Results 10,301-10,320 of 10,346 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (10 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Since 2017 my Department has administered a grant-aid scheme supporting groups wishing to establish a community-based CCTV system in their area. To date, grants totalling over €950,000 have been approved for 36 Community CCTV schemes across the country. A further €1 million in funding was made available towards the development of community-based CCTV schemes in 2025. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (10 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: In order to assist in achieving its strategic objectives, my Department is fully committed to enhancing the capacity and capability of staff and provides access to a full programme of learning & development resources to meet the needs of both staff and the organisation. By providing appropriate supports and encouraging staff to take ownership of their own development, my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Emergency Accommodation (10 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Irish State and the Irish people have responded with exceptional support and generosity since 2022 in supporting people seeking temporary protection here from the war in Ukraine. The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (10 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: 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. In 2024 the International Protection Office (IPO) delivered over 14,000 first decisions compared to over 8,500 in 2023, while the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT)...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (10 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: 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.  The table below details the negative decision issued in respect of International Protection applications in 2024 and 2025, to 30 June 2025. Type Decisions ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (10 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based. The enforcement aspects of our laws, including deportation orders, are an essential requirement for the system to work effectively and to ensure that there is confidence in the application of our legislation in this area. A deportation order is a legal order to leave the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (10 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I strongly condemn the use of knives to threaten, intimidate or harm others. The Government is committed to ensuring that the problems that we have seen in neighbouring jurisdictions do not repeat themselves here. I am informed by the Garda authorities that a draft of their updated report on Knife Crime has been completed and is being reviewed and finalised. Publication of the final report...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (10 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Road traffic laws are enforced by both Roads Policing personnel and as part of the day-to-day duties of uniformed Gardaí nationwide. This includes a programme of high-visibility road safety and enforcement operations carried out in partnership with other state agencies. The Garda Commissioner has also directed that all uniform Garda members are to be deployed on high visibility roads...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Artificial Intelligence (10 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: My Department complies with the “Guidelines for the Responsible Use of AI in the Public Service”, published by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation in May  2025, with guidance issued to all Government Departments in June 2023 by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in relation to the cyber security aspects,...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am pleased to present this Bill to the committee. It will amend the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 to allow for a broader category or prosecutable offences in respect of terrorist activity. These include terrorist acts with a cross-border element and cyberattacks where the aim is to cause widespread harm. The legislation aims to give full effect to the 2017 EU directive...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Section 1 is a standard provision that defines the principal Act as the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005.

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank all members of the committee for their contributions. I share their revulsion at the indiscriminate violence ongoing in Gaza, perpetrated by the Israel Defense Forces. Many of us in this room believe those acts of violence constitute crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes. It is important to point out that if they are crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes, as...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I will address Deputy Gannon’s point. It is true that international law is not working at present. If it was working, we would see the organs of the international community responding to the slaughter going on in Gaza, but that points to failings within the international system. Deputy Carthy referred to what Ireland has or has not done for the Palestinian people. My own view is...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Deputy Kelly for putting down this amendment. It is not dissimilar to the previous group but what Deputy Kelly seeks to do is to state one cannot be excluded from this legislation simply on account of membership of the military, armed force or police force of a state. If a member of the IDF who committed a war crime or crime against humanity in Gaza came to Ireland, he or she...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As I said earlier, aiding and abetting war crimes or crimes against humanity or genocide is a criminal offence in Ireland. On what Deputy Kelly said, I am sure our views on what is happening in Gaza are very similar. I know the revulsion the Deputy shares with me on what is happening there but when it comes to legislation I have to look to see what is necessary. In terms of what is...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Much as Deputy Carthy is an effective cross-examiner, I am not going to start going down the line of being cross-examined in respect of the legislation. The law is clearly stated. It is obviously there to be interpreted by the courts, not by us. In the International Criminal Court Act 2006, we have made certain offences, domestic offences in Irish law - war crimes, crimes against humanity,...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I would not. It depends. Each prosecution will depend on the facts of the case no matter what the name of the entity alleged to have perpetrated the act is. It is not for us to determine the guilt or innocence of individuals prosecuted under legislation that we enact of those offences. That is a matter for a court. All we can do is draft the legislation. We take into account what we want...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I agree with one thing. We have to look at the language that is being used in our legislation. There is no point in trying to breathe into the wording of legislation things we know simply cannot apply. Deputies Kelly and Carthy referred to the ongoing prosecution in the UK of Mo Chara from Kneecap. As I said on Second Stage, the legislation in England and Wales is legislation - I have to...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: My apologies. I was listening to the Deputies but I was also trying to look up the debate on the 2015 amending legislation that introduced section 4A. I am not sure what the view of Deputies and parties was at the time as regards section 4A. I will reflect on Deputy Kelly's amendment, but the difference is that Deputy Kelly is saying we should include the words "material evidence as to...

Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (8 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I formally dispute what Deputy Carthy says. It is not wide open to abuse. If the Deputy reads the proposed wording that I am putting forward to the committee, he will see that it is completely different from what is contained in the UK legislation. I refer to section 13 of the UK Terrorism Act. It is not that dissimilar from the provision that has been in force here for ten years now, in...