Results 5,661-5,680 of 46,260 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: I can advise the Deputy that the person referred to should contact the visa office directly quoting the visa application number to make a request that their passport be returned. The Visa Office can be contacted at:   travelrequest@justice.ie  The person concerned should advise how they wish the documents to be returned. The options available to them are:  1.By...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: For the period in question, 01 January 2017 – 31 March 2023, there were 63,936 decisions recorded of which 56,329 were approvals. The table below sets out the details requested. Year 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Total Applications Approved 7,642 8,624 8,764 ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that since the beginning of 2022 new applicants for citizenship no longer have to submit their original passport with their application. Instead, they can provide a full colour certified copy of their entire passport, including the front and back covers. The median processing time for Citizenship applications now currently stands at 19 months. I...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: The citizenship applications of the persons referred to by the Deputy were approved and their Certificates of Naturalisation were issued on 11 April 2023. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: Reforming the operation of the family justice system to ensure that we have a more efficient and user-friendly family court system is a key continuing commitment in the Department's Justice Plan. The Programme for Government also contains a commitment to build a new Family Law Court building in Dublin. The construction of a purpose-built Family Law Court complex at Hammond Lane is a key...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: The application for the person referred to by the Deputy was received by the Undocumented Unit of my Department on 26 March 2022 and continues to be processed. Due to the large number of applications on hand it is not possible to provide a definitive timeframe for a decision to issue. The processing times of applications will vary depending on the complexity of the application, whether it...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: The Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) team at Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels currently consists of seven officials from the Department of Justice made up of one Counsellor, four Attachés and two administrative staff. There are currently no vacancies in the JHA team. The role of officials in the JHA team is to offer assistance to Ministers and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: I have been informed by the Irish Prison Service that as at 31 March 2023 the number of whole-time and part-time Prison Chaplains working in each prison across the IPS estate is as follows : Location Whole-time Chaplains Part-time Chaplains Arbour Hill Prison 1 0 Castlerea Prison 1 1 ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: The Irish Prison Service continually monitors the staffing requirements and vacancies that arise as a result of multiple factors, including promotions and retirements. The Prison Service holds promotional competitions and recruits on an ongoing basis to fill vacancies at all levels of the Service as they arise.  The recruitment of  Prison Chaplains into the Irish Prison Service is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: In its forty years of operation, the Civil Legal Aid Scheme has been a significant and beneficial public service, providing legal aid and advice to people of limited means in civil disputes, including family law.  However, since the Scheme was set up, Irish society has changed, and the demands of the service have grown. In order to provide maximum benefit to those it was established to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Apr 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 distribution of Garda members. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. I am however assured that Garda management keeps...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: Section 2(1) of the Immigration Act 2003 places obligations on carriers to ensure that passengers travelling to the State are in possession of a valid travel document that establishes the person’s identity and nationality, and that they have the appropriate visa if required. In 2022, the GNIB issued 958 carrier liability fines. Each fine is €1,500, rising to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: On 28 June 2022 the Government gave approval to draft the General Scheme of a Bill to place the Irish Prison Service (IPS) on a full statutory footing with a non-executive Board, audit committee and other structures that align with best practice in the governance of State bodies.  Drafting of the General Scheme is well advanced with a view to its submission to Government shortly....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: The Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 was enacted with the primary purposes of reforming the law relating to the ownership and management of common areas of multi-unit developments and facilitating the fair, efficient and effective management of owners' management companies (OMCs). The Programme for Government contains a commitment to conduct a review of the existing management company...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Schemes (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware, I obtained approval from the Government to close the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) to further applications from 15 February 2023. The Immigrant Investor Programme was established over a decade ago during a time of unprecedented economic difficulty to stimulate investment in Ireland that would be of strategic and public benefit to the State. Since its inception,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: The Travel Document Unit in my Department processes travel documents for people who are deemed to be refugees under the 1951 United Nations Convention. This Unit also processes a separate travel document for family members of persons granted refugee status who are beneficiaries of family reunification programmes that cannot obtain a national passport. In recent times this Unit has experienced...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: I can advise the Deputy that applicants must make an application for an Irish entry visa from their home country or a country where they are legally resident. Visa applications for beneficiaries of family reunification programmes are dealt with on a case by case basis but will, wherever possible, be processed speedily and sympathetically. Once a visa application has been granted ISD may...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware the Garda Síochána (Retirement) (No. 2) Regulations 1951 (S.I.335/1951) allow the Garda Commissioner, with the consent of the Minister for Justice, to extend the age of retirement of a Garda member where this is in the interests of the efficiency of the Garda Síochána due to special qualifications or experience in policing possessed by that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capital Expenditure Programme (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: The Charlestown Apprenticeship project is currently under review as part of the Mayo, Sligo & Leitrim Education and Training Board’s (MSLETB) wider estate strategy and apprenticeship regional provision in the Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim areas. SOLAS continues to work closely with the senior management team in MSLETB to finalise the required provision as part of this strategy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (18 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department has one member of staff working as Research and Innovation Attaché in the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels. The officer represents Ireland at the Working Party on Research, which handles matters in the research and innovation area, including legislation prior to discussion at the Competitiveness Council meetings. The working party...