Results 5,441-5,460 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Communications (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: My Department is committed to informing and educating the public about the important work of the Department and the wider justice sector. One of the key ways it seeks to accomplish this is through the use of social media. The operation of social media accounts is kept under ongoing review. The Department of Justice operates five social media accounts on the X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities – and strengthening An Garda Síochána is at the core of that. We will continue to provide An Garda Síochána with the resources it needs to ensure communities around Ireland are safe and feel safe, including to invest in recruitment, in equipment and technology and in buildings. Budget 2024 provides...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Dec 2023)

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 operational policing matters. As Minister I have no role in these independent functions and am unable to direct the Garda Commissioner regarding any investigation. Further, decisions to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Constitution obliges the State to provide an accused person with the means to obtain appropriate legal representation. The European Convention on Human Rights provides that every person charged with a criminal offence is presumed innocent and is entitled to defend themselves in person or through legal assistance of their own choosing, or if they have...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities – and strengthening An Garda Síochána is at the core of that. We will continue to provide An Garda Síochána with the resources it needs to ensure communities around Ireland are safe and feel safe. The unprecedented allocation of over €2 billion for 2023 and a further €2.31 billion for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, by law the Garda Commissioner is responsible for operational policing matters, including the training of Garda members. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. I am advised by the Garda authorities that all trainee Gardaí receive training in the use of batons, handcuffs and incapacitant spray as part of the Officer and Public Safety Module in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to in the Deputy's query requested a review of the decision to refuse their application for a residence card under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015, which was received by the Review Unit of the EU Treaty Rights area of my Department on 19 September 2023. While every effort is made to issue a decision on each application as soon as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Official Engagements (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: The information requested by the Deputy is provided below. Wednesday 22 November 10:00-11:00 - Open Field Fisher Premises 11:00-11:45 - Briefing on Community Safety Partnership 12:00-13:00 – Leaders' Questions 13:15-14:00 - DSGBV Agency Bill - Committee Stage & Report Stage 14:00-14:45 - Briefing on Community Safety Partnership 14:45-15:00 – Rape Crisis Network Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 412 and 413 together. My thoughts remain with the young children and their crèche worker who were so viciously assaulted. This was a truly shocking incident and one that has left a deep impression on so many of us. Just before 2.30pm on Thursday 23 November I was informed of the attack by the Secretary General of my Department who had been briefed by An...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Advertising (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: My Department selects media channels based on their suitability to deliver our communications to relevant people. The public awareness campaigns currently underway by my Department are not promoted on X. My Department has also not incurred any expenditure advertising on X/Twitter in 2023. The amount spend on advertising of public awareness campaigns with X/Twitter in the years specified is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities – and strengthening An Garda Síochána is at the core of that. We will continue to provide An Garda Síochána with the resources it needs to ensure communities around Ireland are safe and feel safe. The Government has allocated the highest ever budget to An Garda Síochána. The unprecedented...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Meetings (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: Neither I nor officials from my Department have held any meetings with the companies referred to regarding such matters in the specified timeframe.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: The State has a duty to protect its borders and following examination, ensure that all arriving passengers are entitled to enter the State. This is a fundamental exercise of State sovereignty, which is necessary to protect the security of the State and to prevent illegal immigration. The exercise of powers in this area is at all times subject to the law and to respect for individual rights. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: My Department is taking all necessary steps to manage the international protection process fairly and efficiently, as part of the broader Government response to this challenging issue. The number of international protection applications last year was 13,650, a significant increase on recent years. It represents a 186% increase on the number received in 2019, the most recent year in which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I understand that the Deputy has clarified that their question concerns removals effected under Section 20(b) of the European Communities Freedom of Movement of Persons Regulations 2015 which involves the removal of EU Citizens to other EU Member States. I can advise that there have been 21 such removals effected during 2023. The associated flight costs are €29,989.92. This includes...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 (Dublin III Regulations), came into force on 19 July 2013, and lays down the criteria and mechanisms for determining which EU country is responsible for examining an asylum application. The Dublin Regulation is based on the principle that the first Member State to facilitate entry to the EU should be responsible for examining the protection application. The making...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) for the management and administration of Garda business, including all HR and recruitment matters. As Minister I cannot seek to direct the Commissioner in relation to such matters and I had no role in his decision to move forward the attestation date from the 12th...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Reports (30 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: Following a recommendation for a change to the public prosecution system made by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, a High Level Review Group (HLRG) on the Role of An Garda Síochána in the Public Prosecution System was established in September 2020 to conduct an evaluation and to recommend a preferred option for consideration by Government. The HLRG was...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Reviews (30 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: The research titled "Ethnic Monitoring in the Criminal Justice System," commissioned by the Department in 2022, is focused on understanding and addressing ethnic inequalities within the Irish Criminal Justice System. Dr Avril Bannon from Maynooth University and Dr. Denis Bracken from the University of Manitoba are conducting this research. They aim to provide a comprehensive report...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (30 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: When issued with a deportation order, the person concerned is required to remove themselves from the State. Many people comply with this and leave the country. Enforced deportations are used as a matter of last resort, where the person concerned has not removed themselves or engaged with the Departments voluntary return programme. It is the case that many hundreds of individuals who were...