Results 12,521-12,540 of 15,908 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Programme for Government (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, the 2020 Programme for Government contains a broad range of policies and proposals that represent a coherent approach to enhancing and sustaining a more just and safe society. My Department remains steadfast in working to deliver on the commitments in the Programme over its lifetime. These commitments have been set out in my Department’s annual Justice Plans...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: Family reunification as provided for in s56 of the International Protection Act 2015, allows people granted International Protection status to apply for certain family members to join them in the State. This includes those who are granted both refugee status and subsidiary protection status. The processing time can vary depending on the nature of the application and the documentation...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1068 and 1183 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the Government agreed to close the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) to further applications from 15 February 2023. As Minister, I do not comment on individual IIP applications, however, my Department’s IIP Unit is committed to ensuring that all applications will be examined on their own merits and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware from my previous answer to this question on 23 July 2024, tackling serious and organised crime is a key priority for me as Minister for Justice. I am committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to ensure communities around Ireland are safe and feel safe. The unprecedented allocation of over €2.35 billion for 2024 to An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Safety (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, by law, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for all operational policing matters, including roads policing. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. I can advise the Deputy that the table appended to this answer gives the yearly breakdown, by Garda Division, of Fixed Charge Notices issued for the offences of "traffic lights – driving past". Please be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1071 and 1072 together. I am acutely aware of the impact any kind of harassment can have on a victim, and that harassment can take different forms and have different levels of severity. That is why enacting the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 – or ‘Coco’s Law’, named after Nicole ‘Coco’...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise that the Citizenship Division of my Department has written to the person referred to by the Deputy. 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, atIMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. Officials in my Department are in the process of finalising guidelines, which will provide clarity to both applicants and decision-makers on what factors may be considered when deciding whether to waive such naturalisation conditions under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1075, 1077, 1082, 1087, 1110, 1124 and 1194 together. The ‘Study on Familicide and Domestic and Family Violence Death Reviews’ was commissioned by my Department and involved an independent study lead who consulted with a wide range of stakeholders, including family members of victims, non-governmental organisations, and State agencies. The review...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Insurance Coverage (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including all operational policing matters. As Minister, I have no role in these matters, nor can I direct the Commissioner with regard to them. I can, however, assure the Deputy that the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have been advised that senior officials in the Irish Prison Service have met with the organisation referred to by the Deputy on a number of occasions over the last twelve months. The meetings were to facilitate discussions regarding issues experienced by the organisation with their funding model and the significant challenges they are facing due to the exponential increase in medical costs....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I would like to assure the Deputy that it is a priority to ensure that international protection applications are processed efficiently and effectively, while ensuring the integrity of those processes is maintained at all times. As such, my Department has taken a significant number of measures to increase the capacity of the international protection system, including deploying very substantial...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Priorities (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, the operational response to any riot or civil unrest is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. I am informed by the Garda authorities that, following any emergency operation, An Garda Síochána’s practice is to conduct an operational debrief to identify any lessons to be learned and to inform the development of future policing operations and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Bodies (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Eurodac database, which began operation in 2003, is used to enable the comparison of fingerprints and assist in determining the country responsible for the assessment of an asylum claim presented in one of the Member States. Eurodac is not a criminal records database however since 2015, and in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 603/2013, law enforcement agencies are permitted to compare...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Law Cases (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Government is fully committed to reforming the family justice system in Ireland. In November 2022, I published the Family Justice Strategy 2022-2025. The Strategy puts children at the centre of the system, and emphasises, amongst other things, the need to ensure they are listened to, heard, and their views given due regard, in line with constitutional obligations and rights. As the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Irish Prison Service provides a range of accommodation types to assist in the management of sentences, to facilitate appropriate progression, and to support the transition from custody back into their community of people sentenced to a term of imprisonment. The Service currently has a number of ongoing short, medium and long term projects to be delivered between 2024 and 2030 which will...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Reports (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service (IPS) that 6 of the 8 recommendations made by the Office of the Inspector of Prisons in respect of the Death in Custody report referenced by the Deputy were accepted or partially accepted. Two recommendations made, namely number 7 and 8, were not accepted by the IPS. A number of the recommendations, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, relate to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: Preventing access to contraband into prisons continues to be a high priority for the Irish Prison Service. It is estimated that up to 70% of the people in custody have addiction issues and the reality is that those with active addiction continue their drug-seeking behaviour inside prison notwithstanding the supports that are available to address their addiction. The Irish Prison Service...