Results 9,461-9,480 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: In response to the Deputy's last comment, I think that, more in the past two years, people have seen just how proactive An Garda Síochána is, including in responding to emergencies and crimes as they occur and in the proactivity with which it has responded through Covid-19, reaching out to communities and looking at domestic violence. It is a fact that An Garda Síochána...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: In response to two specific points the Deputy has raised, in areas in certain parts of the city that people feel are less safe at night, there are particular operations in place. From 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. there are specific gardaí allocated along our boardwalks and in certain other areas where we know there has been an increase in recent times in assaults and where people, in particular...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: To reassure the Deputy and colleagues again, an investment of more than €2 billion, an increase of a third in less than six years, shows the commitment that is there to An Garda Síochána. It represents more than 60% of my justice Vote in total, so, obviously, there is a huge amount of investment overall going into An Garda Síochána, in personnel, equipment, cars,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 84 together. The Deputy focuses on rural issues in his question. I might address city centres, towns and villages in my second response. My thoughts are with the victims of the most recent horrific attacks. This happened in their own home. It should never happen to anybody. An Garda Síochána is conducting a criminal investigation. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I agree with the Deputy's comment that when something like this happens, particularly when an elderly person is living at home, there is fear about it. There is an onus on all of us to make sure that we do not exaggerate or create a greater fear. Something like this is rare. It is horrifying and terrible for the people it happens to and we need to make sure that those who perpetrate it are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Every community has a right to be safe and to feel safe. Fear should not be normalised and across Government we are working on a number of initiatives to make the streets safer for everyone, particularly women and vulnerable people. I am leading the development across Government of the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence, with valued input from victims and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Alcohol Sales (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Government commits to ‘modernising our licensing laws and application processes’and my Department’s Justice Plan 2021 committed to reviewing and modernising alcohol licensing. In addition, the issue of outdated alcohol licensing legislation was a key challenge identified by stakeholders in the published report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce. I...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Joint Policing Committees (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: In April 2021 I secured government agreement to publish the general scheme of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill. The Bill will provide for a key principle from the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, namely that preventing crime and harm and making our communities safer does not rest with An Garda Síochána and my Department alone....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Inquiries (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I wish to assure the Deputy that I recognise the ongoing pain and anguish of the O'Farrell family on the tragic death of Shane and I sincerely sympathise with them on their loss. As the Deputy will be aware, a highly respected retired Judge has been conducting a scoping exercise into the tragic circumstances surrounding Shane O'Farrell's death. The purpose of this exercise is to advise...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I was pleased to open the landmark Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants Scheme for applications on 31 January. Applications will be accepted for six months until 31 July, when the scheme will close. The scheme includes a parallel strand, which opened for applications on 7 February 2022, to implement the recommendation included in the report of the Expert Advisory Group, allowing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 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: Prison Service (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I am glad that it has been possible to make considerable progress in relation to the Programme for Government commitment to consider the mental health and addiction challenges of those imprisoned, and primary care support on release. Last April, the Minister for Health and I, together with Ministers of State Frank Feighan and Mary Butler, established a High Level Taskforce to consider...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I am sure the Deputy will join me in condemning any attacks made on the men and women serving in An Garda Síochána, the Health Services and other frontline workers. The Deputy will agree that we are all immensely grateful to these people for their outstanding dedication and commitment to serving the public and for the important role that they play in our society, notably throughout...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that I am committed to tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) in all its forms. As the deputy is aware, I am currently leading on the development of a new whole-of-government strategy to combat domestic, sexual, gender-based violence. The goal of the strategy is zero tolerance for violence against women and it will be structured around the four...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gangland Crime (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to ensuring Ireland is a safe and secure place for all. An Garda Síochána has made important progress in suppressing the threat of organised crime and there has been significant successes achieved in this area through intelligence-led operations. I can assure the Deputy that there will be no let-up in the pressure being brought to bear on those...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: The pandemic has had a significant impact on our service delivery. However, at all times and during all levels of restrictions, my Department has continued to accept and process citizenship applications. There are currently 3,038 citizenship applications for minors being processed by my Department. The majority of these are more than 12 months in the system. Some cases are unfortunately...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Violent crime, including domestic, sexual and gender based violence, can never be tolerated. Such crimes are terrifying both for the victim themselves and the entire community. I can assure the Deputy that my Department is committed to ensuring that there is strong, visible community policing right across Ireland, in both rural and urban areas. As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gangland Crime (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: Tackling organised criminal activity is a key priority for the Government and an ongoing priority for An Garda Síochána. As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the law for the management of An Garda Síochána, including operational matters and the deployment of resources. As Minister, I have no responsibility for these matters. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: My thoughts are with the victims of the recent horrific attacks in their own homes. I know I speak for everyone in this House in utterly condemning these senseless and cowardly attacks and also in my belief that the perpetrators must be brought to justice. Incidents like these, although rare, are terrifying not only for the victim themselves but for the entire community. Home is the one...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (17 Feb 2022)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, 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, however, that Garda management keeps this...