Results 3,341-3,360 of 15,298 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (28 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have been advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that they have in place a number of contingency plans for serious disturbances and that these plans continue to be assessed on an ongoing basis, particularly in light of an expanding prison population. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on specifics in this regard for security and operational reasons.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (28 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am informed that the comments to which the Deputy refers were in the context of the pandemic and the unique challenges Covid-19 posed to custodial institutions, including our prisons. Covid-19 in a prison presented a uniquely difficult challenge for prison management worldwide in terms of controlling the spread of the virus amongst staff and prisoners, and the provision of appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (28 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, those sentenced to a definite term of imprisonment generally qualify for one quarter remission, including those convicted of domestic, sexual or gender-based violence offences, on the basis of the criteria set out in Rule 59 of the Prison Rules 2007 and S.I. 385 of 2014. In the current system, in certain cases of particularly good behaviour, prisoners may...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (28 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, the Parole Act 2019 commenced in full on 30 July 2021 and the Parole Board was established and became operational as a statutory body under the Act on 31 July 2021, replacing the non-statutory Interim Parole Board which had been in place since 2001. The provisions of the Parole Act 2019 currently apply to those serving a sentence of life imprisonment. Section...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (28 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 353 and 354 together. I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Irish Prison Service. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to provide the information requested in the time allowed. I will write to the Deputy directly when the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (28 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 355 and 356 together. I can inform the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service is obliged to comply with any order from a Court committing a person to custody, whether on a remand warrant or on a warrant of execution for a sentence. As such, no Prison Governor has an option to refuse a committal and must accept all people committed by the courts. I am...

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

Helen McEntee: 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 naturalisation application. The standard certification fee is set...

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

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that there are currently seven overseas Visa Offices in addition to the Visa Office in Dublin. They are located in Abuja, Beijing, London, Moscow, Ankara, Abu Dhabi and New Delhi. In addition, the Department of Foreign Affairs process certain visa applications, including employment visa applications, in Irish Embassies abroad under delegated sanction from my...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (23 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Irish Prison Service must accept into custody all people committed to prison by the Courts. As such, the Irish Prison Service has no control over the numbers committed to custody at any given time. Where the number of people in custody exceeds the maximum capacity in any prison, the Irish Prison Service make every effort to deal with this through a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (23 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that figures in relation to prison and cell occupancy levels are collated by the Irish Prison Service Statistics Unit for publication on its website. This information is on the Irish Prison Service website, in the Information Centre, under "Statistics and Information" at www.irishprisons.ie. The information requested by the Deputy on the...

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

Helen McEntee: It has not been possible to collate and examine all 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: Road Traffic Offences (23 May 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: Peace Commissioners (23 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: In line with the provisions of section 88 of the Courts of Justice Act 1924, Peace Commissioners are appointed, and may be removed from that appointment, by me in my capacity as Minister for Justice. The office of Peace Commissioner is an honorary one for which there is no remuneration or compensation by way of fees or expenses for their services. The process to appoint a Peace...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (23 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware the Inspector of Prisons, established under the Prisons Act 2007, is independent in how he carries out his functions. One of those functions is to investigate all Deaths in Custody and deaths that occur within one month of temporary release from Prison. The objective for investigation of deaths in custody is to establish the circumstances and events surrounding the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Advertising (23 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that my Department has run a number of public awareness campaigns between 2019 and 2024, most of which have involved a substantial online element. These include: No Excuses in 2019 the Department launched a major national awareness campaign on sexual harassment and sexual violence. ‘No Excuses’ was a high impact media campaign designed to reach a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (23 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 237 together. The person referred to by the Deputy was issued a letter refusing permission to remain in the state on 12 February 2020. In response to a notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), written representations have been submitted on behalf of the person concerned. These...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (23 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that following full consideration by a Visa Officer, the visa application referred to was refused. A letter issued to the applicant on 22 January 2024 outlines the reasons for this refusal. The Visa Office have advised, that no original documents were submitted with this application. The applicant’s passport is still at the Embassy, waiting to be collected....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (23 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to by the Deputy has no valid immigration permission to remain in the State. A Change of Status application from the person concerned was received by the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division on 24 January 2024 and continues to be processed by my Department. To be fair to all applicants, applications are dealt with in chronological order by date received. My...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (23 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: The first instance decision issued to the person concerned under the Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants scheme was refused as they did not satisfy the required period of undocumented residence in the State. The person concerned held a valid immigration permission from 18 October 2021 until 18 October 2022. This was fully set out in their original first instance decision letter...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (22 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that public health is a factor for my Department when considering the introduction of reforms with regard to the sale of alcohol. As part of the deliberative process, my Department will continue to engage with various public and voluntary health bodies on any potential health implications in the course of that process. However, there are no plans to raise the age for...