Results 13,441-13,460 of 15,908 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, the registration office with the Immigration function of my Department experiences a seasonal increase in demand for immigration residence permissions in the September to November period. Appointments are predominantly fully booked as students seek to register their first immigration permission during this time. Following arrival in the State, applicants have...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (22 Oct 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is the accounting officer for An Garda Síochána, and is responsible for the Garda budget. The Government is committed to providing the Commissioner with the resources he needs, and Garda funding has increased by over €500m (up 27% since 2020), bringing the total for the 2025 Budget to €2.48 billion. I have enacted...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: One of the overarching goals of Zero Tolerance, the Third National Strategy on DSGBV, which I published in June 2022, is to ensure that everyone who needs a refuge space will get one and under the strategy we have committed to doubling the number of refuge units across the country. This represents the fastest ever expansion of refuge accommodation in this country. To accelerate the delivery...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the deputy that a deportation order is a legal order to leave the State. Any person who has been ordered to leave the State and fails to do so is committing a criminal offence, and can be arrested without warrant if they come into contact with An Garda Síochána. Such an order remains on the person’s record permanently, unless revoked by the Minister for Justice...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is the accounting officer for An Garda Síochána, and is responsible for the Garda budget. The Government is committed to providing the Commissioner with the resources he needs, and Garda funding has increased by over €500m (up 27% since 2020), bringing the total for the 2025 Budget to €2.48 billion. I can advise the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the deployment of Garda members throughout the State. I am informed by the Garda authorities that a distribution model is used which takes into account all relevant factors including population, crime trends and the policing needs of each individual Division. I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that personnel...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department. This application is based on Section 16 'Irish Association', which can take longer to process than applications based upon residency. I understand the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants. I want to assure anyone who has an application for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Work Permits (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: Under the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 230 of 2018), persons are eligible to apply for labour market access permission if: They are an international protection applicant; and They have waited at least 5 months from their “Application Received” date for their first instance recommendation; and They are cooperating with the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Projects (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: Capital allocations are negotiated with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform for the Justice Sector which includes my Department, An Garda Síochána, the Courts Service and the Irish Prison Service. Negotiations took place earlier this year in relation to capital allocations for 2024-2026. Funding remains to be allocated for the years...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: 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 officials and I are legally obliged, under Section 26 of the International Protection Act 2015, to ensure that the identity of any person...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the application referred to was created on 12 June 2023. Supporting documentation was received in the Dublin Visa Office on 12 July 2023 where it awaits examination and processing. It is not possible to give a definitive date as to when this application will be finalised. All applications are processed in chronological order, based on date order of receipt....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: An application for a Stamp 5 “Without Condition As To Time” endorsement from the person referred to by the Deputy was received on 02 May 2024 and continues to be processed by the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division of my Department. Applications are processed in strict chronological order of receipt. The Division endeavours to process applications as quickly as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have contacted the Garda authorities for the information sought by the Deputy, regrettably this was not available on time. I will write to the Deputy again once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 572 to 574, inclusive, together. The Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 was signed into law by the President on 7 February 2024 and final preparations are underway in my Department to commence the Act, which I intend to do by way of Order on 16 December 2024. The Act is largely based on the recommendations made in the report of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, a further record-breaking increase in funding for An Garda Síochána was allocated in Budget 2025. The allocation for An Garda Síochána now stands at almost €2.5 billion, and has increased by more than a quarter since 2020. This funding will support the recruitment of new Garda members, Garda staff and Garda Reserves, and reflects the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that over 123,000 visa applications were received in the first seven months of 2024. This reflects an increase of 20%, compared to the same period in 2023, with over 21,000 additional applications received. The vast majority of visa applications are determined in a matter of weeks. However, some applications, in particular those to join family members here, can take...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will appreciate that the Irish Prison Service must make the best use of all available prison capacity. Sex offenders, both sentenced and remand, were previously accommodated at 4 locations – Midlands Prison, Arbour Hill Prison, Castlerea Prison and the Training Unit. However, due to capacity limitations at these locations and rising sex offender committals to prison, it...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (22 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: Fraud is a crime which can affect anybody but which particularly targets vulnerable people and businesses who may not be aware of or vigilant to the risks of online and telephone fraud in particular. The proposed shared fraud information database for the banking sector is an initiative of the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI), who have engaged with my Department and with the...