Results 6,761-6,780 of 15,342 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (20 Jun 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: Citizenship Applications (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: Further to my answer to PQ Dáil no. 1060 of 18 April 2023, the naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department, with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation. It will be submitted to me for decision in due course. Queries in relation to the status of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Jun 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 for all Garda phone lines. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. I am advised by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána operates a national telephone service which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda Síochána is central to this policy. This is reflected in the unprecedented allocation of over €2 billion in Budget 2023. As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I understand the Atypical Working Scheme (AWS) Unit have refused the application on the basis of information within the application did not reconcile with necessary proofs. This has been explained to the Agency and it remains open to them to make a further application, taking into account the reasons for refusal. Further information on the Atypical Working Scheme, including the criteria ,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that official in my Department corresponded with the organisation referred to last week regarding the issues of concern raised. Ireland’s Atypical Working Scheme (AWS) is designed to accommodate the arrival of non-EEA nationals to fill short term labour gaps for the benefit of our economy. In recognition of the importance of front-line medical personnel,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria for naturalisation can only be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Process (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The General Scheme of the Sale of Alcohol Bill was published in October 2022 and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice conducted two pre-legislative scrutiny sessions in January, and published its report in March 2023. Officials are engaging with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel on the drafting of the Bill, and despite the considerable length of the general scheme, I intend to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Peace Commissioners (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: Peace Commissioners are appointed and may be removed from that appointment by the Minister for Justice under section 88 of the Courts of Justice Act 1924. The office of Peace Commissioner is an honorary one for which there is no remuneration or compensation by way of fees or expenses for their services. My Department maintains the Roll of Peace Commissioners and while every effort is made to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The International Protection Office (IPO) of my Department is responsible for examining all international protection applications received. The Child and Family Agency (Tusla) has statutory responsibility for the care of any unaccompanied minors in the State. If an unaccompanied minor indicates that they wish to apply for international protection, they are referred to Tusla, either by the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child Protection (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, last year, my Department committed to undertake both a public consultation and independent research on the topic of parental alienation as part of the Justice Plan 2022. The findings of both these strands were analysed and arising from this, my officials developed a policy paper on how to address the issue. Minister Harris brought both the finalised policy paper...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Peace Commissioners (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 467 and 468 together. Peace Commissioners are appointed and may be removed from that appointment by the Minister for Justice under section 88 of the Courts of Justice Act 1924. The office of Peace Commissioner is an honorary one for which there is no remuneration or compensation by way of fees or expenses for their services. A person who wishes to be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the primary purpose of the employment vetting carried out by the National Vetting Bureau is to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate the importance of this task and the need for it to be carried out thoroughly and correctly. Vetting is carried out by An Garda Síochána in accordance with the provisions...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: An application for a Spouse of Irish National (SOIN) permission was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 23 May 2022 and continues to be processed. To be fair to all applicants, applications are dealt with in chronological order by date received. My Department endeavours to process applications as quickly as possible. However, processing times may vary due to a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The application for the person referred to by the Deputy was received by the Undocumented Unit of my Department on 9 February 2022 and continues to be processed. Due to the large number of applications on hand it is not possible to provide a definitive timeframe for a decision to issue. The processing times of applications will vary depending on the complexity of the application, whether...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The visa application referred to by the Deputy was refused on 5 October 2022. The reasons for this decision were set out in the refusal letter sent to the applicant at that time. An appeal of this decision was received in the Dublin Visa Office on 3 November 2022. All visa applicants are advised that the onus is on them to provide as much information in support of their application as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that Minister Harris brought both the finalised policy paper and the research report to Government on the 23rd of May last, which noted his intention to publish both reports. Both the research report and the policy paper have now been published on the Department’s website, a link to which can be found here:...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: Ireland’s Atypical Working Scheme (AWS) is designed to accommodate the arrival of non-EEA nationals to fill short term labour gaps for the benefit of our economy. In recognition of the importance of front-line medical personnel, the AWS Unit prioritises these applications. There has been an unprecedented demand for Atypical Working Scheme permissions in the first three months of this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Spent Convictions (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government commits in the Programme for Government to reviewing the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions and Certain Disclosures) Act 2016 and to broaden the range of convictions that are considered spent. As part of this review process, a public consultation on spent convictions was launched by my Department in October 2020. Bespoke research on the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution of Garda members between the different Garda units and Divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda...