Results 421-440 of 8,940 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: One of the overarching goals of the Zero Tolerance Strategy to address domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV), is ensuring that everyone who needs a refuge space will get one. The Strategy, published in June 2022, includes an ambitious target to double the number of refuge spaces by the end of 2026. To accelerate the delivery of additional refuge accommodation year on year,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: We can see clearly that there is strong interest in a career in An Garda Síochána. The latest recruitment campaign took place in February and attracted just over 6,700 applicants. This builds on the 5,000 applications which were received in 2023 and the almost 6,400 last year. I understand a second recruitment campaign will be held later this year. Last week 201 trainee...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Antisocial Behaviour (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Anti-social behaviour can have a very damaging impact on the quality of life of our communities. Anti-social behaviour is a broad term often used to describe a range of actions and behaviours that violate social norms in specific contexts. Legislation allows members of An Garda Síochána to issue Anti-Social Behaviour Warnings to adults and children and allows for senior members...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Garda Vote in Budget 2025 saw unprecedented funding of over €2.48 billion for this year, a 27% increase since 2020 which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: My first priority as Minister for Justice is to get more Gardaí out on our streets, including through increased recruitment. The Programme for Government commits to recruiting 5,000 Gardaí over the next five years. In order to meet that figure, we need to increase the capacity of Templemore and that is something that I as Minister, my officials and the Garda Commissioner are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Programme for Government commits to working with An Garda Síochána to ensure a person in an intimate relationship can be informed of a serious risk to them where a new partner has a history of domestic violence. I have requested my officials to examine proposals to establish a register or mechanism that would facilitate disclosure of information in respect of an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The disclosure of counselling records is a complex and highly sensitive balancing of individuals' rights. On the one hand, there is the victim’s right to personal privacy and on the other, the accused person’s right to a fair trial. Because of the risk of re-traumatisation of victims of sexual offences specifically, the law was substantially reformed in 2017 by the insertion...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 193 together. One of the overarching goals of the Zero Tolerance Strategy to address domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV), is ensuring that everyone who needs a refuge space will get one. The Strategy, published in June 2022, includes an ambitious target to double the number of refuge spaces by the end of 2026. To accelerate the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Work Permits (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can assure the Deputy that I recognise the enormous contribution to the Irish health service and Irish society made by Nurses from outside the EU. I also understand that people are eager to have their families join them in Ireland. The issuing of employment permits, and the setting of relevant salary thresholds, is a matter for the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment who seek...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to support and enhance the Courts Service Capital Programme for new builds and refurbishments. I am advised that Galway Courthouse will be included in a submission being prepared by the Courts Service for a revised NDP, which is being developed as part of the Programme for Government. I am further informed that the Courts Service has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I strongly condemn the use of knives to threaten, intimidate or harm others. The Government is committed to ensuring that the problems that we have seen in neighbouring jurisdictions do not repeat themselves here. There are no quick-fix solutions to tackling knife crime. Long term, evidence-based strategies are needed that address knife crime as part of a wider strategic response to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that where my Department receive requests for visas in time-sensitive genuine emergency circumstances, such applications are treated sympathetically and facilitated where possible. In those circumstances, the applicant should follow the standard online application process using the AVATS system, www.visas.inis.gov.ie/avats/OnlineHome.aspx As part of the application...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Reviews (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: My Department commissioned an independent consultant to undertake the statutory review of Part 4 of the Act but, due to a number of reasons, it was not possible for the review to be completed within the desired timeframe. The Research and Evaluation Unit in the Department has now finished its work on the review. It will be brought to Government in the coming weeks and the recommendations...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Improving the experience of all victims engaging with the criminal justice system has been a priority for me since taking office. Under Budget 2025, €3,574,000 was allocated to support victims of crime. Coming forward to report a crime can be a traumatic experience for victims and I am determined to do everything in my power to ensure that the criminal justice system empowers...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: In line with the Programme for Government, the Defamation (Amendment) Bill has been restored to the Order Paper. This is an important Bill that balances and safeguards the rights to freedom of expression with the protection of a person's good name and reputation, and the right of access to justice. It provides for a range of reforms to address the many concerns raised by stakeholders during...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Garda Vote in Budget 2025 saw unprecedented funding of over €2.48 billion for this year, a 27% increase since 2020 which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Irish Prison Service must accept into custody all people committed to Cork 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, officials in the Irish Prison Service make every effort to deal with this through a combination of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Garda Vote in Budget 2025 saw unprecedented funding of over €2.48 billion for this year, a 27% increase since 2020 which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Meetings (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: On 5 March 2025 my colleague Minister of State Collins attended a meeting in Brussels of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers from all EU member states. At this meeting Minister Collins discussed a range of migration and security issues with our EU colleagues, including the protection of undersea cable networks from attack, combatting serious and organised crime and the internal security...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Online Safety (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Online safety is a whole of Government issue, with responsibility for relevant measures shared across a number of Departments and agencies. Coimisiún na Meán has been established further to the provisions of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 and operates under the aegis of my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The Act...