Results 5,781-5,800 of 15,342 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for his questions. With regard to recruitment, retention and morale, I have consistently said that I take my role in supporting An Garda Síochána, making sure we have as many of gardái as possible and that they are supported in the work, extremely seriously. My number one priority when it comes to An Garda Síochána is ensuring that we have as many...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy. I know she is particularly focused on and prioritises the safety of women and children and all those who are victims of domestic and sexual violence. A huge amount of work is under way to put in place structures that will outlive me or any other Member of the House and to ensure we can continue to prioritise domestic and sexual violence, develop refuge accommodation for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: Not yet. Specific funding has been allocated in this year's budget in respect of the roll-out more of these. Last year, funding was provided for three projects under way in Dundalk, Wexford and County Meath. Additional funding in this year's budget will allow for more individuals to work in these key priority areas. The budget was only introduced a few weeks ago, and we are still working...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: I acknowledge what was done in the budget only goes a certain way towards restoration for the work that is being done in criminal law by many barristers. As part of the increase in the budget I have committed to a full review to look at the overall service being provided. This may bring about different changes, not least to how the fees and structures are implemented and applied. We have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: We will have to come back to the Deputy on some of those. I do not have details of the number of people who have received a maximum sentence to date but I am sure we can get that information through the courts. In increasing the sentence, I have acknowledged and recognised the severity of assaulting a member of An Garda Síochána or any other emergency worker. While we have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: I do, although they are higher than they were in 2015. While we have increased and dropped, I hope we will increase again.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: Yes, we have a higher number this year but that needs to be taken in the round in the context of various different matters.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can only speak for myself but I made it clear as the year went on that the target was 1,000 but that it would be difficult to reach. The numbers I outlined at the outset, which include those who have been attested, who have gone through the college and who will be in the college, will be close to, if not beyond, 800 for this year. It is not the figure of 1,000, as I have been saying for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: There is no harm in people being ambitious. When the Taoiseach said it would be hard to meet, that was the case at the time. I have clearly said that we will not meet that target but the fact that we are most likely going to surpass 800 between those who have gone through the college, those in the college and those coming into the college this year is an indication of the momentum we are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: The regulations are now out for consultation. A number of the representative bodies have come back on them but some have not yet. We are still waiting on some of the organisations to give their views on the regulations. Once we have all of those in, we will move as quickly as possible. A Garda recruitment campaign will start early in the new year and it is important that we do not have a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: Once we have the feedback from the organisations, we can move on the new regulations. As I have said, it is important that we do not have a Garda recruitment campaign at the same as a reserve recruitment campaign and that there be some period of time between them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: It is intended that the Garda recruitment campaign will be early in the new year and that the reserve campaign will be very soon after that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: I meet with the representative organisations in formal settings but I also meet with them in informal settings at many different events throughout the year. I meet with them in the same way as any other Minister has met with them over the years. I also attend their national conferences. I therefore do engage with them but, at the same time, I am not their employer so I work and engage...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: It is important to stress, regarding my own engagement with the representative associations, and the relationship between the Minister for Justice and those associations, that the Garda Commissioner is the head of An Garda Síochána. The Commissioner and his senior management meet and engage with the representative organisations on a regular basis, as should be the case. I, as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: On the first question, I do not for a second shy away from the fact that it is an extremely challenging job. The work that gardaí do, as the Commissioner alluded to earlier, has become more challenging. There have been more attacks on members and the types of incidents that gardaí have to respond to are hugely traumatic. There is also the fact that there has been a huge amount of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am not saying there are no issues. I have just said that there are issues but we are working to respond to the concerns that gardaí are raising. With a budget of €2.31 billion we are investing directly in them, responding to their health needs and their requirements, making sure that we have more of them to be able to spread the workload, and making sure the changes that are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: There are a number of approaches to this. The Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, and I are currently engaged in the development of a health-led approach that An Garda Síochána would apply. We are waiting for legal advice about a number of elements of that. Essentially, when people are caught with drugs for personal use, the case would be approached in a different way, but at the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: Looking at a health-led approach was committed to in the programme for Government, so it is not new. It has been committed to and responded to for some time. We are at the early stages of it and acknowledging what has come out of the citizens' assembly, it is the approach committed to.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Helen McEntee: No, we are not drafting legislation. We are looking at the overall policy.