Results 3,421-3,440 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (28 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the policy governing family reunification applications for non-EEA family members, which was last amended in 2016, is currently under review. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that on 15 May last, I announced the first outcome of this review process. On foot of this, spouses and partners of General Employment Permit and Intra-Corporate Transferee Irish...

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

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that management of the courts, including 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. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. The Courts Service has a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (28 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy has been approved. A request for final documentation and a Certificate fee will issue directly to the person concerned. Once submitted and accepted the person concerned will be added to the queue for an upcoming Citizenship Ceremony. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Work Permits (28 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 342 together. I can advise the Deputy that the policy governing family reunification applications for non-EEA family members, which was last amended in 2016, is currently under review. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that on 15 May last, I announced the first outcome of this review process. On foot of this, the spouses and partners of General...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (28 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: Georgian nationals, like all non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals, require permission in order to travel to and reside in Ireland on a long term basis i.e. over 90 days. There are a wide range of immigration schemes that are available to Georgian nationals including to reside for the purposes of study or employment. In the latter regard, a number of different employment permit options...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (28 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: While the vast majority of interactions that those in political life experience in the course of going about their work or campaigning are fair, friendly and productive, it is clear that they are facing increasing levels of personal intrusion and abuse, not just in Ireland, but internationally. Any threat to the safety of those in political life, electoral candidates or campaigners is a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (28 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: There is no place in our society for violent extremist behaviour and I strongly condemn those engaged in such actions. Ireland has become a more diverse and welcoming country in recent decades, but regrettably there is a small minority who subject others to abuse or attack resulting from their own prejudice, whether under the guise of protesting or in other contexts. I also condemn those who...

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

Helen McEntee: I am informed that the Irish Prison Service completed a comprehensive audit of cellular accommodation in March 2021 across the prison estate which gathered data on the size of prison cells. The prison estate in Ireland includes a mix of accommodation types including basic prison cells, en-suite rooms, dormitory style accommodation, wheelchair accessible cells, and special observation cells....

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

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 345 and 346 together. I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the figures provided to the CPT in 2019 were correct at that time. As explained in the published response to the CPT’s 2019 visit, the operational bed capacity of prisoners is calculated on the basis of the number of beds which can be utilised in a prison at any time. The actual...

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

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 347 and 352 together. The Deputy is misrepresenting the situation. In April of last year, the carrying out of a review of remission and temporary release was expedited. This review had been committed to in the review of Policy Options for Prison and Penal Reform 2022-2024, which I had published in August 2022. As the Deputy is no doubt aware, people...

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...