Results 5,001-5,020 of 15,342 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The position in regard to applications for family reunification is set out in the Policy Document for Non-EEA Family Reunification, which is available on my Department's website. The policy document sets out the rationale for applying resource requirements as part of the overall assessment of whether to approve an application for family reunification. In general terms, the sponsor must...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Undefined (17 Jan 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 of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seekers (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1094, 1095, 1096 and 1097 together. An Garda Síochána has oversight of the first registration and renewal of immigration residence permissions for non-EU/EEA/UK nationals residing outside of the Dublin area. I have no role in regard to the scheduling of these appointments. The waiting time for appointments outside of Dublin is dependent on the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1098, 1099, 1100 and 1101 together. The issues raised by the Deputy fall outside the scope of the Family Courts Bill 2022, which is currently being considered by the Oireachtas. The Bill has completed Second Stage in Seanad éireann. The Family Courts Bill provides for the establishment of a Family Court as divisions within the existing court...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that on 31 December 2023 there were 265 individuals serving sentences where the most serious offence recorded is robbery. This figure does not include those who are currently serving a sentence where the most serious offence is burglary. The number of prisoners serving sentences where the most serious offence record is for robbery who...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will appreciate that the establishment of a person’s identity and nationality is an important feature of our immigration processes. When a person makes an application for international protection, they are photographed and have their fingerprints taken. These fingerprints are then checked against the EURODAC database, an EU-wide immigration database which stores the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (17 Jan 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. There is no obligation on an applicant to make an application for international protection at a designated...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: 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 been made in the State, the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources it needs to ensure communities around Ireland are safe and feel safe. This is reflected in the allocation of €2.3 billion in Budget 2024 to An Garda Síochána, a 23% increase since 2020. This funding provides for 800-1000 new Garda recruits. Growing the strength of An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Unfortunately, the information was not received in time. I will contact the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: 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 role in these independent functions. I am however committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána have the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Unfortunately, the information was not received in time. I will contact the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that An Garda Síochána is committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of all Garda members and Garda staff. This commitment is reflected in the €6 million allocated for Garda wellbeing initiatives, additional medical costs and over 2,500 units of body armour in Budget 2024. I also want to make it clear that I am very aware of how stressful...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: Road safety is a shared responsibility, and it is one which this Government takes very seriously. We have all been shocked by the recent loss of life on our roads, and concerned by the worrying increase in road fatalities in 2023, and into the early days of the New Year, after many years of progress in making our roads safer. Road traffic legislation is enforced as part of the day-to-day...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of all crime statistics. The CSO produces these statistics using data recorded on An Garda Síochána’s PULSE system and makes regular releases in relation to various crime statistics. The most recent statistics were released...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the recording of traffic offences. As Minister for Justice, I have no direct role in these matters. I am informed by Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána is committed to working closely...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drug Dealing (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: At the outset I would like to assure the Deputy that tackling drug dealing and associated criminal activity is a top priority for An Garda Síochána and the Government. An Garda Síochána continues to target those involved in the sale and supply of illegal drugs including through Operation Tara which has a strong focus on tackling street-level dealing. I have contacted the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is in place to help those who have suffered personal injuries as a result of a violent crime committed against them. The scheme is administered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal which is independent in making decisions on individual applications and in its decisions on appeals. Currently, paragraph 20 of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (17 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender based violence (DSGBV) is a priority for me and this is something that is considered in the context of talking forward all areas of my Departments work. This is reflected in an increase of €10m in Budget allocations in 2024 for this purpose and in the development of policy and legislation. In addition, a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (17 Jan 2024)

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