Results 4,601-4,620 of 45,291 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: The vast majority of Irish Prison Service members serve their organisation and the State with integrity each and every day of their careers and we are rightly proud of the jobs they do often under difficult circumstances. Professionalism and integrity is taught and promoted right from training for new recruits through to each and every rank and grade in the Prison Service. The prevailing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy may be aware, the Programme for Government commits to commencing the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015, and the necessary amending legislation, recognising the importance of the much-needed reform that it represents. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022 was signed into law in December 2022. The Acts bring into effect a new legislative framework...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will appreciate, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Commissioner is responsible for all decisions related to the Garda Estate and that such works are progressed by the Office of Public Works in close cooperation with the Garda authorities.   I and my officials have engaged with the Garda Commissioner, members of An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 962 and 973 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, including responsibility for the Garda vetting system.  Additionally, the National Vetting Bureau Act 2012 makes it the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, civilian members of An Garda Síochána are civil servants of the Government. The terms and conditions of their employment, including details of their retirement, are a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. As the Deputy will also be aware, the Government is committed to doubling the number of Garda staff to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: I am advised by the Family Reunification Unit (FRU) of my Department that the applicant wrote to the Unit on 10 November 2022 regarding an error of date of birth. The unit requested that the applicant send back the original letter before issuing the updated/corrected version, which is standard for the Unit to ask of applicants in order to avoid creating multiple versions of documents to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: I have contacted An Garda Síochána for the information requested by the Deputy, regretfully this information was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, the Legal Aid Board is the statutory, independent body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to persons of modest means in the State, in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 and the Civil Legal Aid Regulations 1996 to 2021. In its forty years of operation, the Civil Legal Aid Scheme has been a significant and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Inquiries (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: Unfortunately, as the Deputy may be aware, Judge McDonagh informed Minister McEntee that he was unable to continue with the work of the Inquiry due to personal reasons. Consequently, on 11 January 2022, the Minister appointed retired District Court Judge, Michael Coghlan to continue the work of the Inquiry. Judge Coghlan had provided updates on his work and has advised that the vast bulk...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 968 and 996 together. Family reunification as provided for in the International Protection Act 2015, gives certain family members of a qualified person, the sponsor, an immigration permission allowing them to enter, remain and reside in the State with the sponsor.  An application for family reunification must be made by the sponsor within 12 months...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: I can advise the Deputy that the visa application he refers to was refused on the 12th of December 2022. The reasons for this decision were set out in the refusal letter sent to the applicant at that time. An appeal of this decision was received in the Dublin Visa Office on the 24th of January 2023. All visa applicants are advised that the onus is on them to provide as much information in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Private Security Authority (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware, the Private Security Authority, an independent body under the aegis of my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for licensing and regulating the private security industry in Ireland.   The Private Security Services (Amendment) Act 2021, the most recent primary legislation relating to the private security industry, was signed into law by the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Private Security Authority (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware, the Private Security Authority (PSA), an independent body under the aegis of my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for licensing and regulating the private security industry in Ireland.  The PSA regulates both contractors and employees across a range of sectors in the security industry. I am informed by the PSA that at the end of March 2023...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: Under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions. The Courts Service Act 1998 sets out the nature of the relationship between the Courts Service and the County Registrar. The post of County Registrar is a statutory officer appointed by the Government, with a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: The Border Management Unit (BMU) of my Department has responsibility for frontline immigration duties at Dublin Airport only. Other ports of entry are the responsibility of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).   Persons who wish to enter the State under visitor conditions may be granted permission for a maximum period of up to 90 days on any one visit. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of the Garda organisation under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended). This includes the allocation of resources and deployment of Garda members throughout the State. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions. However, I am informed by the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Paramilitary Groups (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will appreciate that the dissident paramilitary groups which continue in their efforts to undermine peace on our island will, by their very nature,  operate behind a veil of secrecy and it is therefore not possible to provide an accurate estimate of their wealth at any time.  It is however long recognised that there are inextricable links between organised crime and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria for naturalisation can only be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: I have been advised by the Irish Prison Service that, as provided for in legislation and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform circulars, abatement shall apply where a public service pensioner is re-appointed to the public service.   Abatement ensures that the pension(s) which the public service pensioner, including retired prison officers, receives, when combined with the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Misuse of Drugs (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 980, 987 and 988 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Health leads on Government policy in the area of drugs, and this policy is guided by the national drugs and alcohol strategy 'Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery - a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025'. This strategy represents a whole-of-Government...