Results 12,081-12,100 of 15,908 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I appreciate the frustration. I have had many people come to me, particularly about the long delays and the implications for them personally, but also in terms of the overall market. The best way we can address this is by moving towards a digitalised system. We are not there yet. Work is under way through my Department, working with the Courts Service and with significant investment...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I agree that we need more gardaí. I want more gardaí. The Deputy wants more gardaí. I commend the work of the gardaí we have. Many of the actions I am taking in the Department are to make sure we can attract and retain more gardaí: increasing the retirement age, increasing the age at which people can join, increasing the allowance they have in college and making...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I appreciate that this has gone on longer than anybody would like. We are on track to have this done by autumn. The report will be published in time. The reason we had to move it back to officials within the Department is because of the changes that had to take place. The independent person who had been appointed was not finishing it. There was then a tender set out to look at other...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I think we can all see this in our constituencies, particularly over the summer months. I refer to the challenges and the parents who get on to us because of a lack of space or because of their inability to get their children on the school buses. The Deputy is right that changes are being proposed to take away some of the distance requirements and other measures. I will have to come back...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I think we would all like to see our men's and women's teams do well, but there could not be any suggestion that this Government does not support sporting organisations. Hundreds of millions of euro have been invested in sporting organisations the length and breadth of the country, including soccer clubs or football clubs overall. As regards investing specifically in individual...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: First, I commend the work of An Garda Síochána. I particularly wish to thank the work of community gardaí. They provide vital support within communities. We saw how important their work is throughout the Covid-19 pandemic in particular in visiting people and looking after those who are more vulnerable. I refer to the day-to-day work they do in supporting organisations,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Government, through the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, and her Department has established Coimisiún na Meán. This is something which Deputy Bruton started himself in the Department to look at the harmful element of social media. While we all know how great social media can be, particularly in the context of our own work in engaging with younger people, the harms are clear...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I acknowledge the heartache and distress that has been caused to so many people post Covid. As a Government, we did a lot of things right but we need to make sure that where we could have done things better that we can always learn from that. It will not change things or bring people back but we need to make sure that we engage with everyone who was impacted over the years. Where changes...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: Guidelines are in place. It is important that any company progressing a project engages with the local authority and adheres to the guidelines. To give a more detailed answer I will ask the Minister responsible to respond to the Deputy on the project. On housing, the way that we deal with any housing crisis is by producing more houses and apartments to provide more options for people,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: My understanding is that measures are being brought to Cabinet.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: Measures have been brought by the Minister, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, to address the issue of students having to engage in full-year leases as opposed to shorter leases. He will be progressing that as soon as possible.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I do not have an exact timeline for that.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the purchase, allocation, and effective and efficient use of Garda equipment. As Minister I play no role in these independent functions. I am advised by the Garda authorities that the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: Parliamentary Question No. 444 of 14 May 2024 refers to the number of Gardaí, by rank attached to the Public Service Vehicle Inspector Unit within Westmeath Division. I can advise that a response issued to the Deputy on 21 May 2024. I have attached the reply for the Deputy's information.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (18 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department. I understand the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants and my Department has been working hard to clear backlogs. It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have sought the information requested from the Garda Commissioner and I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: Road safety is a shared responsibility, and while led by the Department of Transport, it is one which is taken very seriously across Government. We have all been shocked by the recent loss of life on our roads, and concerned by the worrying increase in road fatalities after many years of progress in making our roads safer. I continue to engage with colleagues across Government, in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Bodies (18 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: Earlier this month, I updated the Government of my intention to reform the carrier liability provisions of the Immigration Act 2003. I will shortly bring this legislation to the Oireachtas as part of a forthcoming Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, which is planned for enactment by the Summer recess. I am proposing to increase the fines on carriers from the current maximum of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (18 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: The coroners service comprises of a network of coroners located in districts throughout the country. All coronial districts, with the exception of Dublin, are the responsibility of the relevant Local Authority. Coroners are independent office holders whose core function is to investigate sudden and unexplained deaths so that a death certificate can be issued. Neither I, as Minister, nor my...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (18 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I understand that the Deputy has further clarified that the persons referred to have been granted Temporary Protection in the State. EU Council Implementing Decision 2022/382 applied the provisions of the Temporary Protection Directive to persons displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including persons recognised as refugees in Ukraine. At a meeting of EU Home Affairs Ministers on...