Results 461-480 of 10,013 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Staff (10 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1061 and 1062 together. I have noted the research published this week by Women’s Aid and I have asked my officials to review its contents. I welcome the report’s emphasis on the need to continue to implement the Family Justice Strategy 2022-2025, the ambitious programme of reform which sets out a vision for a system refocused on the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (10 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1065, 1066, 1067, 1068, 1069, 1070 and 1071 together. I understand the Deputy is referring to family reunification as provided for in Section 56 of the International Protection Act 2015, which allows people granted International Protection status to apply for certain family members to join them in the State. The median processing time for applications in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (10 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1072, 1073 and 1074 together. I can assure the Deputy that the Citizenship Division of my Department is doing everything possible to progress applications as quickly as possible and have taken a significant number of steps to speed up the process for applicants. These included introducing an online digital application, online payments, and the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (10 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that the application referred to was created on 28 June 2024. The application and supporting documentation was received in the Riyadh office on 07 July 2024, The application was received in the Ankara Visa Office on 17 July 2024 where it awaits examination and processing. My Department's business target for join family visa applications is 12 months, however, some...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (10 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: On 1 April 2025, I secured Government approval for the referral of the Scheme of the Guardianship of Infants (Amendment) Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny, and for the formal drafting of a Bill once pre-legislative scrutiny is complete. The General Scheme has been published and is available on Gov.ie: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice/press-releases/minister-...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Inquiries (10 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that a response to the correspondence referred to issued was issued by my Department's Oireachtas mail service on 06 June 2025. As an Oireachtas member, you can request the status of individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Inquiries (10 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that a response to the correspondence referred to issued was issued by my Department's Oireachtas mail service on 06 June 2025. As an Oireachtas member, you can request the status of individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (10 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1080, 1081 and 1082 together. Ireland is currently accommodating almost 33,000 people seeking international protection in over 320 International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres around the country. Due to severe shortages of accommodation over recent years, the State was unable to offer accommodation to all people seeking international...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (10 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Tackling Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) is a central priority for me as Minister for Justice. The Zero Tolerance Strategy to address DSGBV is ambitious and is structured around the four pillars of the Istanbul Convention – Protection, Prevention, Prosecution and Policy Co-ordination. One of the overarching goals of this Strategy is ensuring that everyone who...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (10 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department. I understand that extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants, particularly considering the current processing times. I want to assure anyone who has an application for naturalisation submitted that the Citizenship Division of my Department is doing everything...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Readmission Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Cathaoirleach. This is the first time I have appeared before this committee as Minister for Justice. I wish the Cathaoirleach and committee well in their work. I was a member of the justice committee from 2016 to 2020 and very briefly, for a couple of months, in 2024 and have always thought that the committee does excellent work and is very effective in what it is required to...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Readmission Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Cathaoirleach for raising those preliminary matters. I agree with him that the committee does not have long to deal with the matter. Although I am briefing the committee, that is why it is intended to bring the matter before the floor of the Dáil prior to 17 June, where there will obviously be a full debate. If it is the case, however, that agreement is not reached between...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Readmission Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The decision we are discussing here is a decision authorising the opening of negotiations. It is important to understand the limitations associated with the decision. It is simply about opening negotiations to try to reach an agreement between the European Union and Kazakhstan. I note the point the Cathaoirleach has made about Article 3. I believe the Article 3 mechanism is to our...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Readmission Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The 12 readmission agreements I outlined are all EU agreements. The Cathaoirleach is correct that countries may enter into bilateral agreements. We have also achieved agreements with other countries in respect of readmissions. For instance, the Cathaoirleach will be aware of recent returns to Georgia. Those returns happened as a result of agreement between the Government of Georgia and...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Readmission Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It was since 2019. The numbers we are dealing with are very small but that should not prohibit or prevent us from deciding to expand the readmission agreements in place between the European Commission and third countries.

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Readmission Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: That is correct. It is about opening negotiations.

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Readmission Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: We will have our say in respect of it. If we want to vote against it, we can vote against it as a country. As I said earlier, once the agreement is agreed, it will come back here. There will then be a vote and decision as to whether we opt in to it. As the Deputy has said, this is just about starting a conversation and beginning negotiations with Kazakhstan. We will have a say in respect...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Readmission Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: On the real benefit, let us say many people have arrived in Ireland from Kazakhstan. They may have been refused international protection or they may be here through other illegal means. In order to return them to Kazakhstan, we need a readmission agreement in place. It is much more beneficial to have a readmission agreement in place in order to facilitate that. On the Senator's first...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Readmission Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: We have to get agreement from the Kazakhstani Government. We have to enter into discussions with it on a case-by-case basis. As regards returning people to countries, it is much more effective if there is an agreement in place that outlines the mechanism. This may involve having 30 days to notify the country and that country having to reply within the next 30 days. It is much more...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Readmission Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Senator knows from the numbers, we have only had 12 since 2019. My understanding is that only one deportation order was issued in respect of those 12 people. I suspect no one has been returned to Kazakhstan. We have to think of the future and the likelihood of this arising in the future, however. It will be beneficial to us if it becomes the case that there is a need for such an...