Results 3,781-3,800 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: It is my intention to progress the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill to enactment to protect those who are most vulnerable and who, sadly as we have seen, are attacked simply because of who they are, where they came from or because of some other part of their identity that is, quite frankly, nobody else's business. I am determined to enact strong,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy is right. It is not just a case of people feeling unsafe; they are unsafe simply because of who they are. We have had quite sinister attacks. While I do not want to get into particular cases, very serious incidents have taken place. We do not have to look too far to find somebody who has been the victim of some form of hate crime, motivated simply because of the colour of their...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: I had outlined that it was my intention to bring forward amendments after Easter but, obviously, we have had a lot of things going on. While there has been a slight delay, it is still my intention to bring forward amendments in the coming weeks. It is really important that we say what this legislation does, as well as what it does not do. This is about protecting those who are most...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am absolutely committed to working with all members of An Garda Síochána at all ranks and levels to address the issues of concern to them. That will continue, irrespective of any meetings this week or otherwise. I have made that very clear to the representative organisations. I am committed to working with the Garda Commissioner as well to make sure gardaí have the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: It is important to note that policing is a career that people are choosing. Across the recruitment campaigns this year and last year, we had 11,500 people apply to join An Garda Síochána. At a time of full employment, that is a significant number of people who still want to join. Obviously, that does not negate the fact that people are leaving on the other side. As well as...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Agreements (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Attorney General's advice is never published. In voting for the Lisbon treaty, we did so in the full knowledge that migration is an EU competence and that we can choose to opt into measures. We cannot opt out but we choose to opt in to these measures. There is nothing being forced upon us, so there is no need for a referendum. With the figures we have for the distribution, if we...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The issue to date has not been space. The classes have been incrementally moving upwards and the most recent class of 186 is the highest we have had, so it is not the case that we do not have enough space in Templemore. In the last year or two, it has actually been about gathering the momentum so we can get to the point where we are nearly reaching the figure of 200 and beyond. That is not...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: There are a number of things that we need to do here. I have referenced some of them, for example, increasing the age at which people can apply so we have even more applying; making sure that those who want to stay on can do so, which is why increasing the retirement age is very important; and making sure that those who want to become members but potentially cannot do so because of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: No, I would not rule out another venue.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Agreements (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that I am fully committed to ensuring that our international protection system is robust and rules-based and that our borders are protected. A core part of my role as Minister for Justice is, of course, to uphold the Constitution at all times and I will always do so. I believe the new EU asylum and migration pact is a game changer for Ireland. It was agreed in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Agreements (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy said, the people voted for the Lisbon treaty. What they voted for was the right for Ireland to opt in. The only constitutional requirement following on from that vote is that both Houses would adopt or vote on any decision taken to opt into any measure. We have done that on one occasion in the last few weeks when, with regard to people smuggling or human trafficking, we opted...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Court Accommodation (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: But it is not.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Agreements (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: We have just had a good debate and a number of questions at the Joint Committee on Justice on this matter. I start by assuring the Deputy that I am keenly aware that the right to asylum is a fundamental right in the EU guaranteed by the treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights and confirmed by the proposals under the pact on migration and asylum. The EU asylum and migration pact will...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Agreements (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: You could say the fact that there are people on the extreme left and right with opposing views and we are somewhere in the middle means that we may have got it somewhat right. I assure the Deputy, and I speak on my own behalf but also - I think - on behalf of the vast majority of people in this country, that we are and have always been a welcoming country. I believe our colleagues, friends...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: EU Agreements (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: It is important to be clear that we are not proposing to detain people. While we will have a border procedure and people coming through that procedure will be in specific accommodation, they will not be detained. We will not have fences or people in a prison-type facility. That is not what we are proposing here and I do not think it is what we should ever propose. However, we have...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: This year, I have provided a budget allocation of over €2.35 billion to An Garda Síochána. This is a 25% increase on 2020 and will allow for the sustained recruitment of Garda recruits in 2024. I have taken a number of measures to support increased recruitment into An Garda Síochána. This includes a 66% increase in the training allowance and increasing the age of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Court Accommodation (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the provision of improved court facilities at Tralee is one of the Courts Service projects included in the national development plan, NDP. The existing courthouse on Ashe Street in Tralee comprises only two courtrooms and it lacks the facilities one would expect to find in a modern county town courthouse. I am informed the plan is for a new courthouse...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Court Accommodation (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy has raised this with me recently in relation to the An Post site. I have inquired and have been informed by the Courts Service that the search for a suitable site has been ongoing. It has been challenging. This was prior to the completion of the sale of the Island of Geese site, which was back in December last year. It had been ongoing for many years stretching back to the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Court Accommodation (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: The challenge here is that the search for a site has been going on since the early 2000s. The site referred to by the Deputy was not for sale and it is actually not up for sale now. I appreciate that it might come up for sale at some point in the future. It is not up for sale now and we do have a site that has actually been acquired. It is a portion of the site and the decision was taken...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Chair. I apologise that I have to take parliamentary questions in the House later. I would have moved or changed them otherwise. I am pleased to be here today to discuss the proposal that the State exercises its option to participate in the EU asylum and migration pact and I thank the committee for its engagement on this matter. As the committee will be aware, following...