Results 10,361-10,380 of 15,508 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commissions of Investigation (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, commissions of investigation are carried out pursuant to the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004. That Act provides for a Commission to be established by Government Order. Before making the Order, a draft must be laid before each House and a resolution approving the draft passed by both Houses. A tribunal of inquiry is an inquiry established by Statutory...

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

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for his correspondence on matters relating to the relocation, by the Legal Aid Board, of its Law Centre in Waterford. A response to this correspondence has now issued to the Deputy from my office.

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: Prison Service (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 306 to 308, inclusive, together. The information requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled and I will write to him directly when it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: The primary harm reduction intervention utilised by the Irish Prison Service is a healthcare professional consultation with the patient. This includes doctors when prescribing, addiction nurses and addiction counsellors, pharmacists and nurses when dispensing and administering Opioid Substitution Treatment. Training and harm reduction education is provided by the peer-led Irish Red Cross...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. This responsibility includes the organisation of specific operations and the assignment of personnel. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the winter phase of Operation Thor was launched on 1 October...

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

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), for the management and administration of Garda business. This includes responsibility for the promotion and appointment to certain ranks within An Garda Síochána under the Garda Síochána (Appointment to the Ranks of Inspector and Sergeant)...

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

Helen McEntee: The continued disruption of the supply of all illicit drugs remains a priority for An Garda Síochána and the other state agencies tasked with responsibilities in this regard. A concerted effort has been made over the past year to ensure that the detection and prevention of these types of criminal activity have not been adversely affected by the unprecedented demands placed on...

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

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the law for the management and administration of Garda business, including matters relating to the deployment of Garda personnel. As Minister, I have no direct role in this process. I am advised by the Garda Authorities that Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLOs) are specially trained to fulfil a key role in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: Prisoner care and rehabilitation is a core aim of the Irish Prison Service. Various forms of rehabilitative training within the prison system continue to be made available to all prisoners, including first time offenders. A range of programmes including education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, addiction counselling, welfare and spiritual services are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the Government is fully committed to the fight against racism, prejudice and bigotry, and strongly condemns the actions of those who abuse and attack others because of their own prejudices against a person’s religion, ethnic origins, sexual orientation or any other part of their identity as a human being. Ireland is a diverse and tolerant country, and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: The information requested by the Deputy is not available. However, I wish to advise the Deputy that I have asked my officials to discuss this request for information with the relevant Criminal Justice Agencies and the CSO to see what statistical information can be developed in this area. As the Deputy is aware, the decision to grant bail in a particular case is a matter for the presiding...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, the Central Statistics Office regularly publishes both prison and probation re-offending statistics on their website www.cso.ie. The Prison Re-offending Statistics measure the level of recorded re-offending by offenders who received a custodial sentence following their release from prison. The 3-year re-offending rate indicates the percentage of people who were...

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

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes the deployment of Garda members throughout the State. As Minister, I have no role in this independent function. I am assured however that Garda management keeps the distribution of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service perform a quarterly census of the Prison estate and publish the results on their website, at www.irishprisons.ie/information-centre/statistics-informatio n/census-reports/ I can further advise the Deputy that according to the latest census which was carried out on 19 October 2021 there were 3,211 usable cells across the estate. Table 1...

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

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána under Section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended). This includes any policy or procedure related to the logging of calls or contact made to a Garda station. As Minister I play no role in these independent functions. I am advised by...

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: First, I thank colleagues for their co-operation and support. It is genuinely appreciated. We all have gone through the reasons for the need to implement this as quickly as possible. To assure Deputies of the timeframe as to what will happen next, we are working to ensure that this is implemented and enacted by Tuesday of next week. When the Bill has completed its passage, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (24 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda members and staff. As Minister, I play no role in these independent functions. As the Deputy will be aware, public health restrictions have unavoidably impacted on intakes to the Garda College, Templemore,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (24 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, but I have not received this information in time. I will write to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (24 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: I am acutely aware of the sustained and significant 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, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the detection of and response to any criminal activity is an operational function for the Garda...