Results 5,921-5,940 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (19 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together. The unprecedented allocation of over €2.3 billion to An Garda Síochána in 2023 and 2024, up 23 per cent since 2020, demonstrates the Government's commitment to ensuring An Garda Síochána has provision for the equipment, technology, facilities, fleet and personnel it needs to carry out vital policing work. This...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (19 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: My Department is working closely with colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs to ensure a coordinated national response to this volatile and evolving situation including in their work to evacuate Irish citizens and their families who may require visa assistance.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (19 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for a Change of Status, which was received on 30 March 2023. To be fair to all applicants, applications are dealt with in chronological order by date received. My Department endeavours to process applications as quickly as possible. However, processing times may vary due to a number of factors, such as the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (19 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am informed that the person referred to by the Deputy has permission to remain under Stamp 4 conditions until 26 February 2024. The person concerned has been advised of the conditions attaching to their permission to remain and of the requirement to apply to their local immigration registration office for a further renewal of their permission to remain two weeks before their existing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (19 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the person referred currently does not have any open application with my Department. I encourage them to contact the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) or their local immigration office and to take all the appropriate steps to regularise their status. Any application submitted should explain their current circumstances and future intentions in the State and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (19 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department. I understand the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants and my Department has been working hard to clear backlogs. It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (19 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question 677 of 21 June 2022 and I can advise the position remains as set out in that answer and that I have been informed by Garda authorities that this matter was fully investigated by An Garda Síochána, and the Director of Public Prosecutions directed no prosecution. As you know, the Minister has no role in relation to these matters.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Legal Cases (18 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: It has not been possible to collate the information requested in the time allowed. I will write to the Deputy directly when the information is to hand.

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

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, funding for An Garda Síochána is provided through Vote 20, the Garda Vote and is not accounted under my Department's Vote. The Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) and is accountable for the economy and the efficiency of the Garda Síochána in using its...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Oct 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 for the recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members and staff. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (18 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, Government policy in the area of drugs is focused on reducing the harms for individuals, communities and promoting rehabilitation and recovery. This policy is guided by the national drugs and alcohol strategy, which represents a whole-of-Government response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland. Implementation of the strategy is led by my colleagues the Minister...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Budget 2024 (18 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I secured a record €3.5 billion to support the Justice sector with a particular focus on building stronger, safer communities. The allocation provides for the services of An Garda Síochána, the Prison Service, Courts Service, my Department and a number of statutory agencies who operate within the Criminal and Civil Justice areas. This...

Final Report of the Independent Scoping Exercise into the Circumstances surrounding the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell: Statements (17 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: The decision was taken by the Government a number of years ago to conduct the scoping exercise. It was very clearly outlined in the terms of reference that, if a public inquiry was deemed necessary following this scoping exercise, that would be considered by Government. I have never, nor has the Government, throughout this scoping exercise said that we would not accept a public inquiry if...

Final Report of the Independent Scoping Exercise into the Circumstances surrounding the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell: Statements (17 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: I thank all Deputies for their contributions this evening and I thank the O’Farrell family for being here throughout this. I do not think any of us, myself included, who have met either Lucia or Jim, Shane’s sisters or the wider family who could not have been affected by those meetings. Like everyone here, I have witnessed the sheer love, but above all, determination by the...

Final Report of the Independent Scoping Exercise into the Circumstances surrounding the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell: Statements (17 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and welcome the opportunity to have statements in the House today on the report of retired Judge Gerard Haughton, arising from the scoping exercise into the circumstances surrounding the tragic and untimely death in August 2011 of Shane O'Farrell, aged 23, in a hit-and-run incident involving a car driven by Zigimantas Gridziuska, the individual referred to in...

Seanad: Final Report of the Independent Scoping Exercise into the Circumstances Surrounding the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell: Statements (17 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: I welcome the opportunity for statements on the report of retired Judge Gerard Haughton arising from the scoping exercise into the circumstances surrounding the tragic and untimely death of Shane O'Farrell, aged 23, in August 2011 in a hit-and-run incident involving a car driven by Zigimantas Gridziuska, who is referred to in the report as "ZG". The sudden loss of Shane at such a young age,...

Seanad: Final Report of the Independent Scoping Exercise into the Circumstances Surrounding the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell: Statements (17 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: I thank colleagues for their contributions and for bringing this to the House. I will start with what I said in the Dáil previously because it is important and I think it is why we and the O’Farrell family are here. First, it is to make sure that all the facts and information are laid bare and that all the information surrounding the death of Shane is known and understood but,...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency Bill 2023: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: I move amendment No. 1: In page 14, line 21, to delete “subsection (5)”and substitute “subsection (6)”. This amendment is a technical one and serves to correct a cross reference. Amendment No. 4, also a technical amendment, removes an unnecessary word and brings it in line with precedent in terms of the Statute Book. Amendment No. 6, the final technical...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency Bill 2023: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: I move amendment No. 4: In page 22, line 2, to delete "the" where it secondly occurs.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency Bill 2023: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2023)

Helen McEntee: It is vital that we ensure the highest level of protection for victims and that no information is shared where it should not be. I appreciate the overall intention of the amendment. To clarify, for the avoidance of doubt, the agency is not intended to have a role in seeking the personal information or data of victims of survivors. Neither section 41 nor any other provision of the Bill...