Results 6,861-6,880 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (13 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, which includes the recruitment and training of Garda members and staff. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions. I am advised by the Garda authorities that it is difficult to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 878 and 879 together. The International Protection Office (IPO) of my Department is responsible for examining all international protection applications received. The staff of the IPO (the Chief International Protection Officer and the International Protection Officers) are independent by law in the exercise of their international protection functions. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, funding for An Garda Síochána is provided through Vote 20, the Garda Vote and is not accounted under my Department's Vote. The Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) and is accountable for the economy and the efficiency of the Garda Síochána in using its...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: Since its introduction in June 2018, under the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 230 of 2018), the labour market access permission issued by my Department has had a very positive impact for international protection applicants and employers alike. Over 16,000 first labour market access permissions have been granted to date. The waiting period for labour...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy, as of 4 June 2023, 84,202 beneficiaries have been granted temporary protection in Ireland. Temporary Protection in Ireland applies to the following groups of people who have had to flee Ukraine due to the invasion by Russia: 1. Ukrainian nationals who were residing in Ukraine before 24 February 2022; 2. Nationals of a third country (other than Ukraine) or a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (13 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 Garda HR matters and the investigation of crime. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. An Garda Síochána is fully committed to investigating all incidents of crime and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I understand that Parliamentary Question No. 533 of 23 May 2023 asked "the number of members of An Garda Síochána, by grade and by division, in administrative posts who are in receipt of overtime payments; and the value of those payments from 2018 to 2023 inclusive, in tabular form." As advised to the Deputy in response to Question No. 533 of 23 May, I have been informed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Programmes (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The position remains as set out in PQ 404 of 18 May 2023. As Minister, I do not comment on individual IIP applications. My Department is committed to ensuring that all applications will be examined on their own merits and will endeavour to conclude all decisions in a timely manner. However, given the exceptionally large number of applications on hand, it is not possible at this time to give...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The role of the Psychology Service in the Irish Prison Service is to deliver, develop and manage an integrated mental health and criminogenic needs assessment and treatment service for people in custody, in line with service plans and objectives, and within established professional standards, guidelines and policy. I am informed that the Prison Service currently employ various psychologist...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Library Services book collections are managed by librarians appointed through the relevant County Council in the prison locality. The Prison Librarian manages library collection development which includes the addition of new books. An annual budget is provided for the update of prison library stock to keep the library collections relevant....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Communications (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: In the timeframe specified by the Deputy, 42.90% of posts made on my Department's social media channels contained video in some format. Of the total amount of video posts, 93.93% contained text-based content and/or captioning/subtitles. The social platforms in use by my Department during this time were Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The breakdown of posts across each platform is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, Ireland’s National Action Plan against Racism2023-2027, a whole of government approach to eradicating racism in society, launched in March of this year. Developed by an independent Anti-Racism Committee, the Plan proposes actions to help make Ireland a place in which the impacts of racism are fully acknowledged and actively addressed. My Department does not...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: 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. Whilst the median processing time for standard adult applications now currently stands at 19 months,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drug Dealing (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I have contacted the Garda authorities and have been advised that An Garda Síochána is unable to provide a breakdown of seizures in the form requested by the Deputy. Confirmation of drugs seized are subject to analysis and verification by Forensic Science Ireland, prior to publication in the Garda Annual Report. Page 94 of the 2021 report provides a breakdown of Garda seizures...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child Protection (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Government is determined to overhaul the operation of the Family Justice System, to ensure that we have a more efficient and user-friendly family court process that puts the family at the centre of its work. The Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 sets out the current law relating to guardianship in line with Article 42A.4 of the Constitution, which requires that provision be made by law...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Long Stay Join Family visa can currently be processed in either of the seven overseas visa offices, or in the visa office in Dublin. The overseas visa offices are located in Abuja, Beijing, London, Moscow, Ankara, Abu Dhabi and New Delhi. Long Stay Join Family visa applications are processed in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family Reunification....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, including the recruitment and training of Garda members and staff, under Section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended). Recruitment to An Garda Síochána is governed by legislation, particularly the Garda Síochána (Admissions...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the application referred to was created on the 8 October 2022. Supporting documentation was received in the Belgrade office on the 21 October 2022. The application was subsequently received in the Dublin visa office on the 28 November 2022, where it awaits examination and processing. Long Stay Join Family visa applications are processed in accordance with the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (13 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: 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. The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Programmes (13 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: irishimmigration.ie/faqs-closure-of-the-immigrant-investor-p...