Results 7,441-7,460 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Domestic Violence (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: That is okay.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Domestic Violence (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: While this is obviously a key priority for Jason, I know there are many other issues he has been focused on and I am pleased to work with him and many others to make sure we can make those changes. We have seen an increase in reports and numbers of people going to the Garda reporting domestic violence and sexual offences over the last year. We can look at that in two ways. First,...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Committee Stage (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: We are amending it in the miscellaneous Bill. I can speak to the matter later. I was not sure what had been ruled in or out.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Committee Stage (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Constitution provides for judicial independence and this Bill supports judicial independence. I support the Senator's last comments that we have an independent Judiciary, one that we can be very proud of and one that is held up right across the world. I thank the Senators for tabling this amendment. The amendment provides for a new section. It provides for an object of the Act being...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Committee Stage (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: What is very clear in this Bill is that a person cannot be and will not be appointed unless he or she has gone through the process. As the Senator has outlined, there may be a situation, as is currently the case or had been previously the case, where vacancies are not filled. For example, in the Supreme Court if a vacancy arises but it is not to be filled immediately, then it is not...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Committee Stage (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: There are a number of elements to this, as the Senators pointed out. One aspect I wanted to ensure was that there will not be a large commission whose number just continues to increase. There are a number of later amendments regarding specific numbers of lay persons who should be appointed and how to reduce that. I do not think the figure, therefore, would go from nine to 11 but rather to...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Committee Stage (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I have to stress what we are talking about here. I appreciate that these amendments propose moving from nine to 11 people, but it would in fact become nine to 13, because I could not or would not accept that there would be a minority of lay persons.We have tried to strike a balance to ensure an equal number of laypeople and legal professionals on the commission. The Senator mentioned the...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Committee Stage (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: We are not talking about the degree of connection to the profession here. Regarding the two nominees from the Judicial Council, it is about an understanding of the role, how it operates, how people feel and an appreciation and understanding of what is required. This is why we have the interview process as well. It is not about the connection to the profession and removing that connection...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Committee Stage (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I thank Senators for their amendments. Amendment No. 4 very much relates to whether or not amendment No. 6 is passed and is to balance out the number. I appreciate that. I reiterate what many colleagues have outlined. The Attorney General is a constitutional officeholder. He or she is not there to represent the Government. He or she is not on the commission to represent the Government....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 633, 658 and 659 together. My Department's Registration Office in Burgh Quay is responsible for registering and renewing immigration permissions for customers residing in the Dublin area only. Registrations and renewals for persons resident outside of the Dublin area are processed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) through the Garda Station...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes decisions on the deployment of personnel among the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. The Government is committed to ensuring that An...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, as Minister I have no role in internal Garda HR matters which are matters for the Commissioner's remit. To be of assistance I have contact the Garda authorities and been advised of the following in relation to the scheme referred to. The "Doctors of Choice Scheme", also referred to as the Doctors’ Payments Scheme, came into effect on 1 January 2012. Under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to by the Deputy is the subject of a Deportation Order made on 16 October 2019. Representations were received on behalf of the person concerned requesting that the Deportation Order be revoked, pursuant to the provisions of section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended). All relevant aspects of the case will be considered before a decision is made either...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I would like to inform the Deputy that following receipt of correspondence to my Department on 13 September 2019 in relation to alleged procurement irregularities involving the Irish Prison Service and a named company, my Department’s Internal Audit Unit examined the complaint. An independent review of the complaint has since been conducted by EY, which I understand is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Contracts (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I am informed that the Irish Prison Service has a number of contracts currently in place with the company referred to by the Deputy. In July 2020 a contract was awarded following an Office of Government Procurement (OGP)-led tender competition for Hard Facilities Management Services.  This tender process involved extensive engagement with a number of parties including the Chief...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: The persons referred to by the Deputy created on-line Short Stay 'C' visa applications on 11 July 2022. The supporting documentation was subsequently received in the Paris office on 23 August 2022 and forwarded to our Dublin Visa Office for further processing . Processing of the applications is ongoing at present.  As each application is examined on its own merits, we are unable...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the deputy that my Department can only provide the overall annual total for all deportation orders made in a particular year. The figures are not further broken down into the various sub-categories provided for in the relevant legislation, as outlined out in the Deputy’s Parliamentary Question No. 538 of 4 October 2022 As the response to your previous question on this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cybersecurity Policy (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 641 and 643 together. For reasons of operational and national security it would not be appropriate to disclose details of my Department’s information technology infrastructure, cyber security arrangements including costs, or those of State offices, agencies and bodies under my remit.  Any information in relation to information technology...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that following full consideration by a Visa Officer, the visa application referred to was refused. A letter issued to the applicant on the 6 September 2022 outlines the reasons for this refusal. An appeals process, which is free of charge, is available which allows applicants, in the event of a refusal of the application at first instance, to address the factors...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Undefined (18 Oct 2022)

Helen McEntee: I understand that the person referred to is currently outside of the State. Having an application to the scheme for the Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants does not provide an individual the means to gain entry to the State or to bypass existing immigration laws.  This person’s application continues to be processed. The processing times of...