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Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I move amendment No. 30: In page 42, line 36, after “offence” to insert “(other than an offence under subsection (3)#)”.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: As I have said in many instances, while we are trying not to be overly prescriptive in the legislation in adding in specific criteria for certain things, I think what is being proposed in this amendment more or less reflects what actually happens more generally and what happens now. For that reason, I am happy to accept this amendment.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: This section is an enabling one rather than being overly prescriptive. What the Commissioner always has to do is look at whether this is in the public interest. It has to be consistent with the functions of An Garda Síochána and he or she must make sure it does not impact on the role of the Garda or potentially take away from resources. Again, I think we are being overly...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: In response to the Senator's last point, we are always looking at ways in which we can free up front-line gardaí who are perhaps in roles that can be done by other people, be it in the courts, areas relating to immigration or other types of roles they have been in previously. We have seen how gardaí have been freed up. A report is ongoing at the moment on the prosecution role,...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: Again, I believe this amendment is overly prescriptive. We are trying to ensure there is a particular ability for the Garda Commissioner to dismiss somebody below the rank of chief superintendent for reasons of public confidence. The section is sufficient to cover the broad headings for any consideration. There would obviously still have to be a disciplinary process but by reason of a...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: May I respond? I had better after all of that.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I meant after all of the contributions.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I support Senators in their contributions and agree with them that the reserve plays a really important role in supporting An Garda Síochána and in assisting gardaí in their work. The workforce of An Garda Síochána includes front-line gardaí, civilian staff and our reserve and we need to look at the overall numbers for all three areas. Senators are right to say...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: During the most recent recruitment campaign, over 5,000 people applied so the Public Appointments Service has a significant number of people to go through. It is obviously not just dealing with An Garda Síochána but the entire public sector. I know there have even been difficulties in recruiting people to the Public Appointments Service so its capacity to deal not just with its...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: It is not possible to give a definitive timeline. If a significant number apply at the same time, they must go through the initial process but there may be an issue with someone failing the fitness test or medical, or an issue with vetting abroad. We cannot say whether someone will come back from another police jurisdiction in a matter of weeks or months. It is very difficult to put a...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: To respond to Senator Keogan's point, I do not think we have any stations sitting idle or that are not being used or are not necessary. We are renovating and reopening stations not only in Dublin but throughout the country.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: How do we look at who takes up this accommodation? It is not something being actively looked at with regard to how it would be applied, who would get the accommodation, for what length of time and whether it would apply only to gardaí. A series of questions would have to be answered. A question was asked on pensions. This comes under the remit of the Department of Finance or the...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: There may be a further technical amendment to this section and I would like to flag it now. Amendments Nos. 37 and 38 relate to section 54 of the Bill on the appointment of members of Garda staff. By way of background, the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland recommended that Garda staff be recruited directly into An Garda Síochána and that An Garda Síochána...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am as keen for negotiations and engagement to start as both Senators present, and most importantly, as the staff. As recently as last week when I engaged with them, the challenge was finding dates that suited everyone. A number of bodies need to be around the table and the dates that had been set or proposed were not matching others' availability.It is a matter of trying to identify the...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: While I cannot give an exact date, the next Stage of the Bill will be weeks away and I have every intention of making sure negotiations start, or that dates are set, well before that.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: All the amendments in this grouping relate to pension matters. Section 55 provides for the making of a superannuation scheme or schemes by the Garda Commissioner for members of Garda staff where such members of Garda staff do not become members of the single public service pension scheme. Section 112 will perform a similar function with regard to the national office for community safety....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the position in regard to applications for family reunification is set out in the Policy Document for Non-EEA Family Reunification, which is available on my Department's Immigration Services website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Policy-do cument-on-Non-EEA-family-reunification.pdf The Policy Document, which was last amended in 2016, is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Work Permits (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, it is not my Department's practice to comment on whether an application for international protection has been made in the State. If a person is in the international protection process, there is a legal requirement under the International Protection Act 2015 to maintain full confidentiality at all times. Therefore the Department is unable to publish any information...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (12 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 the tendering for, and purchase of equipment. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions. However, to be of assistance I sought the information requested by the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (12 Dec 2023)

Helen McEntee: Earlier this year I announced a further €10 million for Garda overtime in Dublin. This additional allocation is being spent, to provide consistent high visibility policing in the capital. The allocation of over €2.3 billion to An Garda Síochána for 2024 includes provision for a 25% increase in the overtime budget for An Garda Síochána, to €131...

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