Results 7,901-7,920 of 15,429 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (6 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm that my Department, in line with normal practice, consulted with the Office of the Attorney General in respect of the General Scheme of the Communications (Retention of Data) Bill 2022. The Department has not engaged any private legal company on same.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: We have worked very closely with the Ministers for Education, and Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to examine education right from primary school level through to our colleges of further education. Clear timelines for the development of a new curriculum have been set out looking at it in an age-appropriate way with a timeline for the junior cycle and senior...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Proposed Legislation (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland has become a more diverse and welcoming country in recent decades. I strongly condemn, as I know he does, the actions of the small minority of people who subject others to abuse or attack resulting from their own prejudice. On 16 April 2021, I published the general scheme of the criminal justice (incitement to hatred and hate crime) Bill 2021 following...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Proposed Legislation (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy said, it is really important that we send a strong signal to those who wish to commit these crimes that they will not be tolerated. It is not just focused on crimes but also on incitement to hate. This is where a person, be it verbally, online, in print or in any other type of media actively seeks to incite hatred against another individual or group of people simply because of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Asylum Applications (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for his question. There are probably a number of factors which have resulted in the significant increase. Yes, it is true to say that one of those factors is possibly the policies which have been implemented within the UK and it is possible that the change and the sentiment following Brexit has also had an implication. Post Covid-19 we have seen more people on the move,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: I will answer Questions Nos. 13 and 14 together. I will start by saying a sincere thanks to those who were involved in the development of the strategy. This is a follow-on and builds on the great amount of work that was done in the previous two strategies by our former colleague and Minister, Frances Fitzgerald, in particular. We have worked very closely not just with all Government...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: I thank both of the Deputies for their contributions. On the delivery of refuge accommodation, a great amount of work is to be done. I am working very closely with Tusla and with service providers. I am building on the work that has been done to date to put in place a very clear structure so that we have a common design and service delivery right across the board. Where we have a county...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: I will respond to that last question. Grants range from €20,000 to €150,000. We must look at the types of projects that have been applied for. We are still going through that. How many projects receive a grant and how the funding is divided up would then depend on the types of projects that have been sought. The fewer of the €150,000 type projects there are, the more...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Asylum Applications (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: My objective is to have recommendations made as soon as possible on international protection applications. This ensures people who are found to be in need of protection can receive it quickly and can begin to rebuild their lives here with a sense of safety and security. I assure the Deputy that my Department continues to innovate to improve our processes and to reduce processing times,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Asylum Applications (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will appreciate that is a different Department, but I believe I can speak on behalf of all us when we acknowledge the huge amount of work that is being done by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, led by the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, not just in responding to the significant numbers of people coming in from Ukraine, which is more than 40,000...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Northern Ireland (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: I agree with the Deputy that we all have a role to play in upholding and maintaining the Good Friday Agreement and on how the relationship on this island has developed. From my engagement with the Minister, Ms Naomi Long, and the Department's engagement, a significant way in which we can uphold the Good Friday Agreement is by maintaining peace and making sure that those who seek to disrupt...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Northern Ireland (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: Without knowing the details of the case, I will be happy to talk to the Deputy outside the Chamber. As he rightly pointed out and as we all know, agreements and arrangements are in place which were reached following a ceasefire, particularly relating to prisoners in the North and the South. We adhere to those arrangements. It is important that we do so and that we ensure we maintain that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The development of the community safety innovation fund is a key commitment under justice plan 2022, which I believe will have a significant impact on the development of community safety projects throughout the country. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department opened applications for the new community safety innovation fund on 11 April. The new fund will use money seized from the proceeds...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: One of the most important elements that I have tried to convey, which is why we had the consultation process to make it clear to people, is that the projects we want people to put forward should not be able to be funded through existing streams, such as the victims of crime funding from my Department, the HSE, Tusla, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, or any other...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The way we will achieve this is through the roll-out of the new operating model. This new model has been proposed through the Commission on the Future of Policing and the subsequent implementation plan, which will result in the reduction of the number of districts. Most important, it will entail a merging of Garda members working in the back office, in the various finance and HR functions,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: My intention is to get as much funding and resources as possible for An Garda Síochána in this year's budget. The €2 billion in last year's budget was the largest budget we have ever had, building on significant increases in previous years. An element of that will go towards pay and other areas of current spending. It is important that we invest not just in the physical...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Northern Ireland (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: I fully support the Deputy's sentiments. There needs to be continuous engagement between governments in general on these matters but also between individual Departments and Ministries. I am pleased there is ongoing contact between myself and my colleague, Naomi Long, who is the Minister of Justice in Northern Ireland, as well as excellent ongoing cross-Border co-operation between our...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Youth Services (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: Justice Plan 2022 commits to the implementation of the Government’s youth justice plan whose aims include preventing offending behaviour from occurring and diverting children and young adults who commit a crime away from further offending and involvement with the criminal justice system. The youth diversion projects, YDPs, are community-based projects that offer that vital support to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Youth Services (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: I fully agree. I acknowledge the youth diversion projects in my own county. Knowing the fantastic work they do with young people, it is absolutely vital that they are supported. The Department has identified gaps and is looking at areas in which the current 105 YDPs cannot provide the needed service and support through expansion. This list has not been finalised and we will need to have...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Youth Services (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: An Garda Síochána is the agency we initially engage with when identifying areas in which there is a need to expand but we also engage with the 105 YDPs to determine whether the expansion of their services can serve the areas where they currently do not operate. That is where these issues have been identified. We are not just working with An Garda Síochána but with the...