Results 4,321-4,340 of 15,342 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 963 and 964 together. The primary purpose of vetting carried out by the National Vetting Bureau is to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate the importance of this task and the need for it to be carried out thoroughly and correctly. As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Vetting Review Group was established...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Coroners Service (20 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: Coroners are independent office holders whose core function is to investigate sudden and unexplained deaths so that a death certificate can be issued. I recognise the significance and sensitivity of the inquest process for loved ones of the bereaved, and that delays in holding inquests can cause distress for families of the deceased. A decision to direct a post mortem examination and / or...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Private Partnerships (20 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are generally considered to be projects whereby the asset is funded and constructed by a private sector partner appointed through a public procurement process, following which it is made available for public use and is paid for by the State and/or users over an extended period (typically 20-25 years), after which the asset comes...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sentencing Policy (20 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, members of the judiciary are independent in the matter of sentencing, as in other matters concerning the exercise of judicial functions, subject only to the constitution and the law. In accordance with this principle, the court is required to impose a sentence which is proportionate not only to the crime, but to the individual offender, in that process identifying...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Spent Convictions (20 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions and Certain Disclosures) Act 2016, provides for certain convictions to become spent once 7 years have passed since the date of conviction. In general, and in accordance with the provisions of the Act, the following convictions may become spent: 1. All convictions in the District Court for motoring offences which are more...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (20 Mar 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: European Union (7 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Government works closely with all EU Member States in relation to migration matters, which cut across a number of Government Departments. The challenges presented by migration and asylum cannot be effectively addressed by any state acting alone in a globalised and interdependent world. It is the case that Europe has seen a significant increase in the number of people seeking protection...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (7 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the Afghan Admission Programme which was designed as a specific response to the situation in Afghanistan closed for applications on the 11th of March 2022. However, it is important to say that all current immigration avenues remain open for new applications, including visa, employment and family reunification applications. Afghan nationals are visa required...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (7 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: My Department's community safety policy is about people being safe and, importantly, feeling safe in their own community. This whole of government Community Safety Strategy aims to address issues relating to community safety by bringing together the relevant social service providers and the Gardaí to work together with the community in a collaborative manner by focusing on tackling the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (7 Mar 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 am unable to provide any information or statistics relating to the Director's...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (7 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy that there are no plans to amend or alter the current guidance governing Joint Policing Committee membership. At present, this guidance is a matter for the independent Policing Authority to consider, after consulting with myself and my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Heritage and Local Government as outlined under section 35 (1) of the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (7 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime. An Garda Síochána has been allocated unprecedented funding of over €2.35 billion for 2024 – this is a 25% increase since 2020. This funding will allow for the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff. As the Deputy will be aware, under the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (7 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to by the Deputy has no valid immigration permission to remain in the State. Where a person remains resident in the State without an immigration permission, I encourage them to contact the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) or their local immigration office and to take all appropriate steps to regularise their status. Any application submitted should explain their...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (7 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to by the Deputy held a Stamp 4 immigration permission, which expired on 15 December 2023. An online registration renewal application was submitted on 24 November 2023. Further documentation was requested from the person concerned. Upon receipt of the requested documents, the application will be considered further. Queries in relation to the status of individual...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (7 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Family Reunification application for the person referred to by the Deputy has been received by my Department and continues to be processed at this time. All applications are processed in chronological order. I understand the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants and all applicants for Family Reunification would wish to have a decision on their application without delay....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (7 Mar 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. However, if an application for international protection has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (7 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: The naturalisation application for 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 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (6 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 132 together. Community safety is a top priority for my Department and everyone has the right to be safe and feel safe in their communities. Community CCTV plays a vital role in achieving this goal. As the Deputy may be aware, since 2017 my Department has administered a grant-aid scheme supporting groups wishing to establish a community-based CCTV...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (6 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together. As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, which includes the enforcement of road traffic legislation. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. I am informed by Garda authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (6 Mar 2024)

Helen McEntee: The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department. It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some...