Results 6,501-6,520 of 15,342 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am committed to publishing the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023 before the summer recess. The Bill will implement important reforms in relation to knowledge of consent, ensure anonymity for victims and the accused in sexual offence trials and will clear the final legislative hurdles for ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (11 Jul 2023)

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

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service and my Department are committed to providing safe and secure custody for all people committed to prison while ensuring a safe working environment for staff. Officials in the Irish Prison Service and the Department are continuously working to identify short, medium and longer term proposals to help manage the current capacity issues in our...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Prison Service provides a health care service for prisoners with addictions in a structured, safe and professional basis in line with international best practice. The Prison Service 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 Service that, where a person committed to prison...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy was previously advised, and as I am sure the Deputy appreciates, the restricting of a person’s liberty is a serious issue, given the Constitutional presumption that a person is deemed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. While the State’s bail laws do provide for the refusal of bail in certain circumstances, the presiding Judge is entirely independent in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including Garda operations aimed at preventing and countering criminal activity. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. I can assure the Deputy that An Garda Síochána...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, by law the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution of Garda members between the various Garda Divisions. I have no role in these operational matters. I am assured that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of policing priorities and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is a statutory body with staff drawn from An Garda Síochána, the Office of the Revenue Commissioners (including Customs), the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Justice. Under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996, the Chief Bureau Officer is responsible for the management and control of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 546 and 549 together. Whilst Ireland is a comparatively safe country in international terms, I can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities. The Budget 2023 allocation of over €2 billion will allow for the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff, with recruits entering Templemore every 11 weeks....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána have the resources, the equipment and the technology necessary to do their jobs in protecting people from harm and saving lives. As part of this commitment, I am working to ensure Gardaí have body worn cameras and to extend the powers governing Garda use of CCTV and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR). Such technology will...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am deeply conscious of how important the granting of naturalisation is to all of those who apply for it. My Department is aware that delays in processing times are frustrating and disruptive for applicants, and we are working hard to improve the position. It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am informed by the Commissioner that the total number of women in all ranks of An Garda Síochána as of the 31 May 2023, the latest date for which figures are currently available was 3,945 or 28% of total Garda strength. For context, this compares favourably with the total of 3,130 or 21.7% of the total strength on 31 December 2008. For the Deputy's information the following table,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act 1962, which is the primary legislation covering the operation of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, provides that free legal aid may be granted, in certain circumstances, for the defence of people who have insufficient means in criminal proceedings. Under the Act, the courts, through the judiciary, are responsible for the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware and in accordance with Articles 13.9 and 35.1 of the Constitution, judicial appointments are made by the President, acting on the advice of the Government. The assignment of judges once appointed is the responsibility for the respective president of the various Courts. Presidents of the Courts and the presiding judges are, under the Constitution, independent in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seekers (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy, that of the 15,629 international protection applications pending with the International Protection Office on 1st July 2023, only 290 of these are waiting over 24 months for a determination. The types of situations where cases are in the system for a number of years will only arise in the most exceptional of circumstances. These can include cases before the courts, or...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that the IRP card income is the largest component part within the Immigration Registration fees and is classified as an appropriation-in-aid in the Department's Appropriation Account (Vote 24) each year. The nature of appropriation-in-aid income is that it is not reinvested against any specific area of expenditure. Similar to all appropriation-in-aid income...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (11 Jul 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 management of the Fixed Charge Processing System (FCPS). As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. The table below, which was provided to me by the Garda authorities, sets out...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Accidents (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: Road safety remains a high priority for An Garda Síochána and for my Department, working closely in cooperation with the Department of Transport. Any serious injury or fatality is of great concern. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Accidents (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: Road safety remains a high priority for An Garda Síochána and for my Department, working closely in cooperation with the Department of Transport. Any serious injury or fatality is of great concern. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Accidents (11 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: Road safety remains a high priority for An Garda Síochána and for my Department, working closely in cooperation with the Department of Transport. Any serious injury or fatality is of great concern. 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...