Results 7,961-7,980 of 15,429 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The government’s plan to modernise An Garda Síochána, A Policing Service for our Future, commits An Garda Síochána to developing and implementing a new Garda Reserve Strategy. As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), for the management of An Garda Síochána as well as the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drug Dealing (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The continued disruption of the supply of all illicit drugs remains a priority for An Garda Síochána and the Government. A concerted effort has been made over the past two years to ensure that the detection and prevention of these types of criminal activity have not been adversely affected by the unprecedented demands placed on policing services by the vital enforcement of public...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Inquiries (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 46 together. As the Deputy will be aware, in February 2019 retired District Court Judge Gerard Haughton was appointed by the then Minister for Justice and Equality to carry out a scoping exercise in the light of the public controversy surrounding the circumstances of the death of Shane O'Farrell. The purpose of the scoping exercise was to advise the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The government in its Zero Tolerance Plan, the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, has committed to the fastest ever expansion in the number of refuge spaces. Through the implementation of the strategy, we will double the number of refuge spaces over the lifetime of this plan, while we put in place the required structures to deliver the higher Istanbul...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 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 direct role in these matters. I am assured that Garda management...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, not least in the context of the growing population referred to. An unprecedented allocation of over €2 billion is provided in Budget 2022 and we will continue to support An Garda Síochána in recruiting Garda members and Garda staff over the coming...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Government approved the publication of the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill, previously called the Digital Recordings Bill, on 21 June. The text of the Bill will be available shortly. This important Bill makes provision for Garda powers to use modern digital technology including body worn cameras, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and CCTV. I also received...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: In response to the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, I opened the special Afghan Admission Programme for applications on 16 December 2021. The Programme closed on 11 March 2022. This Programme enabled current or former Afghan nationals living legally in Ireland to apply to have their close family members, who are living in Afghanistan or who have recently fled to eligible territories...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Antisocial Behaviour (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government is committed to tackling anti-social behaviour and a number of priority actions are contained in the Programme for Government and Justice Plan 2022 to reduce instances of such behaviour and help people feel safe in their local communities. In line with the Programme for Government, Minister Browne has established an Expert Forum on Anti-Social...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The guidance provided by the Council of Europe sets a recommended standard for the provision of shelter places which Government is committed to reaching. Under the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, we will see the fastest ever expansion in the number of refuge spaces. We will double the number of spaces and will put in place the structures to go on to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, disciplinary matters within An Garda Síochána are governed by the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) and the Garda Síochána (Discipline) Regulations 2007, as amended by the Garda Síochána (Discipline) (Amendment) Regulations 2011, and are a matter for the Garda Commissioner. As Minister, I have no role in these...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The development of the Community Safety Innovation Fund is a key commitment under Justice Plan 2022 which will have a significant impact on the development of community safety projects throughout the country. Budget 2022 provided for the establishment of the new Community Safety Innovation Fund, which enables local communities to seek funding for innovative projects which will improve...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Northern Ireland (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Independent Reporting Commission plays a very important role in highlighting what still needs to be done to tackle residual paramilitarism in Northern Ireland.   To facilitate monitoring of the implementation of measures aimed at ending paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland, the 2015 Fresh Start Agreement provided for the establishment by the two Governments of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: I want to once again extend my sympathies to the family concerned on the tragic death of their son and brother. I am aware of the reports submitted to the United Nations (UN) as part of Ireland's Fifth Periodic Examination under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). As the Deputy will know, for each UN Covenant or Convention, States Parties are obliged to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: Coercive control is a form of psychological abuse that is arguably a defining feature of cases of domestic violence, with can affect a victim as much as physical violence. It is an abuse of the unique trust associated with an intimate relationship. Creating a specific offence of coercive control sent a clear, consistent message that non-violent control in an intimate relationship is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, last week I published Zero Tolerance: the Third National Strategy to combat Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV). The goal of our third national strategy is clear: zero tolerance of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. It is an ambitious five-year programme of reform to achieve a society which does not accept DSGBV or the attitudes which...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Antisocial Behaviour (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to tackling anti-social behaviour and a number of priority actions are contained in the Programme for Government to reduce instances of such behaviour and help people to be safe and feel safe in their local communities. Justice Plan 2022, which I published earlier this year, will continue the Department’s focused commitment to working with An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, which includes all operational policing decisions regarding the Garda estate. This includes the opening of any individual Garda station. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions and am unable to seek to direct the Commissioner in such matters. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the transition to a new and modern Garda Operating Model as recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland is currently being piloted in four Divisional Policing Models (DPM), one of which is Mayo Division. A key aspect of the reform is to assign more Gardaí to frontline duties and to provide a greater focus on community policing based on...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Traveller Community (5 Jul 2022)

Helen McEntee: The recently published Irish Travellers Access to Justice Report is a welcome and valuable body of research. The Department’s mission is for a safe, fair and inclusive Ireland and a justice system that works for all. This report will be a valuable contribution to the evidence base available to inform future policy development in this regard. While it is clear that there is...