Results 4,761-4,780 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: From the Seanad (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: This is another amendment proposed by Senators Ruane, Black and Flynn. It amended section 36(1), which requires the Garda Commissioner to keep the Minister and the Secretary General of the Department of Justice fully informed of certain matters. The amendment added an additional paragraph requiring the Garda Commissioner to inform the Minister of significant developments that might...

Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: From the Seanad (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The amendments in this grouping concern section 54, which deals with the appointment of members of Garda staff. Although this matter was previously discussed at length in the Dáil, by way of background I will briefly note that the Commission on the Future of Policing recommended that Garda staff would be directly recruited into An Garda Síochána and that An Garda...

Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: From the Seanad (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The amendments in grouping five are technical in nature. They relate to section 55, which provides for the making of a superannuation scheme or schemes by the Garda Commissioner for members of Garda staff where members of Garda staff do not become members of the single public service scheme. They also concern section 112, which performs a similar function with regard to the new national...

Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: From the Seanad (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The amendments in this grouping relate to section 75, which sets out the functions of the audit committee of the new proposed Garda board. Their purpose was to correct a drafting oversight. They align certain provisions regarding what matters the audit committee will provide advice on. As initially drafted, the committee was obliged to advise the Garda Commissioner on governance and...

Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: From the Seanad (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The amendments in this grouping all follow on from previous amendments made to the Bill arising in this House arising from proposals made by Deputies on the issue of the prominence of the Irish language in the names of the newly established bodies. Those Report Stage amendments provided for Irish language names for the various policing bodies in line with the Official Languages (Amendment)...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am deeply conscious of how important the granting of naturalisation is to all of those who apply for it. The median processing time for applications currently stands at 19 months. I understand that extended wait times can be frustrating and disruptive for applicants and my Department has been working hard to clear backlogs. Processing rates have increased by over 30 percent against...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the application referred to was created on the 26 July 2023. Supporting documentation was received in the New Delhi office on the 02/08/2023 where it awaits examination and processing. Long Stay Join Family visa applications are processed in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification. This policy document may be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including all operational policing matters. As Minister, I have no role in these matters, nor can I direct the Commissioner with regard to them. As referred to by the Deputy in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: Under Section 4 of the Immigration Act 2004, an Immigration Officer must determine whether a non-EEA national should be granted leave to land and gain entry to the State. In performing their duties, an Officer is required to consider all of the circumstances relating to the individual at the time of entry. Section 4(3) of that Act sets out the full range of grounds on which a passenger may be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (31 Jan 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. I am taking a number of steps to improve how our International Protection system works. In increasing capacity and speeding up decision making, we can ensure that those who have a right to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seekers (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: Access to the labour market for international protection applicants is provided for under the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 230/2018), amended in 2021 by the European Communities (Reception Conditions) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. No. 52/2021) which reduced the waiting period to be granted labour market access from 9 months to 6 months. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: Community policing is at the heart of An Garda Síochána, and all Gardaí have a role to play in community policing in the course of carrying out their duties. Community policing is also fundamental to the new Garda Operating Model which is currently being rolled across the country and is fully commenced in ten Garda divisions. The new model will provide more front-line...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Irish Prison Service and my Department are committed to enabling people in custody to benefit from education and training opportunities to support their rehabilitation and access to employment post-release. As the Deputy will already be aware, the majority of people in custody, almost 70%, are early school leavers. The median school leaving age of those who are committed to custody...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Schemes (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government agreed to close the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) to further applications from 15 February 2023. As Minister, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on individual IIP applications. All project proposals which are the subject of investment by IIP applicants are examined in great detail by an Independent Evaluation Committee...

Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The script is there-----

Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I did not.

Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: Do not lie.

Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: Without question, immigration is a topic that is at the forefront of many of our minds at this time. We are reading about it in the newspapers, seeing posts online and speaking about it with our family and friends. I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak about it in the House. I want to leave Members in no doubt as to my view of immigration, which is that it has been good for this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 391 and 421 together. 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 the Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence across...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Contracts (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 392, 393 and 394 together. I will write to the Deputy in relation to this matter when an answer is available.