the most part, for the community gardaí I have met in the various Dublin stations in recent weeks and months, much of their work was and still is going into schools and engaging with younger people where they can. They are getting back into that now after the Covid period, where it was not happening in the same way. That had a detrimental impact and will continue to have a...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy. Only this morning, I updated the family justice development forum on a number of actions that have been undertaken to improve the family justice system not just for parents but also for children. One of those actions related to a report I received just this week on court assessors. It looks at ensuring we have a number of actions in place in the short, medium and long...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: On the last question, the new Garda Reserve campaign will open in the new year and will be the first such campaign since 2017. Disciplinary matters are very much for the Garda Commissioner and are not something for which I am responsible.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: Shoplifting is obviously a matter for the courts. Some decisions are taken where there is post-monitoring, or areas that certain individuals cannot go into after they have been prosecuted. More broadly, retail theft is up approximately 14% since the Covid pandemic. That is why we are working with the Department of enterprise; with the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and the Minister of State,...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I apologise; I know the Senator has heard me say a number of times that I understand the intention. The concept of fairness in the legislative process is subjective and it is not generally used. In fact, I do not think the word “fair” is in any legislation that has gone through the Houses compared to the concepts that are here, namely lawful, professional, punctual and prompt,...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: While I again agree with what is being proposed here in terms of the overall objective, I need a little more time to engage with IHREC to be sure it is happy to be a body to be engaged with. I suggest we return to this on Report Stage and I will be able to do that in the interim if the Senator is agreeable.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: As I said, I will come back on this particular amendment as I have to engage with the organisation. What we are suggesting in this particular section is that we would have bodies that absolutely have to be engaged with, but who the authority would then decide to engage with beyond that is a matter for the authority. It could be any type of body or organisation. The way in which it decides...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Garda Commissioner represents rank-and-file gardaí. That is why he will be consulted. The role of the Minister is to act on behalf of the Government, having been appointed Minister, to approve the priorities in consultation with the other bodies represented. That is laid before the Houses, as has been set out.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: This is very similar to what we have in the 2005 Act. It means that if an issue were to arise, it allows the authority to be able to respond and create new priorities if necessary. It ensures the system is not static. This allows for issues that may arise in this area.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: The National Security Analysis Centre is under the Department of An Taoiseach. It engages with all relevant Departments, including my Department, the cybersecurity office, the Army and An Garda Síochána. What we have in the legislation is similar to what we had in the 2005 Act. It was looked at and it was decided not to establish a separate agency or body.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: Section 62(2) states that before determining security priorities under section 62(1) or specifying performance targets, the Minister shall consult with the Garda Commissioner and such other persons as he or she considers appropriate. When it comes to security matters, the Minister tends to be guided by the Garda Commissioner and the authority that sits under the Department of An Taoiseach...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: We take this matter seriously. Following from the Commission on the Future of Policing, the National Security Analysis Centre was established in the last number of years. The Commission on the Future of Policing also considered whether to recommend the creation of a separate agency with powers going beyond analysis and intelligence co-ordination to include, for example, a capacity to...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: Yes.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am not sure what information the Senator is looking for.