Results 621-640 of 9,106 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Government is acutely aware of capacity restraints in our prisons. It has already engaged with the Irish Prison Service on this issue and has committed to increasing capacity of our prisons by 1,500. This work has already commenced. The Irish Prison Service budget has increased by €79 million, or 18%, in Budget 2025. The capital budget is €53 million in 2025, an increase...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drug Dealing (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Tackling drug dealing and targeting the work of organised crime groups, who inflict intimidation, violence and misery on families and communities, is a top priority for the Government and my Department. A number of key actions have been taken as part of our plan to tackle illegal drug use. These include: Increasing the maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder from 10 years to life in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Programme for Government commits to working with An Garda Síochána to ensure a person in an intimate relationship can be informed of a serious risk to them where a new partner has a history of domestic violence. I have requested that officials in my Department examine proposals to establish a register or mechanism that would facilitate disclosure of information in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Law Cases (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is important to emphasise that the conduct of any court case is a matter entirely for the presiding judge. The courts are, subject only to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions, including sentencing. The court is required to impose a sentence which is proportionate not only to the crime, but to the specific context and circumstances of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Law Cases (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: My Department is leading a programme of family justice reform outlined in the first Family Justice Strategy, published in November 2022. This Strategy sets out an ambitious vision for a family justice system of the future - a system that will focus on the needs and rights of children and which will assist their parents in making decisions that affect all of the family. This will be achieved...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can assure the Deputy that I am fully committed to ensuring that Ireland’s International Protection system is robust and rules based, and that our borders are protected. In 2024 the International Protection Office (IPO) delivered over 14,000 first decisions compared to over 8,500 in 2023, while the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) closed around 3,100 appeals in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Garda Commissioner is responsible, under section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), for the management and administration of Garda business. This includes all operational policing matters. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions. An Garda Síochána needs modern tools and equipment to help our Gardaí do their jobs in protecting...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Deputy will be aware that the Historical Investigation Unit structure, as proposed in the Stormont House Agreement, was specific to Northern Ireland. In this jurisdiction the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, led by the Assistant Commissioner for Organised and Serious Crime, holds a national investigative remit and is specialised in the area of major crime investigation....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: This Government will be resolute in its support of Gardaí. We want to build safe and secure communities, and a well-resourced policing service is critical to achieving that. In Budget 2025 we allocated the unprecedented sum of €2.48 billion which is allowing for sustained investment in recruitment, technology and equipment. The overall Garda workforce, which includes...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I want to assure anyone who has an application for naturalisation submitted that the Citizenship Division of my Department is doing everything possible to progress applications as quickly as possible. I can inform the Deputy that there are approximately 45,000 open naturalisation applications and 321 applications open which are older than 8 years. Insofar as older applications are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Agreements (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: On 5 March 2025 Ministerial representatives from 12 Latin American Countries attended a working lunch with the Home Affairs Ministers of the EU Member States. At the working lunch Ministers discussed how the EU and the Latin American Committee on Internal Security (CLASI), might further co-operate in the fight against drug trafficking, trafficking in arms and trafficking in human beings. A...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Emergency Services (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for all operational policing matters, including the allocation of Garda resources and responses by An Garda Síochána to emergency calls. In addition, responsibility for the 999/Emergency Call Answering System (ECAS) is under the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications. Section 58B of the Communications Regulation Act 2002...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Information and Communications Technology (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can inform the Deputy that, based on records sourced from our third-party provider, my Department has approximately 285 copper phone lines in use across its estate, including ISDN, BRA and PSTN.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Probation and Welfare Service (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Probation Service does not currently have any vacancies for Community Service Supervisors in Cork. The expectation is that a Community Service Supervisor position will become available this year pending the retirement of existing Community Service Supervisors in this location.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Inquiries (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The single worst atrocity of the Troubles occurred in Omagh on 15 August 1998. The bombing was an unspeakable and brutal act of cruelty carried out by terrorists with no sense of humanity or respect for human life. We will never forget those who lost their lives, those who were injured and the families whose suffering for their loved ones continues. The Omagh Bombing Inquiry was...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy may be aware, my Department is unable to publish any information that would identify any person as being an international protection applicant. This is a separate matter to the law dealing with data protection matters more generally. My officials and I are legally obliged, under Section 26 of the International Protection Act 2015, to ensure that the identity of any person who...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Minister for Justice is empowered to revoke Irish citizenship granted by naturalisation in accordance with the provisions of section 19 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 (as amended). However, the function could not be operated for a period as the Supreme Court ruled in Damache v Minister for Justice [2020] that the revocation procedure under section 19 was...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under Section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), including the recruitment and training of Garda members and staff. Under Section 33 of the Act, the Commissioner is responsible for the distribution and stationing of Gardaí throughout the State. There are almost 18,000...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. This includes the distribution of resources, including Garda fleet, across the various Garda Divisions and National/Specialist Units. The Government is committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources needed to keep...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The primary purpose of vetting carried out by the Garda National Vetting Bureau is to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. Vetting is carried out by An Garda Síochána in accordance with the provisions of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 - 2016. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. I believe the many...