Results 3,221-3,240 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: Everyone deserves to be safe and feel safe in their own communities, and of course having a visible Garda presence in the community is an important part of 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 An Garda Síochána has provision to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am sure the Deputy will agree that migration plays an essential and very positive role in Ireland’s society and economy. Legal migration pathways are vital to addressing labour shortages across the economy. Our success in ensuring we can attract and retain the skills our economy needs has been a key driver of economic growth in Ireland. In order to ensure that these pathways...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: The old Cork Prison facility was built in the early 1800s and operated as a prison up to 2016 when it was deemed no longer suitable for use due to the condition of the facilities, the size of the cellular accommodation and the lack of in-cell sanitation. It was closed in February 2016, following the construction and opening of the new prison. Since then the old Cork Prison has remained...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Programme for Government (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Government 2020 contains a broad range of commitments that represent a coherent approach to enhancing and sustaining a safe, secure and inclusive Ireland. My Department remains steadfast in its efforts to deliver on the commitments laid out in the Programme over its lifetime. The Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions and Certain Disclosures) Act 2016, provides for certain...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: At the outset 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. In 2024, the Government have provided a budget allocation of over €2.35 billion to An Garda Síochána, which includes funding for the recruitment of between 800...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: Combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a priority for this Government, for me as Minister for Justice and for the Garda Commissioner. An Garda Síochána published its current Domestic Abuse Intervention Policy in 2017. Every Garda policy is reviewed after 12 months, and again every three years thereafter or as appropriate. This ensures that the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: 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 supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff. While...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I want to assure the Deputy that I am conscious of, and hugely committed to, tackling the devastating impact that illegal drugs have on communities across the country. My Department is steadfast in working to address the harms caused to families and communities by the activities of transnational organised crime groups and, as part of this, all the laws and powers available to An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: The new competition to join the Garda Reserve represents a real opportunity for anyone wishing to learn more about and support An Garda Siochana and make a contribution to their communities. Reserves serve a very valuable role in assisting Gardai with local patrols, crime reduction initiatives and administration. They also assist in the policing of major incidents and events, and provide...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: At the outset I am sure the Deputy would want to join me in paying tribute to the rapid response on 23 November of An Garda Síochána and the other emergency support services, which brought the unrest to a halt and quickly restored order to the city which has been successfully maintained since. As the Deputy will have noted, the Gardaí continue their investigations and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Middle East (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am acutely aware of the grave humanitarian crisis unfolding before us in Gaza. My Department is working closely with colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs to ensure a coordinated national response to this volatile and evolving situation. This includes their work to evacuate Irish citizens and their families who may require visa assistance. The Embassy of Ireland in Israel is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Reviews (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: My Department commissioned an independent consultant to undertake the statutory review of Part 4 of the Act but, due to a number of reasons, it was not possible for the review to be completed within the desired timeframe. I acknowledge that the report is now significantly overdue and the Deputy is aware, from previous questions, of the circumstances that have delayed its completion. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (20 Jun 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: Residency Permits (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that with effect from 8 July 2024, responsibility for first time registrations and renewals of Irish immigration residence permissions for non-EU/EEA/UK/Swiss nationals residing in counties Cork and Limerick, will transfer from the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) to the Registration Office of the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) of my Department. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: It is a priority for the Government to ensure that the courts are resourced to administer justice efficiently and effectively. To ensure the sufficient resourcing of all courts, Government committed to a historic increase in the number of judges in February 2023, following the publication of the Judicial Planning Working Group report. The current legislative provision is for 197 judicial...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: My Department takes all necessary steps to manage the international protection process efficiently and effectively, while ensuring the integrity of those processes is maintained at all times. I am ramping up investment at every level of the international protection system, including in the International Protection Office (IPO). In recent years, the IPO has expanded its processing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: Eligibility for civil legal aid is determined by reference to an applicant’s means, and the merits of their case. In relation to means, the Legal Aid Board calculates financial eligibility with reference to the applicant’s disposable income and disposable assets after certain allowances are applied to both. Currently, the disposable income threshold is €18,000 while the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, it is not my Department's practice to comment on whether an application for international protection has been made in the State. If a person is in the international protection process, there is a legal requirement under the International Protection Act 2015 to maintain full confidentiality at all times. Therefore the Department is unable to publish any information...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is an independent statutory body established in 2007 under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Its primary role is to provide independent investigation of complaints against members of An Garda Síochána and, as required, to undertake other investigations relating to the conduct of Garda members. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ukraine War (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that EU Council Implementing Decision 2022/382 applied the provisions of the Temporary Protection Directive to persons displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including persons recognised as refugees in Ukraine. At a meeting of EU Home Affairs Ministers on 13 June 2024, political agreement was reached to extend the Temporary Protection Directive until March...