Results 8,921-8,940 of 17,498 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I understand the Atypical Working Scheme (AWS) Unit have refused the application on the basis of information within the application did not reconcile with necessary proofs. This has been explained to the Agency and it remains open to them to make a further application, taking into account the reasons for refusal. Further information on the Atypical Working Scheme, including the criteria ,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that official in my Department corresponded with the organisation referred to last week regarding the issues of concern raised. Ireland’s Atypical Working Scheme (AWS) is designed to accommodate the arrival of non-EEA nationals to fill short term labour gaps for the benefit of our economy. In recognition of the importance of front-line medical personnel,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria for naturalisation can only be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Process (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The General Scheme of the Sale of Alcohol Bill was published in October 2022 and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice conducted two pre-legislative scrutiny sessions in January, and published its report in March 2023. Officials are engaging with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel on the drafting of the Bill, and despite the considerable length of the general scheme, I intend to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Peace Commissioners (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: Peace Commissioners are appointed and may be removed from that appointment by the Minister for Justice under section 88 of the Courts of Justice Act 1924. The office of Peace Commissioner is an honorary one for which there is no remuneration or compensation by way of fees or expenses for their services. My Department maintains the Roll of Peace Commissioners and while every effort is made to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Unaccompanied Minors and Separated Children (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The International Protection Office (IPO) of my Department is responsible for examining all international protection applications received. The Child and Family Agency (Tusla) has statutory responsibility for the care of any unaccompanied minors in the State. If an unaccompanied minor indicates that they wish to apply for international protection, they are referred to Tusla, either by the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child Protection (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, last year, my Department committed to undertake both a public consultation and independent research on the topic of parental alienation as part of the Justice Plan 2022. The findings of both these strands were analysed and arising from this, my officials developed a policy paper on how to address the issue. Minister Harris brought both the finalised policy paper...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Peace Commissioners (20 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 467 and 468 together. Peace Commissioners are appointed and may be removed from that appointment by the Minister for Justice under section 88 of the Courts of Justice Act 1924. The office of Peace Commissioner is an honorary one for which there is no remuneration or compensation by way of fees or expenses for their services. A person who wishes to be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the primary purpose of the employment vetting carried out by the National Vetting Bureau is to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate the importance of this task and the need for it to be carried out thoroughly and correctly. Vetting is carried out by An Garda Síochána in accordance with the provisions...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: An application for a Spouse of Irish National (SOIN) permission was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 23 May 2022 and continues to be processed. To be fair to all applicants, applications are dealt with in chronological order by date received. My Department endeavours to process applications as quickly as possible. However, processing times may vary due to a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The application for the person referred to by the Deputy was received by the Undocumented Unit of my Department on 9 February 2022 and continues to be processed. Due to the large number of applications on hand it is not possible to provide a definitive timeframe for a decision to issue. The processing times of applications will vary depending on the complexity of the application, whether...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The visa application referred to by the Deputy was refused on 5 October 2022. The reasons for this decision were set out in the refusal letter sent to the applicant at that time. An appeal of this decision was received in the Dublin Visa Office on 3 November 2022. All visa applicants are advised that the onus is on them to provide as much information in support of their application as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that Minister Harris brought both the finalised policy paper and the research report to Government on the 23rd of May last, which noted his intention to publish both reports. Both the research report and the policy paper have now been published on the Department’s website, a link to which can be found here:...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: Ireland’s Atypical Working Scheme (AWS) is designed to accommodate the arrival of non-EEA nationals to fill short term labour gaps for the benefit of our economy. In recognition of the importance of front-line medical personnel, the AWS Unit prioritises these applications. There has been an unprecedented demand for Atypical Working Scheme permissions in the first three months of this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Spent Convictions (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government commits in the Programme for Government to reviewing the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions and Certain Disclosures) Act 2016 and to broaden the range of convictions that are considered spent. As part of this review process, a public consultation on spent convictions was launched by my Department in October 2020. Bespoke research on the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution of Garda members between the different Garda units and Divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy does not state the nationality of the family members referred to in his query. If the family members referred to are unsure as to whether they require a visa or preclearance to enter Ireland, they can check the list at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Immigrati on-Service-Delivery-Visa-and-Non-Visa-Required-Countries.pdf . If they are visa...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to by the Deputy previously held a Stamp 4 permission which expired on 10 February 2023. Any period spent on a Stamp 4 permission is considered as reckonable residence when applying for citizenship by way of naturalisation, and an application for Naturalisation on behalf of this person was received by my Department on 25 August 2022. However, it is important to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the applications referred to were created on 7 July 2022. Supporting documentation was received in the Pretoria office on 27 September 2022. The applications were received in the Dublin Visa Office on 1 November 2022, where they await examination and processing. Long Stay Join Family visa applications are processed in accordance with the guidelines set out in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (15 Jun 2023)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to by the Deputy has no current immigration permission to remain in the State. It is important that persons keep their immigration permission up to date if they wish to continue to reside in the State. Where a person remains resident in the State without an immigration permission, I encourage them to contact the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) or their local...