Results 8,421-8,440 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that this Government is committed to tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) in all its forms, and to ensuring that people, particularly women and vulnerable people, feel safe and are safe in our communities. The prioritisation of this hugely-important work is evident in the policy and legislative developments implemented by this Government and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, this matter is one of the objectives under Goal One of Justice Plan 2022 which is to tackle crime, enhance national security and transform policing.  Specifically, objective eight contains a commitment to implement recommendations arising from a review of Courts Security. As part of that commitment, a High Level Working Group has now been established and the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Coroners Service (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: The coroner service is a network of coroners in districts throughout the country. Coroners are independent quasi-judicial officials whose function is to investigate sudden and unexplained deaths so that a death certificate can issue. Many of the recommendations of the 2000 Review related to the strengthening of the legal provisions regarding the work of the coroner. There has been...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the general management and administration of the Garda organisation under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. This includes the deployment of Garda members throughout the State.  The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, with an unprecedented...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, I recently secured Government approval to draft legislation to make stalking and non-fatal strangulation standalone offences. The introduction of these new offences form part of the Government’s zero tolerance approach to domestic, sexual and gender based violence, and will be key actions in the Third National Strategy which is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Electronic Tagging (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, the Criminal Justice Act 2006 contains provisions for the introduction of Electronic Monitoring in this jurisdiction. Section 108 makes provision for an order for electronic monitoring in the context of a restriction of movement condition applying to the granting of temporary release.   In addition, the Government recently approved my proposal to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Alcohol Sales (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Government commits to modernising our licensing laws and application processes, and my Justice Plan 2022 commits to publishing and enacting new laws to update and modernise licensing laws. I am delivering on that commitment by preparing Heads of a General Scheme of a Sale of Alcohol Bill. The objective of the proposed Bill is to repeal the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2018, the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cross-Border Co-operation (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Stormont House Agreement, concluded by the two Governments and the Northern Ireland Parties in December 2014, provides for a framework of measures to address the legacy of troubles-related violence in Northern Ireland.  The framework of measures agreed include the establishment of the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval (ICIR).  Given the cross-border nature...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: In 2020, the Department of Justice, in consultation with the Department for Children, Equality Integration Disability and Youth, initiated an audit of the effectiveness of existing structures to oversee domestic, sexual and gender-based violence policy and its implementation.  The aim of the audit was to examine concerns about fragmentation and gaps given that responsibility for DSGBV is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the Garda estate. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. The Deputy will also be aware that the Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. Works in relation to Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drug Dealing (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Government is acutely aware of the substantial and ongoing damage that drug dealing has on communities across the country. Organised criminal activity, including drug dealing, represents a serious threat to community safety. As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Health leads on Government policy in the area of drugs, and this policy is guided by the national drugs and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: I met with the Garda Commissioner in recent weeks, and we discussed if a similar scheme could be operated here. Any such proposal obviously brings data protection issues into play and we would need to be sure that such a scheme, if introduced, would be legally sound and robust. The Commissioner has undertaken to explore the possibility with his data protection and legal experts.  As to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Travel Documents (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: In order to work in Ireland, a non-EEA national, unless they are exempted, must hold a valid employment permit, which is administered by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE). Visa required nationals must apply for a “D” long stay employment visa once they have been granted an employment permit from DETE. Any non EU/EEA nationals who wish to remain for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department opened applications for the new Community Safety Innovation Fund on 11 April. Reflecting the success of An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau in identifying and seizing proceeds from criminal activity, the new fund will use money seized from the proceeds of crime to support investment in innovative community safety...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Stardust Fire (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, Budget 2021 included an allocation of up to €8 million in funding for the new inquests into the victims of the 1981 Stardust fire tragedy. The funding was retained at €8 million in Budget 2022 and is expected to cover costs including the following areas: - Provision of temporary office accommodation for the Stardust Inquests team; - Assignment of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: 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 allocation and distribution of resources. This includes responsibility for the recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members and members of the Garda Reserve. As Minister, I have no responsibility...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: Combatting organised criminal activity is a key priority for the Government and an ongoing priority for An Garda Síochána.  As the Deputy is aware, the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill is currently being drafted and will provide, among other matters, for an increase in the penalty for conspiring to commit murder and soliciting to commit murder from a maximum...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the O’Malley Review of Protections for Vulnerable Witnesses in the Investigation and Prosecution of Sexual Offences arose out of concern about low reporting levels for rape and other sexual assaults and about how victims are treated within the reporting, investigation and trial processes. The focus on the victim and on reforming the criminal justice...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: As part of our work to ensure a coherent approach to enhancing and sustaining a more just and safe society, the Government committed to reviewing policy options for prison and penal reform. I intend to publish a Penal Policy Action Plan shortly which will set out the actions we will take according to timelines that will be published. Among the issues which will be looked at in the plan...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (24 May 2022)

Helen McEntee: Protecting and supporting victims of crime is a key priority for me as Minister for Justice. My Department provides funding to NGOs that support victims of crime by providing important information and supports such as emotional support, court accompaniment, and accompaniment to Garda interviews, to sexual assault treatment units and referral to other services. In March, I announced funding...