Results 5,021-5,040 of 45,373 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (22 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 212, 213 and 214 together. The Immigration Service of my Department currently has 205 spouse of an Irish national applications on hand at various stages of processing. A non-EEA national spouse of an Irish national who intends to enter and reside in the State long term may apply for a pre-clearance permission prior to their arrival. This allows them to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (22 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: As previously advised to the Deputy on the 18 January 2023,  my Department has no record of having received an immigration application or any other documentation on behalf of the person referred to by the Deputy, based on the details supplied. The person may wish to check with An Post or any alternative delivery service used in relation to the delivery of their documentation. If...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (22 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I can advise the Deputy that the processing time for a travel document is currently 22 weeks, on receipt of a fully completed application. The person referred to in the Deputy's query was issued a travel document which is valid until the 4 February 2024. They made a subsequent application for their child, which was incomplete. As a result the application was returned. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (22 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I can confirm that Citizenship Division of my Department has extended the deadline for a further 28 days in order for this applicant to collate the information required to support their application for naturalisation. The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (22 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities.  Unfortunately, this information was not received in time, however, I will contact the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Work Permits (22 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: In order to work in Ireland a person from outside the European Economic Area is required to make an application to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for a work permit, and then make a second application to my Department for an immigration permission, including a visa, where applicable.  The employment permit system is administered by the Department of Enterprise, Trade...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (22 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I understand the Deputy is referring to Parliamentary Questions No. 490 of 28 February 2023, which asked for 'the number of gardaí by rank attached to a district community response team within the DMR as of 20 February 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter.' As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (22 Mar 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 investigation of crime. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. However, to be of assistance I sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (22 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, including the recruitment and training of Garda members and staff, under Section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended). As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions. To be of assistance I have contacted the Garda authorities and have been...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Civil Service (22 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department is committed to building staff skills and capability by ensuring that a wide range of learning and development (L&D) opportunities, aligned to the Department's strategic needs, are available to staff, as appropriate. As the Deputy will appreciate, the nature and extent of training for staff of my Department in the years 2019 to 2021 has been impacted by significant...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Opt-In Regulation (EU) 2021/2303: Discussion (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Cathaoirleach and committee members for having me here today. I know that later my officials will brief the committee on their work at EU level on child sex abuse. I am very pleased to see the committee's interest. I will be engaging with the European Commissioner on this matter on Thursday. Ireland is very keen to play a leading and constructive role. I look forward to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Opt-In Regulation (EU) 2021/2303: Discussion (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank my colleague, Senator Ward, for his comments and support. He has summed up my view that we can only gain from participation in this. We are a small country at the heart of Europe but on the geographic periphery. We can only benefit from an exchange of information and fundamentally that is at the heart of what this agency intends to do, namely, share information, best practice and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Opt-In Regulation (EU) 2021/2303: Discussion (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I do not want to avoid any issue and I certainly take seriously what the Deputy says. I would fundamentally reject with every fibre of my being that the position of the European Union in relation to migration - and this country being a member of the EU I am not talking about Europe as something separate and disconnected from us - is in any way shape or form aligned with the policy adopted by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Opt-In Regulation (EU) 2021/2303: Discussion (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The principal roles of the agency will be monitoring. The monitoring will cover the operational and technical application of all aspects of the common European asylum system. Frontex is obviously a border agency whereas this will monitor the common European asylum system. They are not directly linked but, again, when I go to justice and home affairs meetings there tends to be a sharing of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Opt-In Regulation (EU) 2021/2303: Discussion (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: This is an agency in its own right. The Deputy is asking me a question specifically about Frontex. I think all our European agencies do their very best to respond to very difficult and challenging situations. Can people and organisations sometimes do better? Of course they can but this is an agency in its own right. The only exemplar that this agency is building on is the work of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Opt-In Regulation (EU) 2021/2303: Discussion (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: No. It is absolutely not about the individuals, it is about the systems. It is about best practice and it is about a resource to draw on to support the embedding of best practice and the information exchange but I welcome the question because it is an important one.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: Virement is the process wherebysavings on one or more subheads are used to meet excess expenditure on another subhead or subheads within the same Vote with the prior approval of the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (DPENDPR). Where virement amounts are not confirmed at time of sanction request, provisional sanction is provided by DPENDPR and definitive sanction is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department is committed to the continued roll-out of supports and targeted initiatives to tackle educational disadvantage and support equity of access, participation and success in both further and higher education. The National Access Plan (2022-2028) commits to collection of data on key priority groups including travellers, people in care and those who have experienced homelessness....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy may be aware, the National Shared Services Office (NSSO) operates the pension payroll for the Technological Universities.I am advised that the NSSO is working closely with the different institutions to ensure any outstanding pension increases are paid to individuals as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ukraine War (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: Following the invasion of Ukraine and in line with the European Council Decision on 4 March 2022, the Government is applying rights under the International Protection Act 2015 to those granted temporary protection. The Act entitles recipients to immediate access to the labour market, along with access to social welfare, accommodation and other State supports including healthcare and...