Results 6,881-6,900 of 17,498 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: Community policing is at the heart of An Garda Síochána, and all Gardaí have a role to play in community policing in the course of carrying out their duties. Community policing is also fundamental to the new Garda Operating Model which is currently being rolled across the country and is fully commenced in ten Garda divisions. The new model will provide more front-line...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (31 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Irish Prison Service and my Department are committed to enabling people in custody to benefit from education and training opportunities to support their rehabilitation and access to employment post-release. As the Deputy will already be aware, the majority of people in custody, almost 70%, are early school leavers. The median school leaving age of those who are committed to custody...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Schemes (31 Jan 2024)

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. As Minister, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on individual IIP applications. All project proposals which are the subject of investment by IIP applicants are examined in great detail by an Independent Evaluation Committee...

Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The script is there-----

Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I did not.

Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: Do not lie.

Services for those Seeking Protection in Ireland: Statements (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: Without question, immigration is a topic that is at the forefront of many of our minds at this time. We are reading about it in the newspapers, seeing posts online and speaking about it with our family and friends. I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak about it in the House. I want to leave Members in no doubt as to my view of immigration, which is that it has been good for this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 391 and 421 together. As the Deputy is aware, earlier this year the Government established Cuan, a new statutory agency with a dedicated focus on Domestic Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. The agency has a specific mandate to drive the implementation of the Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence across...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Contracts (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 392, 393 and 394 together. I will write to the Deputy in relation to this matter when an answer is available.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Agreements (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: My Department is familiar with the issues referred to by the Deputy. The re-entry visa requirements for children under 16 were suspended in 2022. The processing of these applications required customers to submit their passports and suspending these requirements for children under 16 allowed my Department to minimise or avoid potential disruption to customers and their travel plans. Children...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: My Department takes all necessary steps to manage the international protection process efficiently and effectively, while ensuring the integrity of those processes is maintained at all times. On the issue of participation in EU measures, Ireland made a declaration when the Lisbon Treaty entered into force stating its firm intention to take part in the adoption of measures pursuant to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The information requested is currently being compiled and I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to by the Deputy was granted De Facto Partner Permission by the Immigration Service of my Department on 2 February 2018. Their application for renewal was refused as the person concerned requires a new permission letter from the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division of my Department. The person concerned should write to the Domestic Residence and Permissions...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Contracts (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that one of the companies she has referenced was contracted by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, following an open tender competition, to conduct an organisational review which was funded by my Department. I understand the cost of this work was €175,939 and a report was completed and published in 2023.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Reviews (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 400 and 411 together. A key purpose for the 2017 Sexual Offences Act was to provide additional protection to persons involved in prostitution, especially vulnerable persons and victims of human trafficking. It allows those engaged in prostitution to provide information to Gardaí, for instance if they were subjected to violence by clients, without fear of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department. A letter regarding this application issued to the applicant on 2 January 2024. I understand the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants and my Department has been working hard to clear backlogs. It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I am advised that the person referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for a change of immigration status which was received by the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division of my Department on 06 December 2023. Applications are dealt with in strict chronological order of receipt. The Division endeavours to process applications as quickly as possible, however, processing times...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The International Protection Act 2015, places a duty on applicants to cooperate with the process, and the details of the process are covered in Section 38 of the Act. The International Protection Office (IPO) writes to applicants who are not cooperating with the process at their last known address, giving them notice that they may be failing in their duty to cooperate, and giving them the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 404 to 406, inclusive, together. The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) has responsibility for the first time registration and renewal of Irish immigration residence permissions for persons residing outside of the Dublin area. My Department's Registration Office in Burgh Quay is responsible for registering immigration permissions for customers residing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Jan 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose, policing service. An Garda Síochána’s 2024 allocation provides funding of over €2.3 billion, which includes funding for between 800 to 1,000 new Gardaí and an additional 250 Garda staff. As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda...