Results 4,041-4,060 of 16,227 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Gangland Crime (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: First, I assure the Deputy, as he has probably heard, that tackling serious and organised crime is a priority for me and An Garda Síochána. I am committed to ensuring that communities right across the country have the resources and supports that they need, and most importantly people are safe and feel safe. While it is welcome that serious attacks involving firearms have fallen...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Gangland Crime (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy. It is important to say that work is ongoing but I appreciate that more needs to be done. If you look at the activity of An Garda Síochána - obviously there is a limited amount of information that can be provided - so far this year, between January and May, drugs valued in excess of €12 million were seized in that region. There were 106 seizures of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Community Safety Partnerships (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: A number of measures had to be taken before the partnerships could be established, accounting for how the current three pilots have operated. I am establishing a national office for community safety, which will have the overarching objective of managing and, above all, supporting and delivering the objectives of the national strategy. There will be training, guidance and other supports for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Community Safety Partnerships (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: Each partnership will be supported by a dedicated community safety co-ordinator, at administrative officer grade VII, and an administrator, at assistant staff officer grade IV. Both of these will be full-time positions. The individuals will be recruited through the local authority and they will provide the support. They will be full-time staff working on the ground in the office, wherever...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Drug Dealing (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He has done so consistently, particularly in his own area. He has also raised the need for us all to do more and actively deal with the threat posed to our communities, particularly young people, by organised crime groups and those who are buying, dealing and engaging with drug dealers. The Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Drug Dealing (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I agree. To reduce supply, we need to ensure we are working on an international basis and stopping the large shipments. What is clear is that the drugs seized are the tip of the iceberg, but obviously the more work the Garda can do, the more we will be seen as a country into which it is not easy to bring this level of drugs. There is work that can be done on a lower level by An Garda...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I appreciate that this has been for a long time extremely difficult for the families. In many of the Deputy's questions he has sought information as to why no Garda files relating to this case at all can be given to the families. This is an open case. This is still an open file. This is information the Garda has relating to an ongoing case. Irrespective of whether it is something as...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: What has been made very clear is that the Garda is engaging. In fact, as regards the structures that needed to be put in place to allow the Garda to provide information where it could not with the ongoing investigation, those measures were implemented and changed in order that gardaí could provide the information they have. It has been made very clear to me that the information is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local Community Safety Partnerships (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for his ongoing interest in the development of the local partnerships. The Government's community safety plan is about people being safe and feeling safe in their own communities, and both of those are equally important. At the heart of this policy is the principle that every community has the right to be safe and to feel safe in order for individuals and communities to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5, 10, 12 and 17 together. As the Deputy correctly pointed out, last month marked the 50th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974. It is deeply regrettable that to date no person has been held responsible for what were absolutely barbaric attacks that killed 34 people, injured 258 and impacted many more lives. The Garda investigation...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: GSOC has assured me in the last week that it is acting in accordance with the law. There is nothing to suggest there are any other cases of this type. I will be very cautious in speaking about the case the Deputy has referenced because it has been suggested that a legal case may be taken but that case refers to something that happened back in 2016. Subsequently, there was a review...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: The primary purpose of vetting carried out by the Garda National Vetting Bureau is to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. The Deputy will appreciate the importance of this task and the need for it to be carried out thoroughly. I believe the many organisations centred around the safety, enjoyment and comfort of children and vulnerable people understand that they must take...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I appreciate the challenges that people are facing. One of the issues that has been flagged with me as the work of the review group has been under way is that each individual group wants to be certain that the system is robust and that the people it is hiring or taking on and who may be engaging with young children or vulnerable people in their care have that certificate. At the same time,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have not tied the hands of the review group as regards any recommendations it may make. If it has looked at what works and does not work in other jurisdictions, I am happy to take that into consideration. I know we are also to discuss Private Members' legislation here in the coming weeks.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission 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, as required, and to undertake other investigations relating to the conduct of Garda members. This is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: There is nothing to suggest that this is widespread or current. In fact, the information I have seen very clearly indicates this relates to a particular case in 2016 and prior to that. In 2016, when this issue was raised, and my understanding is that this is potentially the same issue and the same case, a review was instigated. Mr. Justice Murray undertook to review the overall process...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for her ongoing interest in this important topic. The establishment of Cuan was a hugely significant moment in the Government’s work to tackle all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and the realisation of a key priority in Ireland’s Zero Tolerance strategy. Since I established it in January Cuan has worked closely with my Department to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: National Development Plan (20 Jun 2024)

Helen McEntee: From my first day as Minister for Justice, I have prioritised building stronger, safer communities. In support of this I was very pleased earlier this year to secure additional funding under the National Development Plan which now contains investment of over €300 million a year in capital projects for the Justice sector. This capital investment ranges across a number of areas such as...

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...