Results 2,461-2,480 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (25 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: Community safety is about people being safe and, importantly, feeling safe in their own communities. At the heart of this policy is the principle that every community has the right to be and feel safe in order to thrive and flourish. Our approach to community safety is a whole-of-Government one. We want to bring the relevant social service providers, including the Gardaí, together with...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: An Garda Síochána (25 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for operational policing matters such as those raised. I have contacted the Garda authorities for the information requested, regrettably this information was not to hand in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is available.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reviews (25 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Review of the Enforcement of Child Maintenance Orders, which was published on 8 January 2024, is one of the actions contained in Goal One of the Family Justice Strategy, that of ‘supporting children’. The Review was led by my Department and builds on the report of the Child Maintenance Review Group. The Review notes that the vast majority of parents take their financial...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: International Protection (25 Sep 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 Employment Affairs and Social Protection: International Protection (25 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy, the review of the Policy Document for Non-EEA Family Reunification, which was last amended in 2016, is examining a wide range of matters relating to applications for family reunification, including the nature and suitability of current income thresholds and waiting periods. My Department has consulted with a wide variety of stakeholders and the expectation is that the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: International Protection (25 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 78 together. The establishment of a person’s identity and nationality is an important feature of our immigration process. Immigration officials conduct passport checks, and run operations as required, to ensure passengers arriving in the State are properly documented in accordance with Section 11 of the Immigration Act 2004. To the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: International Protection (25 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that I am fully committed to ensuring that Ireland’s International Protection system is robust and rules based, and that our borders are protected. I have significantly increased investment into the international protection system, which has allowed for a major increase in processing capacity and the introduction of accelerated processing. Last July, I...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: An Garda Síochána (25 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 administration and management of An Garda Síochána. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. I am informed by the Garda authorities that they are unable to disclose details in respect of the Air Support Unit, due to the impact on operational...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Programme (25 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government Legislation Programme for the Autumn 2024 Session was published on 18 September. As set out in the Legislation Programme, my Department currently has four Bills before the Houses as follows: Gambling Regulation Bill - To provide for a robust regulatory and licensing regime to regulate gambling both in person and online, to update and streamline...

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I thank Members for their contributions and, for the most part, broad support for the proposed changes. I thank them for their assistance in bringing it forward. I will touch on the Bill itself and then, if the Chair allows some latitude, I will respond to other issues raised. The Bill is clear; we need to make sure there is equity. Nobody is disputing the fact that murder is the most...

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: Absolutely, but mandatory sentencing for murder is being disapplied in this case and that means we are reverting back to common law. If the two are separated, there is no sentence for a child who commits murder. I commit to engaging with my team on that to get clarity before speaking on it tomorrow. More broadly, the best thing we can do for young people is to make sure they get the...

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: That is not true.

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: They do. I do not think copies have to be circulated but I can see if-----

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: We will ask for that. A child convicted of murder may receive a life sentence, whereas a child convicted of murder who has turned 18 must receive a life sentence. The practical effect of the High Court decision is that it will now be difficult to proceed with prosecutions in these types of cases, given the lack of clarity on what sentence can be imposed if the person is found guilty. ...

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am sorry.

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." Although short in length, the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2024 is very significant legislation. It addresses important constitutional infirmities in law that were recently identified by the High Court. The High Court ruled that a person who commits murder as a child but turns 18 years of age before he or she is sentenced cannot be...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have consistently engaged with the Garda Commissioner and colleagues on what more can be done to support An Garda Síochána in its work and efforts to combat and deal with what have become more violent and more challenging protests. No stone should be left unturned. Certainly, while every individual has the democratic right to protest peacefully, there is no reason people should...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I share the Deputy's frustration and his ambition to right many of the wrongs inflicted on many people over the years. I thank the individuals and various groups and organisations which came together to make the recommendations and ensure we could right those wrongs. The work in ongoing and I hope to progress it as soon as possible but I do not have a definitive date for it yet.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child and Family Agency (24 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Child Maintenance Review Group was established in 2020 by the Minister for Social Protection to consider and make recommendations in relation to the establishment of a State Child Maintenance Agency, among other things. Its report was published in November 2022 and on foot of the report it was decided by Government that a State Child Maintenance Agency should not be established. It was...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (24 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 301, 312 and 313 together. The fees to be paid by an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation are governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 569 of 2011). The application fee is €175. A certification fee of €950 is then required following a positive decision being reached on the...