Results 2,681-2,700 of 15,062 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Reviews (9 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 520 and 521 together. Protecting and supporting victims of sexual violence is an absolute priority for me and my Department and I am keenly aware of the devastating physical and emotional consequences such crimes can have on victims. I am advised that the issue of the disclosure of counselling records is a complex and highly sensitive balancing of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Agreements (9 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Government is firmly committed to ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023, which is currently before the Houses, will remove the final obstacles to ratification of the Protocol. The Bill will deal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (9 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: The visa application referred to by the Deputy was refused by the Visa Office in Moscow on 05 April 2023. The reasons for this decision were set out in the refusal letter sent to the applicant at that time. An appeal of this decision was launched on 30 May 2023. All visa applicants are advised that the onus is on them to provide as much information in support of their application as they...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (9 Jul 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: Citizenship Applications (9 Jul 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: Courts Service (9 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: 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. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (9 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, since 2017, my Department has administered a grant-aid scheme supporting groups wishing to establish a community-based CCTV system in their area. The CCTV grant scheme was extended in 2019 to cover not only new CCTV systems, but to also provide funding for the extension or upgrade of existing CCTV systems which are incomplete or obsolete. Applicants may now also...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (9 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Family Reunification application for the person referred to by the Deputy has been received by my Department and continues to be processed at this time. All applications are processed in chronological order. The speed in which a decision can be made largely depends on the quality of the application received. My Department will continue to engage with the applicant for any further...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (9 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Legal Aid Board is the statutory body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to persons of modest means in accordance with the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 and associated Regulations. The 1995 Act was amended by Section 54 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011, which gave the Board the additional responsibility of providing a family mediation service. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (9 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 531, 532 and 561 together. It is my intention to separate the Sale of Alcohol Bill into two Bills. Firstly, I intend to introduce the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2024. This is a shorter Bill to introduce a number of key reforms contained in the Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022 to modernise our licensing system, including: The standardisation of opening hours for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (9 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: 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. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (9 Jul 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 all decisions related to the Garda Estate. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. I am however advised by the Garda authorities that the proposed works remain under consideration...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Border Management Unit (BMU) of my Department has responsibility for front-line immigration duties at Dublin Airport only. Other airports and other ports of entry, are the responsibility of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). As of 3 July 2024, there are 176 front line staff working in the BMU at Dublin Airport, excluding staff on unpaid leave, such as career breaks. The...

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

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 536 and 538 together. I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Unfortunately, the information was not received in time. I will contact the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (9 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the purpose of the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill is to strengthen the State’s ability to target the proceeds of crime. Ongoing review of the operation of the civil forfeiture regime in Ireland (grounded in the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996) has identified a number of areas of improvement, and the Bill will propose refinements to the regime informed by...

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

Helen McEntee: There are no plans at present to amend the Public Order Act. I can, however, advise the Deputy that under the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2024, which is currently being drafted, it is proposed that An Garda Síochána will be given the power to apply to the District Court for a temporary closure order where a licensee has failed to comply with a direction to preserve order on their...

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

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, my Department is leading an ambitious programme of family justice reform set out in the first Family Justice Strategy, which I published in November 2022. The Strategy sets out a vision for a family justice system of the future - a system that will focus on the needs and rights of children and which will assist their parents in making decisions that affect all...

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

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, my Department is leading an ambitious programme of family justice reform set out in the first Family Justice Strategy, which I published in November 2022. The Strategy sets out a vision for a family justice system of the future - a system that will focus on the needs and rights of children and which will assist their parents in making decisions that affect all of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (9 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: The median processing time for Change of Status applications is approximately 9 months. To be fair to all applicants, applications are dealt with in chronological order by date received. My Department endeavours to process applications as quickly as possible. However, processing times may vary due to a number of factors, such as the number of applications on hand, individual...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (9 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: A key goal of the Zero Tolerance Strategy to address domestic, sexual and gender based violence (DSGBV), is ensuring that everyone who needs a refuge space will get one, and Government has committed to working with the sector to double the number of refuge spaces over the lifetime of the strategy. As the Deputy is aware, prior to the establishment of Cuan, an Inter-Departmental Group was...