Results 10,141-10,160 of 10,346 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Probation and Welfare Service (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Deputy McAuliffe for raising this question. I acknowledge his long-standing interest in this issue and his persistent raising of the matter, which is of significant importance. I have confirmed with my officials that there have been two historic allegations of child sexual abuse made in relation to staff of the Probation Service. Both relate to alleged incidents in the 1970s by...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Probation and Welfare Service (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Deputy. He Deputy put that very sensitively and appropriately. I am aware of the allegations made against Scouting Ireland. I recall the "RTÉ Investigates" programme and, indeed, I very much recall the very powerful work done by Joe Duffy on his programme in interviewing people who had been subject of abuse while they were in the scouts. On the Probation Service, there...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Probation and Welfare Service (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I will make inquiries in respect of the case that is ongoing at present. If it is the case that there is clearly liability on the part of the State, I would like to see that case resolved in a mediated fashion. I will speak to the Attorney General in respect of that case. Obviously, the Deputy is correct that it puts many burdens on people to sue the State, but a couple of years ago the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Community Safety Partnerships (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Deputy Currie. I am pleased to be able to answer the Deputy's question this time as opposed to the previous time.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Community Safety Partnerships (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: If I am answering the wrong question, my very vigilant Ministers of State will tell me I am doing something wrong. The Deputy is correct in stating that last week, I signed the regulations giving effect to the local community safety partnerships, LCSPs. They came into force on Monday of this week. As the Deputy will be aware, much work has already been done in respect of local community...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Community Safety Partnerships (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I will be taking an active role. It is an important time and occasion, now that these regulations have been signed and are being rolled out. The community partnerships will not be on their own trying to formulate their own guidance because, as I said, there will be a National Office for Community Safety, which is a statutory office that will be based within my Department. That office will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Community Safety Partnerships (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I agree with the Deputy regarding the K district in Blanchardstown. In fact, a couple of weeks ago, I went to Blanchardstown Garda station and had the pleasure of meeting the gardaí there. They do excellent work. It is a very demanding and busy station. The Deputy mentioned that I needed to get involved in directing the Garda Commissioner as to where Garda numbers should go. I...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Joint Policing Committees (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Deputy for the question. As he is aware, last week, I signed the regulations for the local community safety partnerships, which came into operation on Monday, 30 June. A total of 36 partnerships can now be established across the country, with partnerships in each local authority administrative area. That means there will be five in Dublin. Each LCSP will be led by a voluntary...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Joint Policing Committees (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I note what the Deputy has said about the JPCs, which did a lot of good work. Like me, the Deputy is a former member of a local authority. At stages, they could become very formulaic, with many gardaí, including senior gardaí, sitting there and just engaging directly with local elected councillors on very specific issues. Many of the issues raised at JPCs were issues the Garda...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Joint Policing Committees (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: When they are set up, we will look at them. We should not say in the first instance, "Let us start reviewing them." Let us get them up and running. Let us get them operating effectively and successfully. Everyone here wants them to succeed and I know that the partnerships themselves will want to succeed. If we manage to get this right, it will be a major step forward in terms of just...

European Union Regulations on International and Temporary Protection: Motions (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can confirm that it is proposed to use the Old Cork Prison site, as previously announced as part of a larger proposal to accelerate the delivery of six prison capital projects. Using an exemption from the initial approval stages of the infrastructure guidelines is expected to reduce delivery times by 12 to 18 months. This is part of the overall plan to increase prison capacity by 1,595. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is a central priority for me as Minister for Justice that our immigrations laws are robust and enforced. The EU Migration and Asylum Pact is a new EU framework to manage migration and asylum for the long-term. The overall objective of the Pact is to provide a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure. This will be done through convergence in asylum practises across the EU. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: An Garda Síochána needs modern tools and equipment to protect people from harm and save lives. This includes the rollout of bodycams to help protect frontline Gardaí and to allow them to investigate crime as effectively as possible. The Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Act 2023 was enacted in December 2023 and provides a legal basis for the deployment and use of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 61 together. I am acutely aware of capacity restraints in our prisons, and challenges faced by those who work and live in our prisons as a result. The current Programme for Government commits to increasing the capacity of our prisons by 1,500 spaces. The Irish Prison Service have already begun work to achieve this. Since January 2022, capacity...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As Minister, it is my priority to ensure that the courts are adequately resourced to administer justice efficiently and effectively. This past year marks the first full calendar year of supporting a significantly enlarged judiciary and court operations in the wake of the 2023 publication of the report of the Judicial Planning Working Group (JPWG) and the appointment of 24 additional judges....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Government is committed to the principle that everyone, wherever they live, should be safe and feel safe. Building safe and secure communities across the country by investing in An Garda Síochána is a top priority for me. I want every part of the country to be a safe space for people to live and work in, and the Dublin 13 area is no exception to this. While the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Misuse of Drugs (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am fully committed to helping to significantly reduce the harms caused to families and communities by illicit drug use. While my colleague the Minister for Health leads on policy on drug addiction and recovery, I do recognise that these areas are complex and there is a clear interface between the work of An Garda Síochána and the health and social services in this area.A person...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Freedom of Speech (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: In Ireland, the right to freely and peacefully assemble and associate, and correspondingly, to freely express one’s convictions and opinions, is guaranteed under the Constitution, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. These are core tenets of any open, liberal democracy, and this Government is committed to their protection. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (3 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I would like to assure the Deputy that an increased and a visible Garda presence is central to the Government's aim to build safe and secure communities for all of our citizens to enjoy. In February this year, the first Garda recruitment competition for 2025 was launched. This is the fourth such competition in recent years and despite the challenging labour market conditions, I am...