Results 2,881-2,900 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (23 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: A key action of the Third National Strategy is the doubling of refuge space numbers available during the lifetime of the Strategy to 280 refuge spaces. As the Deputy is aware, prior to the establishment of Cuan, an Inter-Departmental Group was set up to manage and oversee progress on the delivery of additional refuge units. This Committee was initially chaired by the Department of Justice,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (23 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am sure the Deputy will agree that healthcare workers from outside Europe make an enormous contribution to the Irish health service. There are several different legal pathways available to healthcare workers who wish to work in Ireland and the entitlement to family reunification varies depending on the permission granted. Healthcare workers who are residing in the State under a Critical...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (23 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: In just over two years the Citizenship Division of my Department has gone from processing around 12,000 applications a year to processing over 20,000 applications in 2023 and has already made more than 16,000 decisions to date in 2024. As the Deputy may be aware, over 10,000 people were naturalised at the Citizenship Ceremonies held across June 2024. The previous backlogs in application...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probate Applications (23 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware as Minister for Justice, I have no role in the exercise of Probate functions. The Probate Office is an office of the High Court, and management of the courts is 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. Probate...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (23 Jul 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 and the Gardaí together with the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (23 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: A key action of the Third National Strategy is the doubling of refuge space numbers available during the lifetime of the Strategy to 280 refuge spaces. As the Deputy is aware, prior to the establishment of Cuan, an Inter-Departmental Group was set up to manage and oversee progress on the delivery of additional refuge units. This Committee was initially chaired by the Department of Justice,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (23 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Citizenship Division of my Department have corresponded directly with person referred to by the Deputy via their solicitor on 11 July 2024, and will continue to communicate directly regarding their application for Naturalisation. In a little over two years Citizenship Division has gone from processing around 12,000 applications a year to processing over 20,000 applications. This 66%...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (23 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: The victim of a crime for which a person has been convicted is entitled to certain information about the management of the perpetrators sentence, while they are in the custody of the Irish Prison Service. To provide this information directly to victims, the Irish Prison Service operates a dedicated Victim Liaison Office (VLO). Registration with the Prison Service VLO is voluntary and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (23 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1603, 1604 and 1608 together. The Government is 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. I was pleased to secure unprecedented funding of over €2.35 billion for this year, a 25% increase since 2020, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (23 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 the distribution of Garda members between the different Garda units and Divisions. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. I can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (23 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 the distribution of Garda members between the different Garda units and Divisions. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (23 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of all crime statistics. The CSO produces these statistics using data recorded on An Garda Síochána’s PULSE system and makes regular releases in relation to various crime statistics. The most recent statistics were released...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Seirbhísí trí Ghaeilge (23 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: Mar is eol don Teachta, faoi fhorálacha an Achta um Sheirbhís Chúirteanna, 1998, is ar an tSeirbhís Chúirteanna, atá neamhspleách ag feidhmiú a feidhmeanna di, atá freagracht as bainistiú na gcúirteanna. Ina theannta sin, is faoi Uachtaráin na gCúirteanna agus na breithiúna ceannais go huile is go hiomlán atá...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments (23 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: There are currently 70 judges appointed to the District Court, 32 of whom are female and 38 of whom are male. As at 19 July, there are two vacancies in the court and my Department is working to fill both of these vacancies. I can further inform the Deputy that the Courts Service of Ireland publishes a list of current judges of the District Court and all other jurisdictions, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments (23 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: It is a priority for my Department to ensure that the courts are resourced to administer justice efficiently and effectively. The Government endeavours to fill judicial vacancies at the earliest opportunity. Following the publication in February 2023 of the final report of the Judicial Planning Working Group, the Government committed to an historic increase of the number of judges to...

Seanad: Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: The amendments in this grouping are amendments Nos. 1, 3 and 4 and Seanad amendment No. 1. Amendment No. 1 provides for a change to the Long Title to reflect the fact that the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 is to be amended by the Bill. Amendment No. 3 provides for changes to the Bill’s commencement provisions owing to the insertion of amendments on Committee Stage in...

Seanad: Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Senators for their points. It is clear this is not a new law that, de facto, will suddenly create a two-tier system or different system. This is a law that has existed since 1956. It is already there and has been used sparingly. As we have heard, it has been used eight times. It is not thrown about willy-nilly. It was challenged and we know the Damache outcome. It was...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (11 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 280, 286, 287, 290 and 291 together. As the Deputies will be aware, the Policy Document for Non-EEA Family Reunification, which was last amended in 2016, is currently under review. The review is examining a wide range of matters relating to applications for family reunification including the nature and suitability of current income thresholds and waiting...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Coroners Service (11 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: The coroner’s service comprises a network of coroners located in districts throughout the country. All coronial districts, with the exception of Dublin, are the responsibility of the relevant local authority. The Department has direct responsibility for providing financial and administrative supports to the Dublin District Coroner’s Office since 1 January 2018. Remuneration...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (11 Jul 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, the provision of improved court facilities at Galway is one of the Courts Service projects included in the National Development Plan. The Courts Service is seeking a suitable site in Galway on which to develop a new courthouse facility. It has engaged with the Land Development Agency (LDA) and Galway City Council (GCC) in relation to the potential for the inclusion...