Results 10,201-10,220 of 15,389 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drug Dealing (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: Tackling serious drug crime is a priority for the Government and An Garda Síochána. The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) is having significant success in proactively disrupting the illicit supply of drugs by organised crime groups. The Bureau's work is further supported by Divisional Drugs Units, which tackle drug-related crime on a local basis throughout...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 155, 164 and 171 together. As the Deputies will be aware, the Government has considerably strengthened the law and structures which target domestic violence, as part of the second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2016-2021. Central to this is the landmark Domestic Violence Act 2018 which came into force on 1 January...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: Under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in the performance of its functions. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has provided me with the following update. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, under Section 33 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), for the deployment of An Garda Síochána throughout the State. The Commissioner is also responsible, under Section 26 of the Act, for the management and administration of Garda business, including the recruitment and training of Garda members and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 167 together. I am deeply conscious of how important the granting of naturalisation is to those who apply for it and my Department continued to accept and process citizenship applications throughout the pandemic and during all levels of public health restrictions. Regrettably, the current processing time has increased to an average of 23...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Victim Support Services (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: Protecting and supporting victims of crime is a key priority for me as Minister. My Department is leading a number of important initiatives to ensure we better support victims of crime. When victims of crime begin to engage with the justice system, they should know what to expect, what their legally enforceable rights are, and the supports available at every step in the process. We are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in the performance of its functions. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has provided me...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible by law for the management of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and deployment of resources. As Minister, I have no responsibility for these matters. I am advised however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review to ensure their optimum use in light of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: My Department has put in place Victims of Domestic Violence Immigration Guidelines. The Guidelines rightly state that no one should have to suffer domestic violence and recognise that migrants may have additional vulnerability in this area, as the perpetrator may threaten a victim with the loss of their status if they report the abuse. For a person who is the victim of domestic abuse and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Government is determined to tackle anti-social behaviour and I am very conscious of the impact it can have on the quality of life for local communities, including in Dublin city centre. We want people to feel safe and be safe in Dublin, whether they live or work in Dublin or want to visit and enjoy our capital city. The Deputy will be aware that Budget 2022 includes significant...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: Spiking a person’s drink or spiking someone by injection are obviously very serious offences. They are, in effect, poisoning and they are criminal offences, under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, that can result in a three year prison term. I can assure the Deputy that any incident of this type of crime, including those with evidence to suggest a link with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the deployment of Garda members. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child Abduction (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Irish Central Authority for Child Abduction is located within my Department. The Central Authority can only assist on cases where children have been removed from this jurisdiction to a country that is a bilateral partner to the 1980 Hague Convention, that is, where their accession is accepted by this jurisdiction. Pakistan’s accession to the Hague Convention became effective...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 180 together. As the Deputies will be aware, Budget 2022 provides for the establishment of the new Community Safety Innovation Fund. It is intended that this fund will support investment in projects which will improve community safety. The fund, which is expected to grow in the coming years, will have an initial outlay in 2022 of €2m. A...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Services Regulation (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Legal Services Regulatory Authority is independent in its regulation of the legal professions under the terms of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 and in its administration of the public complaints regime. Without any detailed proposal to consider I can only confirm that there are no immediate plans to amend the definition of a client. However, I can say that there is an ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, prosecutions are a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions, who is independent in her functions under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1974 (as amended). I am advised by the Garda authorities that it is not possible to provide the number of prosecutions for breaches of Covid-19 regulations in 2020 and to date in 2021. I am further advised that the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Government committed to introducing new pathways to status regularisation within 18 months of its formation. My Justice Plan 2021 contains a commitment to create new pathways for long-term undocumented people and their dependents who must meet specified criteria to regularise their status. It will not be an amnesty and should not be perceived as such. The scheme will provide an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: Under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, including the provision of accommodation for court sittings, is the responsibility of the Courts Service which is independent in the performance of its functions. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has provided me with the following update. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, a key pillar of the Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, is building stronger and safer communities. I can assure the Deputy that my Department is committed to ensuring that there is strong, visible community policing right across Ireland, both rural and urban. Making our towns, villages and rural areas safer is best achieved when Gardaí work closely with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Northern Ireland (25 Nov 2021)

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 the conflict in Northern Ireland. In July 2019, the Criminal Justice (International Cooperation) Act 2019 was enacted. The legislation is an important step in the Government’s commitment to the agreed...