Results 7,241-7,260 of 15,342 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Citizenship Applications (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: We welcome anyone who wants to come to Ireland to study, spend time, live here and pursue a course of study, whether part time or full time. When a non-EEA person comes to Ireland to undertake an English language course, or a course at level 6 or above on the national framework of qualifications, NFQ, a stamp 2 student permission will be granted. It was always envisaged that time spent in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Citizenship Applications (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: We receive between 12,000 and 13,000 citizenship applications per year. We had challenges through the Covid-19 pandemic, specifically where the in-person citizenship ceremonies could not take place. To try to respond to that, we have made a number of different changes to the process itself to try to speed it up and make it easier for people to apply and go through the system. We have also...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sentencing Policy (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: There is work that needs to be done on reporting policy. There is currently a strong focus on the modernisation programme in the Courts Service and one of the biggest challenges in moving to a more digital courts system is the fact the information we have is difficult to collate, is not collected in the same way everywhere and is not necessarily reported on in the same way. Investment and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sentencing Policy (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: It is important that we have information on anything we do. Any policy decisions we make have to be backed up by facts. That applies in any Department or role. The focus of the modernisation programme is to ensure we have a more efficient system that people can use online, rather than the paper-based system on which the justice sector is still reliant, and one that it allows us to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Sentencing Policy (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I probably should have stressed that, while we are working on the modernisation programme and while we need to have a more effective way to gather data in the courts, information and data are available. For example, with regard to the increase in the maximum sentence for assault causing harm from five to ten years has come about through reflecting on other sentencing, working with the DPP...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legal Aid (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: We continue to support the Legal Aid Board through allocated funding. The board delivers services through directly employed solicitors in its network of law centres around the country and private solicitors from its private practitioner panels. The board operates a total of 34 full-time law centres along with a number of part-time centres and 20 family mediation centres. Eight of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Priorities (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: More broadly, the Judicial Council is looking at sentencing in general and trying to provide guidelines. It has started this work and is looking at a number of areas, one of which is sexual offences, and is making sure there are guidelines set out for the Judiciary. Our role here in the Oireachtas is, more generally, to set the upper limit. We have some crimes where there is a minimum...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Antisocial Behaviour (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: If we look at the crime trends overall, which are based on pre-Covid numbers, most cases, including theft, burglary and assault, are actually down. Where we have seen crime increase is around sexual offences and domestic violence cases. That said, any type of antisocial behaviour or crime is something we need to be able to respond to. We are trying to look at antisocial behaviour in a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Antisocial Behaviour (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy mentioned wardens. This was a successful application through the community safety innovation fund where inner-city gardaí went to Derry and looked at how things operated there. These are wardens based on O'Connell Street and surrounding streets who will identify where issues are emerging. They will engage with groups and work with gardaí to try to prevent incidents or...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Antisocial Behaviour (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I agree with Deputy Bruton. The community safety partnerships have somebody working full-time on that. It should be the case that when gardaí come across an issue, they can feed it directly back to the person in the office, who can then deal directly with the local authority which deals directly with the local businesses. It can be used in that way. That is something I will take back...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Antisocial Behaviour (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: The JPCs will be developing into community safety partnerships. I appreciate that not everybody will welcome that change. They have served a fantastic purpose to date. They have worked very well but we need to have that multi-agency approach where it is not just the local authorities. Regarding the reserve, unfortunately, the reason it will be the latter half of next year is that we are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Priorities (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: Whether it is antisocial behaviour, crime or wider issues we are dealing with, we need to ensure we have that multi-agency approach. We have seen this in the task force in the north inner city, the Vivian Guerin report on Drogheda and, more recently, the piloting of community safety partnerships. This is a structure that works. With the support of Government, it brings State agencies...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Priorities (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: With specific regard to victims, the victims' forum was established in the past year. It brings together quite a number of different representative groups and organisations that support victims and survivors and considers what more we can do through policy, legislation or funding supports. That work is ongoing. We have identified a number of key strands to work on initially. Domestic...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy touched on a number of issues. Our gardaí are highly skilled and they are sought in many different fields, as the Deputy said. As we move to a situation where we have specific teams and units, such as in the Garda National Immigration Bureau, GNIB, fraud or domestic violence, they become more skilled and expert in their area and it is only natural that people will try to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: The intention is that we will have 1,000 next year. Beyond that, we have to look at the capacity within Templemore, but if we were to have 1,000 with 400 civilian staff on a continuous basis that would bolster the overall number. I am clear that I do not think 15,000 is enough because the population is growing and we need more. Specifically in relation to the programme the other night,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy. It is an important question. We all want to see more gardaí on our streets and dealing with different issues. That commitment is there. The budget this year was unprecedented, with €2.14 billion being allocated to the Garda. This will fund up to 1,000 new recruits next year and 400 additional Garda staff. In the year just gone, funding was allocated for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: The simple answer is "Yes", without straying into areas that are not my responsibility because it is very much the role of the Garda Commissioner to look at where there are challenges, issues and significant population increases. Population is not the only factor but, as the Deputy said, it must be taken into account. We have only properly seen the figures for the most recent census in the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I am proud of the work the Garda does in County Meath. I regularly meet with teams and while I want to see more gardaí on the beat and in community policing in the county, it is important that there is a separation between me and the Commissioner, who decides where gardaí go. My role is to ensure that as many potential gardaí as possible enter Templemore and that the funding...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy. The role played by members of An Garda Síochána is undoubtedly a challenging and sometimes dangerous one, as I have stressed many times this year. Gardaí leave their homes, families and communities every morning to put themselves in danger. We must acknowledge that. They often encounter adversarial circumstances in their day-to-day work, which can be...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Judicial Appointments (20 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. It is a priority for my Department to ensure that the courts are resourced so that we can administer justice efficiently and effectively for everybody who comes into contact with the justice system. Judicial vacancies arise for a number of reasons, including retirements, promotion and, unfortunately, deaths in service. The aim is always to fill...