Results 5,461-5,480 of 45,373 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I join with the Deputy in welcoming his guest, Ellie, to the Public Gallery. I assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities across Ireland and key to that is ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs. This is reflected in what has been a significant allocation of over €2.14 billion under budget 2023. There...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Courts Service (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Kenny for this question. We had a chance to begin to explore this issue at a committee meeting and I am grateful we have a chance to discuss it further. As the Deputy will be aware, the Judiciary is independent in the exercise of its functions. Since the Covid restrictions have been lifted, the courts have resumed working at full capacity. The Courts Service works...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Courts Service (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I join the Deputy in commending the organisations he mentioned. I had the pleasure of meeting almost all of them when we had them in the Department to discuss how we will develop the new domestic, sexual and gender-based violence agency. The Deputy supports the agency and we intend to legislate for it shortly. I hope to bring the draft legislation to Cabinet within a month and have it up...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Courts Service (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy and I agree on that point. This is an absolute priority for the Department. A board has been established to deliver a zero-tolerance strategy and is co-chaired by the Secretary General at the Department of Justice and the Secretary General at the Department of the Taoiseach. The Deputy is correct, though, about there being so much we need to do in this area. I had an incredible...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Cybersecurity Policy (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I do not truthfully know the answer to the question on whether this was the first attempt to get into the system. I will try to get it from MTU if it is aware of it. The status of the attack is that the damage is now done and data have been taken. It is now about forensic analysis and providing information to people. The work is ongoing, with the forensic analysis under way. I am pleased...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Cybersecurity Policy (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Aindrias Moynihan for raising this important matter and keeping in contact with my office about it. This has been a stressful and worrying time for students and staff in the Munster Technological University campuses in Cork. I thank all of the staff in MTU for the incredible and tireless work they have put in over the past ten days in very difficult circumstances. We need to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cybersecurity Policy (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 133 together. Cyber-crime and cyber terrorism is an ever-present and growing threat to all sectors of society. Following the significant IT breach in Munster Technological University (MTU), the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is engaging with relevant stakeholders to understand the extent of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 and 135 together. I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the independent living skills unit was opened in Wheatfield Prison in late 2016. The purpose of the unit is to assist prisoners serving long sentences to develop clear and realistic goals in the context of successful sentence progression. The unit replicates community living in so far as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: The Office of the Inspector of Prisons is a statutory body, set up under the Prisons Act 2007. In accordance with section 30 of the Prisons Act the Inspector of Prisons is independent in the performance of their functions. The Inspector's key role is to carry out regular inspections of prisons and I can advise the Deputy that I have spoken directly to the Inspector of Prisons about his...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the Incentivised Regimes policy provides for a differentiation of privileges between prisoners according to their level of engagement with services and behaviour. The objective is to provide tangible incentives to those in prison to participate in constructive activities and to encourage good behaviour, leading to a safer and more secure...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 140 together. My Department has been working with the Irish Prison Service and the Attorney General’s Office to amend the Prison Rules 2007 to simplify the prisoner complaints system and provide for review by the Ombudsman. Drafting of the Regulations is at an advanced stage. Once finalised, the Irish Prison Service will update the IT system,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I can advise the Deputy that all prisoners may make a complaint at any time and that the Irish Prison Service treats all complaints with the utmost seriousness. ‘Category A’ complaints are those alleging assault or use of excessive force against a prisoner, ill-treatment, racial abuse, discrimination, intimidation, threats or any other conduct against a prisoner of a nature...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I wish to advise the Deputy that no funding was granted to the organisations in question in the years 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department, with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation. It will be submitted to me for decision in due course. The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I have contacted An Garda Síochána for the information requested by the Deputy. Regrettably this information was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy again once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 145 together. Spiking a person’s drink or spiking someone by injection are very serious offences. These offences are, in effect, poisoning, and are criminal offences under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 that can result in a three-year prison term. I can assure the Deputy that any incident of this type of crime, including...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy may be aware, on 16 November, Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys and Minister for Justice Helen McEntee published the Report of the Child Maintenance Review Group. On foot of its recommendations, a number of very significant reforms of the social welfare system in this field have been introduced, which will be of great benefit to lone parents. In particular, as a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 148 together. The Programme for Government commits to reviewing the existing functions, powers, appointment procedures, and reporting processes for Prison Visiting Committees. The Department of Justice undertook to complete this action under the Justice Strategy 2021-2023. The function of Prison Visiting Committees is to visit, at frequent intervals,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: A total of eleven cases were taken against my Department in the timeframe referenced under the Equality Acts. Of these cases, some were taken under more than one of the nine grounds. This information is set out in the below table. Year Ground(s) for Discrimination 2012 Gender & Disability 2012 Gender &...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (15 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: Ireland, like other EU Member States, has seen an increase in applicants for International Protection from a broad range of countries since the resumption of international travel, which was interrupted during the pandemic. Several Member States have experienced increases in applications for international protection that are significantly higher than that experienced in Ireland. Against...