Results 221-240 of 8,940 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including all operational policing decisions such as the protocols in place for Garda members when responding to reports of crime. I am advised by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána does not have any protocols in place for Gardaí when a member of the public...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: 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: An Garda Síochána (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 535 and 536 together. It is my first priority to get more Gardaí on our streets through increased recruitment. I want to help build safe and secure communities, and a well-resourced policing service is critical to achieving that. In Budget 2025 an unprecedented sum of €2.48 billion was allocated to An Garda Síochána to allow for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Garda Vote in Budget 2025 has unprecedented funding of over €2.48 billion, a 27% increase since 2020 which is supporting the continuing recruitment of Garda members and staff. The Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 538, 539 and 540 together. I can assure the Deputy that the Government endeavours to fill judicial vacancies at the earliest opportunity. On 1 January 2025, the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2023 came into operation in its entirety. The Act establishes a new, independent Judicial Appointments Commission to select and recommend persons for all...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources needed to keep people safe. I will continue to provide support which will allow for sustained investment in recruitment, equipment, technology, and vehicles. I am informed by the Garda authorities that, at the end of February 2025, there were 3,668 vehicles attached to the Garda fleet, the highest total of vehicles...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Reviews (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Government’s position is that prostitution is inherently exploitative of vulnerable people, mainly women and girls, and that many people are forced into prostitution through trafficking, drug addiction, homelessness and poverty. This Review of the Operation of section 7A of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 has been much anticipated by stakeholders in the domestic,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Middle East (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: During my visit to the Vatican, I discussed the intolerable situation in Gaza with the Holy See’s Undersecretary for Relations with States, Monsignor Miroslaw Stanislaw Wachowski. As part of his visit to Spain, my colleague, Minister of State Brophy also discussed the situation in Gaza with the Spanish Secretary of State for Migration, Pilar Cancela Rodriguez, during the course of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The decision to accelerate and prioritise particular international protection cases, or groups of cases, in accordance with the provisions of the 2015 Act, is kept under review. At this time applications from Palestine are not prioritised. However, I can assure the Deputy that it is a priority to have recommendations made on all international protection applications as soon as possible....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: At the outset, it is important to note that, as Minister, I do not comment on individual Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) applications. I can, however, inform the Deputy that my Department does not receive or hold funds at any stage in the IIP process; this is a private matter between a potential investor(s) and a potential project concerned. The IIP Unit of my Department communicates...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Local Community Safety Partnerships (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which will come into force this week, provides for the establishment of Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSPs) which will operate at each local authority level. LCSPs will replace and build upon the good work of the Joint Policing Committees, supplementing this by bringing together a broader range of relevant stakeholders including...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána, including the addition of new facilities to the Garda estate. Works on the Garda estate are carried out in close cooperation between the Office of Public Works (OPW) and Garda management. Under the National Development Plan, the Government is committed to investing significant levels of capital...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Deputy will appreciate that for security and operational reasons, it is not the practice to comment on the specific means that may be used by State agencies in exercising statutory covert powers. Interception is governed by the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act, 1993 under which the Minister for Justice may authorise bodies designated...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Regulation 10 of the Garda Admissions and Appointment Regulations 2013 provides that the Commissioner may, with the consent of the Minister, appoint and enrol any person as a member without regards to the requirements of the regulations if that person has at any previous time served as a member of An Garda Síochána. I am advised by the Commissioner that the application for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The application from the person referred to by the Deputy was approved on 26 February 2025. A letter of the same date issued to the person concerned granting them temporary permission to remain in the State on Stamp 1 immigration conditions for a period of 6 months. This permission was granted to enable the person concerned to make an application to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The application from the person referred to by the Deputy was approved on 15 January 2025. A letter of the same date issued to the person concerned granting them temporary permission to remain in the State on Stamp 1 immigration conditions for a period of 6 months. This permission was granted to enable the person concerned to make an application to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The application from the person referred to by the Deputy was approved on 15 January 2025. A letter of the same date issued to the person concerned granting them temporary permission to remain in the State on Stamp 1 immigration conditions for a period of 6 months. This permission was granted to enable the person concerned to make an application to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can inform the Deputy that following full consideration by a Visa Officer, the visa application referred to was refused. A letter issued to the applicant on 12 March 2025 which outlines the reasons for this refusal. An appeals process is available which allows applicants, in the event of a refusal of the application at first instance, to address the factors which gave rise to that decision....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (1 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that the applications referred to were created on 10 December 2023. The applications together with supporting documentation were received in the Dublin Visa Office on the 21 December 2023 where they await examination and processing. My Departments business target for join family visa applications is 12 months. It must be made clear that these are business targets for...