Results 2,401-2,420 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the deployment of personnel among the various Garda Divisions. Having said that, the unprecedented allocation of over €2 billion for 2023 and €2.35 billion for 2024 to An Garda Síochána demonstrates the Government's commitment to ensuring there is provision for the necessary equipment, technology,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I would like to assure the Deputy that I am absolutely committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources necessary to make sure communities around Ireland are safe and feel safe. While I am aware of efforts by foreign police services to recruit members of An Garda Síochána, I am advised that the number of Gardaí leaving to join a foreign police service...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Irish Prison Service must accept into custody all people committed to prison by the Courts and as such, the Irish Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time. The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the capacity and number of persons in custody in Mountjoy Prison is contained in the table below. I can...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended). As Minister I have no role in these independent functions. Under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012-2016, the Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNVB) is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that I recently announced proposals to amend the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022 at Seanad Committee stage so that the Bill can move forward with the hate crime elements. Ireland is one of the last countries in the EU not to have specific hate crime offences set out in law, yet we are witnessing increasing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 204, 205 and 206 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the EU Temporary Protection Directive (2001/55/EC) was activated by the EU Council in March 2022 in response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The Directive establishes the minimum standards of protection to be provided by Member States in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons from...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ministerial Staff (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, appointments of special advisers are made in line with the Public Service Management Act, 1997 and subject to Government approval - the formal appointment of a Special Adviser requires a Government Order and a copies of which are available in the Statutory Instruments section of the Irish Statute Book website at . More information on the appointment of special...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy may be aware that the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs has previously set out a number of concerns about Iran in relation to human rights, Iran's nuclear activities, support for Russia's unjust attack on Ukraine, and support for militant and extremist groups around the region. The Tánaiste has further indicated that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Female Genital Mutilation (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, our response to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is primarily a health-led response and in September 2012, the then Minister for Health signed the commencement order for the Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Act 2012. As the long-title of the Act explains, this important piece of legislation creates an offence of female genital mutilation and provides...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: It is open to anyone to make an application for citizenship once they meet the criteria as set out in the 1956 Act, as amended. Once an application is received, only at this point that can a determination be made on whether the applicant satisfies the statutory criteria for naturalisation. The Citizenship Division of my Department have taken a significant number of steps to speed up the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to by the Deputy holds a Stamp 4 immigration permission valid until 26 May 2025. The person's Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card was originally printed on 27 June 2022 and my Department has no record of an unsuccessful delivery for it. However, I have arranged for the person's IRP card to be re-issued as soon as possible. Once printed, they should receive their card...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to by the Deputy holds a Stamp 4 immigration permission valid until 21 November 2024. An online registration renewal application was submitted by the person concerned on 22 September 2024. The Registration Office of my Department are currently processing applications submitted from the week commencing 03 September 2024. The processing date is advertised on the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, the investigation and prevention of crime and potential criminal activity are operational matters for the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, That said, I have been informed that gardai that the person in question obtained a Protection Order on the 22 August 2024. The Order was received from the Court Service, processed, and then transmitted to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (26 Sep 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: Immigration Status (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that based on the information supplied, it has unfortunately not been possible to any locate the application for the person referred to. If more information can be provided we would be happy to re-examine your request. Please supply: First / given name of applicant Family / surname of applicant Date of birth of applicant Application number Queries in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As you will be aware the Legal Aid Board is the statutory, independent body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to persons of modest means in the State, in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 and the Civil Legal Aid Regulations 1996 to 2021. Applicants for legal aid must meet the financial eligibility criteria under section 29 of the Act...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, restricting an accused person’s liberty prior to trial is a very serious matter, given the constitutional presumption of innocence and the presumptive entitlement to remain at liberty that flows from that. In response to the Deputy, our bail legislation has been strengthened on several occasions. It now enables courts to refuse bail for a person charged with a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Functions (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: With regards to Citizenship, 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. Citizenship Division have taken a significant number of steps to speed up the process for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (26 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 223 together. At the outset I would like to assure the Deputy that the whole of Government are absolutely committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources necessary to make sure every community around Ireland are safe and feel safe. As of the end of June, the latest date for which verified and published figures are available,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (26 Sep 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 resources. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions. I have provided An Garda Siochana with its highest...