Results 3,481-3,500 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (21 May 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: International Protection (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BoTP) are permitted to be outside the State for short periods. Under Section 16(3) of the International Protection Act 2015, as amended, an applicant for International Protection shall not leave or attempt to leave the State without the consent of the Minister. In the context of International Protection applicants,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, prosecutions are a matter for the Director of Prosecutions, who is fully independent in her functions under Section 2(5) of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1974 (as amended). As Minister, I have no role in the operations, functions, governance or oversight of the Office of the DPP and I am unable to provide any information or statistics relating to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (21 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: International Protection (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that I am fully committed to ensuring that Ireland’s International Protection system is robust and rules based, and that our borders are protected. I have significantly increased investment into the international protection system, which has allowed for a significant increase in processing capacity and the introduction of accelerated processing. Last July,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: A deportation order is a legal order to leave the State. Any person who has been ordered to leave the State and fails to do so is committing a criminal offence, and can be arrested without warrant if they come into contact with An Garda Síochána. Such an order remains on the person’s record permanently – it means they cannot enter Ireland again in future, and it will...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNVB) is responsible for the management of the Garda vetting system under the general superintendence of the Garda Commissioner, under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 -2016. As Minister for Justice, I have no role in the operation of the vetting system and am unable to intervene in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: In its over forty years of operation, the Civil Legal Aid Scheme has been a significant and beneficial public service, providing legal aid and advice to people of limited means in civil disputes, including family law. However, since the Scheme was set up, Irish society has changed, and the demands on the service have grown. In June 2022, I established the Civil Legal Aid Review Group to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (21 May 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 and my Department has been working hard to clear backlogs. It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that following full consideration by a Visa Officer, the visa applications referred to were refused. Letters issued to the applicants on 26 April 2024 outlines the reasons for the refusals. An appeals process, is available which allows applicants, in the event of a refusal of the application at first instance, to address the factors which gave rise to that decision....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: The naturalisation applications from the people referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department. I understand the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants and my Department has been working hard to clear backlogs. It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Private Security Authority (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Private Security Authority (PSA), an independent body under the aegis of my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for licensing and regulating the private security industry in Ireland. The PSA regulates a wide range of security services including security guards and enforcement guards. I am informed by the PSA that the appropriate licence for those providing security at...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: My Department's Registration Office in Burgh Quay is responsible for registering immigration permissions for non-EU/EEA/UK/Swiss nationals residing in the Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow areas only, including the online renewal system. As part of the Department’s ongoing work to meet the demand for first-time registration appointments, on 10 January 2022, a Freephone service (1800...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including all Garda Operations. As Minister for Justice, I have no direct role in these matters. I am informed that Operation Satailt focuses on criminality within communities across the DMR North Division and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, under Irish legislation it is not an offence, in and of itself, to beg. However, Irish legislation does contain a number of targeted measures to deal with certain public order offences indirectly connected with some aspects of begging. These are contained in the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 2011. I am informed by the Garda authorities that a search of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Meetings (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am happy to inform the Deputy that I had a very productive meeting with Europol Executive Director, Ms Catherine De Bolle, in the course of her visit to Dublin in February of this year. At that meeting I expressed Ireland’s appreciation for the invaluable role Europol plays in supporting Member States’ law enforcement agencies to prevent and combat serious crime across...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: Spiking is a serious offence with potentially devastating effects on victims. I am informed by the Garda authorities that a proactive publication on all spiking incidents is currently being finalised. It is already a crime under section 12 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, which provides offence of administering a substance capable of interfering with the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff (21 May 2024)

Helen McEntee: As of 13 May 2024, there are 178 Staff working in the Border Management Unit (BMU) at Dublin Airport. This compares with 161 in May of 2023. The staffing levels in the BMU are kept under constant review and additional staff have been assigned to the team, as required. The vacancies in the BMU are outlined in the below table. Grade WTE Vacancy ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (21 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: An Garda Síochána (21 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.