Results 2,621-2,640 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1071 and 1072 together. I am acutely aware of the impact any kind of harassment can have on a victim, and that harassment can take different forms and have different levels of severity. That is why enacting the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 – or ‘Coco’s Law’, named after Nicole ‘Coco’...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise that the Citizenship Division of my Department has written to the person referred to by the Deputy. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility, atIMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (9 Sep 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. Officials in my Department are in the process of finalising guidelines, which will provide clarity to both applicants and decision-makers on what factors may be considered when deciding whether to waive such naturalisation conditions under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1075, 1077, 1082, 1087, 1110, 1124 and 1194 together. The ‘Study on Familicide and Domestic and Family Violence Death Reviews’ was commissioned by my Department and involved an independent study lead who consulted with a wide range of stakeholders, including family members of victims, non-governmental organisations, and State agencies. The review...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Insurance Coverage (9 Sep 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 the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have been advised that senior officials in the Irish Prison Service have met with the organisation referred to by the Deputy on a number of occasions over the last twelve months. The meetings were to facilitate discussions regarding issues experienced by the organisation with their funding model and the significant challenges they are facing due to the exponential increase in medical costs....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I would like to assure the Deputy that it is a priority to ensure that international protection applications are processed efficiently and effectively, while ensuring the integrity of those processes is maintained at all times. As such, my Department has taken a significant number of measures to increase the capacity of the international protection system, including deploying very substantial...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Priorities (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, the operational response to any riot or civil unrest is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. I am informed by the Garda authorities that, following any emergency operation, An Garda Síochána’s practice is to conduct an operational debrief to identify any lessons to be learned and to inform the development of future policing operations and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Bodies (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Eurodac database, which began operation in 2003, is used to enable the comparison of fingerprints and assist in determining the country responsible for the assessment of an asylum claim presented in one of the Member States. Eurodac is not a criminal records database however since 2015, and in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 603/2013, law enforcement agencies are permitted to compare...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Law Cases (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Government is fully committed to reforming the family justice system in Ireland. In November 2022, I published the Family Justice Strategy 2022-2025. The Strategy puts children at the centre of the system, and emphasises, amongst other things, the need to ensure they are listened to, heard, and their views given due regard, in line with constitutional obligations and rights. As the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Irish Prison Service provides a range of accommodation types to assist in the management of sentences, to facilitate appropriate progression, and to support the transition from custody back into their community of people sentenced to a term of imprisonment. The Service currently has a number of ongoing short, medium and long term projects to be delivered between 2024 and 2030 which will...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Reports (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service (IPS) that 6 of the 8 recommendations made by the Office of the Inspector of Prisons in respect of the Death in Custody report referenced by the Deputy were accepted or partially accepted. Two recommendations made, namely number 7 and 8, were not accepted by the IPS. A number of the recommendations, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, relate to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: Preventing access to contraband into prisons continues to be a high priority for the Irish Prison Service. It is estimated that up to 70% of the people in custody have addiction issues and the reality is that those with active addiction continue their drug-seeking behaviour inside prison notwithstanding the supports that are available to address their addiction. The Irish Prison Service...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: Parliamentary Question No. 1494 on 23 July sought a report on Garda Operation Run Off, including the amount of drugs and firearms recovered under this operation, the number of successful convictions obtained under this Operation to date, and confirmation if this operation is still live. As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (9 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, including the purchase, allocation, and effective and efficient use of Garda vehicles. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. The unprecedented allocation of over €2.35 billion for 2024...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: Parliamentary Question No 386 of 4 July sought confirmation of the Garda districts within the DMR where the "See Something, Say Something" initiative is operating, in tabular form. 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), including decisions related to the purchase of operational equipment and the training of Garda members in using this equipment. As Minister I have no role in these independent functions. I can however assure you...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (9 Sep 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1094 and 1095 together. Parliamentary Question No. 536 of 09 July 2024 sought the estimated full-year costs in 2025 to increase the number of dogs in the Garda Dog Unit to 50. 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...