Results 4,601-4,620 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (20 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 434 and 440 together. I can advise the Deputy, that there were 3,729 naturalisation applications received between 01/01/22 & 31/03/2022. Of these, 2,267 have received a final decision on their application. There are a further 339 applications where a decision has been reached but the Certificate fee and further documentation are awaited, and there are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (20 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware the Irish Prison Service does not have the option of refusing committals and must accept all people committed by the Courts Service. I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service and my Department are committed to providing safe and secure custody for all people committed to prison while ensuring a safe working environment for staff. Officials in the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (20 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: Under section 72 of the International Protection Act 2015 the Minister for Justice may make an order designating a country as a safe country of origin. A country may only be designated as a safe country of origin where satisfied that, on the basis of the legal situation, the application of the law within a democratic system and the general political circumstances, it can be shown that there:...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (20 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: The State is required to examine the application of anyone who presents at the borders of the State, or is in the State, and indicates that they wish to make an application for international protection. This is in accordance with our obligations under international and EU asylum law. As the Deputy is aware, there are no physical border controls on the land border between Ireland and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (20 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: An application for a Spouse of Irish National (SOIN) permission was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 31 January 2024. In order to be fair to all applicants, applications are dealt with in chronological order. My Department endeavours to process applications as quickly as possible. However, processing times may vary due to a number of factors, such as the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (20 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to by the Deputy received their naturalisation certificate on 8 June 2007. Citizenship Division of my Department has not received any recent correspondence from the person concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Referendum Campaigns (20 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: As set out in my response to Parliamentary Question 255 dated February 14, 2024, all recipients of grants from my Department, including Non Government Organisations (NGOs) are bound by a signed grant agreement which specifies the purpose of the grant. These grants do not provide funding for NGOs to campaign in referenda. The Department undertakes a number of checks to ensure that...

Commissions of Investigation (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (15 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: I thank Deputies, in particular Deputy Funchion, for tabling this legislation and allowing us to have this debate. The Bill, as was said, proposes to amend the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004 to require former members of a commission of investigation, upon written request, to appear before the relevant Oireachtas joint committee within six months of the presentation of the commission's...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (15 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the overall objectives of the Asylum and Migration Pact include creating a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedures in ordinary times as well as in times of migratory pressure and crisis situations, ensuring a fair sharing of responsibility, developing robust management of external borders and providing stronger governance of asylum and migration...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (15 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: A request for further documentation was made to the person concerned on 9 February 2024. Once the Citizenship Division of my Department has received these documents processing of the application can resume. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (15 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am confident that the recently enacted Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 will result in significant reform and improvement to the system for the handling and investigation of garda complaints. This will include changes to the structure, remit and procedures the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), which will now be reconstituted as Fiosrú - Oifig an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (15 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: The naturalisation application from 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (15 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: My Department takes all necessary steps to manage the international protection process efficiently and effectively, while ensuring the integrity of those processes is maintained at all times. The establishment of an applicant’s identity and nationality is an important feature of every immigration process and this is especially so in the context of persons who enter the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (15 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Border Management Unit of my Department is responsible for front-line ##Immigration at Dublin Airport only, as such the below figures reflect the position at Dublin Airport. Other airports and other ports of entry are the responsibility of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) and data as requested is not collated in this manner for other ports of entry. Immigration officials...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (15 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: My Department's Registration Office in Burgh Quay is responsible for first time registrations and the renewal of immigration permissions for customers residing in Dublin only. Registrations and renewals for persons resident outside of Dublin are processed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) through the Garda Station network. The following table details the residence permissions...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (15 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, earlier this year the Government established Cuan, a new statutory agency with a dedicated focus on Domestic Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. The agency has a specific mandate to drive the implementation of Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence across Government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (15 Feb 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: Departmental Data (15 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Border Management Unit of my Department is responsible for front-line Immigration ##at Dublin Airport only, as such the below figures reflect the position at Dublin Airport. Other airports and other ports of entry are the responsibility of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). I have sought the information requested regarding other ports of entry from the Garda Commissioner and I...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seekers (15 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: The information requested is currently being compiled and I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (15 Feb 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, where a person has made an application for international protection, there is a legal requirement under the International Protection Act 2015 to maintain full confidentiality at all times. Therefore the Department is unable to publish any information that would identify an international protection applicant. If an application for international protection has...