Results 6,641-6,660 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: No, but it does issue the call and provides recommendations to the Minister from the pool of applicants. Each new vacancy requires new recommendations from JAAB, so there is still that pool. If I, as Minister, request a new JAAB for a new vacancy that arises, it is good practice. That is what we are trying to continue here by proposing names for a specific vacancy. For example, if someone...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: Section 43(1) requires a person wishing to be considered for appointment to a judicial office to make an application to the commission. As the Senator said, section 42(3) states the commission shall issue this invitation when the Minister has made a request. However, taking the two subsections together, the commission is still allowed to decide if it wants to issue an invitation at the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 419 together. The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda Síochána is central to this policy. This commitment is demonstrated by the unprecedented allocation of over €2 billion to the Garda Vote this year, which is allowing for sustained and ongoing recruitment and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am pleased to inform you that the application referred to by the Deputy was granted on 28 June 2023 and the Visa sticker issued on 29 June 2023. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility (inisoireachtasmail@justice.ie), which has been specifically established for this purpose. This...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Ceremonies (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I am pleased to confirm that my Department intends to host the next in-person Citizenship Ceremonies in the autumn of 2023 and the Citizenship Division have advised that they will revert to the applicant directly in due course regarding their application and next steps. More information regarding Citizenship Ceremonies is available on my Department’s website, which will be further...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I would like to assure the Deputy that both Commissioner Harris and I are committed to combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and to ensuring that An Garda Síochána is resourced to provide support to victims of this terrible crime. Twelve months ago we published our Zero Tolerance strategy. It is an ambitious five-year programme of reform to achieve a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Programmes (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government agreed to close the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) to further applications from 15 February 2023. The IIP Unit has published a FAQ concerning the closure on my Department's website, which will be updated with any further arising questions from the closure, and is available here: www.irishimmigration.ie/faqs-closure-of-the-immigrant-invest...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware the Government will establish a statutory agency with a dedicated focus on Domestic Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. The agency will have a specific mandate to drive the implementation of the Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence across Government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware the Government will establish a statutory agency with a dedicated focus on Domestic Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. The agency will have a specific mandate to drive the implementation of the Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence across Government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware the Government will establish a statutory agency with a dedicated focus on Domestic Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. The agency will have a specific mandate to drive the implementation of the Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence across Government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware the Government will establish a statutory agency with a dedicated focus on Domestic Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. The agency will have a specific mandate to drive the implementation of the Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence across Government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Seekers (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can advise that the Deputy that in accordance with the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382, those fleeing the war in Ukraine are entitled to apply for Temporary Protection in any EU Member State and are not obliged to formally obtain a transfer of their permission when seeking to move from one Member State to another. In this regard, if someone fleeing the war in Ukraine has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Bodies (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that the Government remains committed to improving safety and wellbeing for the community in Drogheda. As the Deputy will be aware, the Drogheda Implementation Plan outlines 73 actions to support community safety and chart a path to improved community wellbeing in and around Drogheda. The Plan is reviewed on a quarterly basis, with a progress report published...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (4 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 recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions and am unable to seek to direct, or otherwise influence, the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 422 and 437 together. The fees to be paid by an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation are governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 569 of 2011). The application fee is €175. A certification fee of €950 is then required following a positive decision being reached on the naturalisation...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: The visa application referred to by the Deputy was refused by the Visa Office in Abu Dhabi on 13 December 2022. The reasons for this decision were set out in the refusal letter sent to the applicants at that time. An appeal of this decision was launched on 09 January 2023. Appeals for applications of this type are processed in the order in which they are received, to be fair to all...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Statistics (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 425 and 434 together. I can advise the Deputy that the criteria for obtaining an Employment Permit for healthcare assistants is set by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. My Department's role relates to the immigration legislation and procedures which apply to persons granted an Employment Permit. These include the requirement to apply...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sports Funding (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that my Department does not operate any scheme which provides funding specifically to the association in question. Clubs that form part of the association are not categorised separately on my Department's payments systems. Hence, it is not possible to extract a definitive schedule of any payments made. My Department's payment records do reflect grant payments of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (4 Jul 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that the average processing time for Spouse of an Irish National applications for the first five months of 2023 has been six months. My Department endeavours to process applications as quickly as possible. However, processing times may vary significantly due to a number of factors, such as the number of applications on hand, individual circumstances, the complexity...