Results 13,061-13,080 of 15,908 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will appreciate that it is not the practice of my Department to comment on the detail of specific security matters, nor would it be in the public interest to do so. I am aware of the reports in 2022 relating to the presence of the so-called ‘Fuzhou Police Overseas Station’ in this jurisdiction. As the Deputy may recall, the Department for Foreign Affairs...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service employs nurses across the prison estate to provide primary care to those in custody and work as part of the prison healthcare team. I can further advise that the Irish Prison Service does not currently employ full-time Addiction Nurses. There are, however, a number of primary care nurses who are assigned the function of carrying out...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Ceremonies (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that following full consideration by a Visa Officer the Visa was granted on 25 September 2024. The applicant should be advised that entry into the State is solely at the discretion of the Immigration Officer at the port of entry. The onus is on the individuals to have all documentation relating to their reasons for entering Ireland for presentation to the Immigration...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: The health and wellbeing of all people who apply for international protection is of the highest priority to me and my Department. As the Deputy may be aware, my Department is unable to publish any information that would identify any person as being an international protection applicant. This is a separate matter to the law dealing with data protection matters more generally.? My...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Inquiries (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the second anniversary of this tragedy approaches, my thoughts are with the victims, their families and loved ones, and the wider community of Creeslough and I hope to meet the families in the near future. The community of Creeslough and the people of Donegal pulled together and supported each other in the toughest circumstances. I am also conscious of the work in very traumatic...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Strategies (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, I have prioritised combatting domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) and supporting victims of these heinous crimes since my appointment to this role. In 2022, I published the Government’s Zero Tolerance Strategy to tackle DSGBV. This ambitious, five-year plan was accompanied by a detailed implementation plan which covered the first 18...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: A central element of delivering on the Zero Tolerance goal of the Third National Strategy was the establishment of Cuan, the statutory domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) agency, at the start of this year. Cuan has a specific mandate to drive the implementation of the strategy across Government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social issue. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (1 Oct 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. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Section 15 of the Act sets out the statutory conditions that must be fulfilled for a certificate of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Prisoners Abroad (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am aware, through my officials in the Irish Prison Service, of the case referred to by the Deputy involving the Irish citizen currently incarcerated in France. The Irish Prison Service is liaising with the French authorities, the Chief State Solicitor’s Office, and officials in my Department to gather the necessary information to progress the matter. As the Deputy will be aware, EU...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I understand the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants. I want to assure anyone who has an application for naturalisation submitted that the Citizenship Division of my Department is doing everything possible to progress applications as quickly as possible. It is important to note that no two applications are the same and some take longer than others to process....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Reviews (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for her interest in this issue. As you aware, my Department commissioned an independent consultant to undertake the statutory review of Part 4 of the Act but, due to a number of reasons, it was not possible for the review to be completed within the desired timeframe. I acknowledge that the report is now significantly overdue and the Deputy will be aware of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (1 Oct 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. I want to assure anyone who has an application for naturalisation submitted that the Citizenship Division of my Department is doing everything possible to progress applications as quickly as possible. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: An application from the person referred to by the Deputy is currently under consideration by the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division of my Department. A decision is expected to issue shortly. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by email using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I understand that extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants. I want to assure anyone who has an application for a join family visa that my Department is doing everything possible to progress applications as quickly as possible. The date published on the website referenced by the Deputy is the oldest date of application currently being processed under a given category. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy presently has not been registered yet. The Citizenship Division of my Department are currently registering applications from April 2024. Once registered, a Personal ID and Citizenship application reference number will formally issue. However, when the applicant submitted the online application for Naturalisation...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 347 and 348 together. The Deputy has been provided with a response to these questions by the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, on 19 September in response to parliamentary questions 137 and 138 of that date. The Deputy was informed that the provision of dog kennels at the homes of dog...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (1 Oct 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. I want to assure anyone who has an application for naturalisation submitted that the Citizenship Division of my Department is doing everything possible to progress applications as quickly as possible. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have contacted the Garda authorities for the information requested by the Deputy. Regrettably, this information was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy directly when it is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy that I have received the necessary information from An Garda Síochána and a reply will issue to the Deputy shortly. The annual report from the designated judge under the Communications (Retention) of Data Act 2011 was laid before the Oireachtas on 11 July 2024. The report contains a thorough review on the operation of the Act.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (1 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution of Garda members between the various Garda stations. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána...