Results 441-460 of 11,583 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Artificial Intelligence (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Equipment (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: My Department's records indicate that it does not use, nor has it purchased, any products developed by the company in question.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Work Permits (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy may be aware, my Department is unable to publish any information that would identify any person as being an international protection applicant. This is a separate matter to the law dealing with data protection matters more generally. My officials and I are legally obliged, under Section 26 of the International Protection Act 2015, to ensure that the identity of any person...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seekers (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Labour market access permission gives eligible international protection applicants the opportunity to work and helps them to integrate into Irish society while providing for themselves and their families outside of the State’s directly provided services and supports. It also helps people to plan and prepare for their future in Ireland if they receive a positive decision on their...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 689, 690, 691 and 693 together. Under the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act 1962, it is the Courts, through the judiciary, that are responsible for the granting of legal aid. Increases in the length and complexity of criminal cases and in the number of legal aid certificates granted have had an impact on expenditure over recent years. The General...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Programme for Government 2025, Securing Ireland’s Future, contains a commitment to reform the operation of the criminal legal aid system and fully restore criminal legal aid fees. Over the past two years, there has been an 18% increase in the fees paid to barristers and solicitors under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme. This year’s budget for criminal legal aid included an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Under the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act 1962, it is the Courts, through the judiciary, that are responsible for granting of legal aid. The table below sets out the expenditure under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme for 2022, 2023 and 2024. The Deputy may wish to be aware that some claims made in 2024 were processed in early 2025. Year Criminal Legal Aid Expenditure ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Meetings (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Deputy for submitting this question. My office has been in contact with the family referred to directly and I can confirm that a meeting has been arranged to take place in the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Under Section 33 of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, which includes all internal HR matters, such as retirements and resignations. Furthermore, under Section 34(1) of the same Act, the Garda Commissioner is independent in the performance of his functions. I am advised by the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: An Garda Síochána has provided me with the table below which shows the number of Gardaí who have attested from January 2023 to the latest ceremony on 22 August last. A fourth attestation for 2025 is due to be held in November. A number of factors influence the number of people who attest in each ceremony including trainees reverting from one intake to another due to academic...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The table below has been provided to me by the Garda Authorities and outlines the number of intakes since 2023 to date. The training is, of necessity, quite rigorous and some level of attrition is normal given the high standards of performance required of Gardaí. Intake No. No. of Trainees 23.1 135 23.2 154 ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 699 and 700 together. The recent allegations concerning potential breaches of the GDPR in relation to the selling of personal data by data brokers are concerning. Officials of my Department have met with the Data Protection Commission (DPC) in relation to the serious issues raised and will continue to engage on this important matter. I am advised that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Regulations (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government supports the draft Regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse, as it establishes rules in relation to illegal content and complements it with provisions to address the specific challenges posed by child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. Since the proposed regulation was published in 2022, my Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) in my Department is currently accommodating nearly 33,000 residents in over 320 international protection accommodation centres around the country. My Department receives offers of international protection accommodation on an ongoing basis from external commercial providers, and reviews all offers under a standardised appraisal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probation and Welfare Service (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Young Person Probation (YPP) is an operational region of the Probation Service that assesses and supervises approximately 750 children referred to it each year. YPP Probation Officers work with children in the community, in detention and post-detention. Within YPP, there are three dedicated teams, Dublin North, Dublin South and Cork/Limerick. Probation Service staff working in this region...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The State is currently accommodating nearly 33,000 people who have applied for international protection in Ireland, 9,500 of whom are children. At the moment, approximately 5,000 people in IPAS accommodation have a legal status allowing them to remain in Ireland. This is not a static number of people; approximately 10,000 people with status have moved out of IPAS accommodation since...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is currently accommodating nearly 33,000 residents in over 320 international protection accommodation centres around the country. The Department receives offers of international protection accommodation on an ongoing basis from external commercial providers. All offers are reviewed by the Department under a standardised appraisal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can assure the Deputy it is my intention to continue the investment in the end-to-end international protection process to speed up decision making. In 2024 the International Protection Office (IPO) delivered over 14,000 first decisions compared to over 8,500 in 2023, while the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) closed around 3,100 appeals in 2024 compared to over 1,700 in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The State is currently accommodating almost 33,000 people in over 320 International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres around the country, 9,500 of whom are children. The data requested is set out in the tables attached. The Department receives regular offers of accommodation from external commercial providers and does not predetermine their geographical location. All offers...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (30 Sep 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Department can confirm that the property listed in the detail supplied has been in use as an International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centre since July 2023. Renewed contracts relating to this premises were formalised in July 2024. The Department conducts all contractual negotiations on the basis of there being no guarantee of the continuity of a contract beyond its end date....