Results 4,941-4,960 of 46,260 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I can advise the Deputy that deportation and removal processes are an essential part of any immigration system. It must be acknowledged that those who do not have a legal right to remain in this country must remove themselves from the State. A person subject to a Deportation Order has no legal basis to remain in the State. Their case to remain in the State has been considered in detail and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I can advise the Deputy that the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme is under review and a General Scheme of a Criminal Legal Aid Bill is being prepared. The key purpose of this will be to transfer the administration of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme to the Legal Aid Board and to otherwise update the administration of criminal legal aid. This Bill, when enacted, will also put on a statutory footing a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: With regard to Criminal Legal Aid fees, it is the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform that has responsibility for restoration of barrister fees arising from the FEMPI cuts. While my Department is responsible for administering the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme we cannot make any changes to the fees without the consent of Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (23 May 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: An Garda Síochána (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including HR matters. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the table below sets out the number of Garda members and Garda staff who resigned on health grounds in the years 2018 to 2022, and up to 22 May 2023. Please note that these figures are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: 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 the recruitment and distribution of Garda members between the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. I am however assured that the Commissioner keeps the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for all HR matters relating to personnel within An Garda Síochána. As Minister I have no direct role in such matters. I have been advised by the Garda authorities that they do not hold specific records in the overtime reporting system on the role of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is statutorily independent in its operation and administration. Specifically, under section 67(4) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, GSOC is independent in the exercise of its functions under the Act. As Minister, I have no role in these functions, including investigations conducted by GSOC, or any...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The Afghan Admission Programme offers temporary Irish residence to people whose freedom or safety is at risk, whether resident in Afghanistan or certain neighbouring countries having fled from Afghanistan since the 1 August 2021 and who have close family members in Ireland. The Programme closed for applications on the 11 March 2022. A total of 528 applications in respect of 1,492 potential...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Law Cases (23 May 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 2017. The Act was amended by Section 54 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011, which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Law Cases (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: 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 2017. The Act was amended by Section 54 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011, which gave the Board the additional...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Law Cases (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: On 8 December 2017, the then Minister for Justice signed the Commencement Order bringing all sections of the Mediation Act 2017 into effect on 1 January 2018 (S.I. 591 of 2017). The formation of the Mediation Council of Ireland is a key component of the Mediation Act 2017 and the overall development of mediation throughout Ireland. The Council will play a crucial role in promoting public...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: 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 all human resource matters and recruitment. As Minister, I have no direct role in such matters. As the Deputy will also be aware An Garda Síochána launched a new recruitment...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Wildlife Conservation (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, as part of my Department’s commitment to biodiversity, two bee hives were installed at its Dublin HQ building during 2022.The original 15,000 bees populating each hive have built up over the spring and there are now approximately 40,000 bees in each hive, bringing in nectar from the chestnut and sycamore trees and pollen from the flowers in St....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Programmes (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware, I obtained approval from the Government to close the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) to further new applications from 15 February 2023. I appreciate that closure of the Programme has given rise to many queries on the part of individuals and organisations with an interest in the Programme. My Department is committed to managing the closure of the Programme in a way...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I can advise the Deputy that the application referred to was created on the 27 May 2022, and received by the New Delhi visa office on the 23 June 2022. I am informed that the visa office in Delhi has been engaging with the applicant’s legal representative in relation to additional documentation, which I understand has since been supplied. The legal representative was informed that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (23 May 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). I am informed by the GNIB that the specific information requested by the Deputy is not available. However, a team of Immigration Officers are assigned to Dublin Port and are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Under the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, we are committed to doubling the number of refuge spaces, bringing it to over 280 nationwide. In addition, by putting in place the correct structures to deliver additional refuge accommodation, the Government will accelerate the number of refuge spaces that can be opened each year. Tusla is continuing to support...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Strategies (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 545 and 571 together. As the Deputy may be aware, last year, my Department committed to undertake a public consultation on the issue of parental alienation as part of the Justice Plan 2022. The consultation presented an opportunity for individuals and organisations to offer their views and experiences of parental alienation, its impact and how it could be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: 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 recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. I can, however, assure the Deputy that the Government is committed...