Results 621-640 of 8,940 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (5 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service (IPS) that they provide a health care service for people in custody with addictions in a structured, safe and professional manner in line with international best practice. The IPS continues to be committed to, and involved with, the National Drugs Strategy in partnership with community colleagues and organisations. It is the policy of the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (5 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Citizenship Division of my Department have taken a significant number of steps to speed up the process for applicants. These included introducing an online digital application, online payments, and the introduction of eVetting. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that these changes are dramatically reducing processing times. The median processing time for a decision on an application in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (5 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: 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, particularly considering the current processing times. I want to assure anyone who has an application for naturalisation submitted that the Citizenship Division of my Department is doing everything...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (5 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: 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, particularly considering the current processing times. I want to assure anyone who has an application for naturalisation submitted that the Citizenship Division of my Department is doing everything...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (5 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Policing and Community Safety: Statements (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Yes. The Deputy might give me his name after the debate.

Policing and Community Safety: Statements (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I know it well.

Policing and Community Safety: Statements (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Thank you.

Policing and Community Safety: Statements (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: There are six Deputies present. As I was saying, this is an important debate and I would appreciate it if people would listen to what we are saying. There is an important message that the Government wants to put out. As I said, I will be unhesitatingly supportive of An Garda Síochána in the pursuit of law and order. I ask other Members of the House to be supportive of An Garda...

Policing and Community Safety: Statements (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Maybe I am driving people away. We have five.

Policing and Community Safety: Statements (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Will I continue then? We have five with the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. This is a serious debate; it is an important debate. Policing and safety in our community comprise one of the issues raised with me and my colleagues most regularly by constituents and I do not believe it should be used as an opportunity for playacting or trying to use the rules for some short-term political gain. If we...

Policing and Community Safety: Statements (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I welcome the fact that Members have come in. The point I was making is that we need to be aware of what people expect of our justice system and policing in our community. People expect that, if there is criminal activity, An Garda Síochána will investigate it promptly. They also expect that, if there is suspicion of criminal activity and there is sufficient evidence, it will be...

Policing and Community Safety: Statements (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: This is the first opportunity I have had to address the House since the Leas-Cheann Comhairle was elected. I want to do publicly what I have done privately and congratulate him on his election. He has a reputation for representing the interests of Members of this House fearlessly, and that will serve him well in the office of Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I wish all the best in the future.

Policing and Community Safety: Statements (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I also welcome that we are having statements today on policing and safety in our communities. As Minister for Justice, I assure the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and Members of the House that my priority is to ensure the people can live in communities which they regard as enjoyable and safe. That is not just my priority. I know it is also the priority of my colleagues in the Department of Justice,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Daylight Savings Time (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Since 2001, summer time arrangements in the EU have been governed by EU Directive 2000/84/EC, which sets out the obligation on all Member States to switch to summer time on the last Sunday of March and to switch back to their standard time (winter time) on the last Sunday of October. Following a resolution of the European Parliament in 2018, the European Commission proposed a change to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Ukraine War (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: In June 2024, the Council of the European Union adopted the decision to extend the Temporary Protection Directive until March 2026. This was an important demonstration of continued solidarity and support for Ukraine at a time when innocent civilians continue to be displaced as a direct result of ongoing Russian aggression. As of 23 February 2025, Temporary Protection has been granted in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Fines Administration (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Projects (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 484 and 485 together. It is important to note that the term knife crime covers a broad range of offences, as knives can be used in the commission of a wide range of offences, ranging from theft and intimidation, to serious and fatal assaults and murder. There are no quick-fix solutions to tackling knife crime. Long term, evidence-based strategies are...