Results 1,041-1,060 of 10,057 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Government is acutely aware of capacity restraints in our prisons and we have committed to increasing capacity by 1,500 under the Programme for Government. This work has already commenced. An increase of €79m (18%) was secured in Budget 2025 towards a total of €525m in funding to increase prison capacity and tackle overcrowding. The Irish Prison Service capital budget is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 130 together. I am aware that the flow of contraband is one of the most pressing issues affecting security and safety in our prisons. Preventing the access of contraband, including drugs, into prisons is a high priority for the Irish Prison Service, and the Service has committed to continuing to invest in new technologies and measures to support...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Structured temporary release can refer to two particular schemes, namely the Community Support Scheme and Community Return Scheme. The Community Return Programme is a shared initiative between the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service, a key element of which is that the participants must engage in work on community service sites as part of their release conditions, thereby giving...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Sentencing Policy (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am committed to progressing and implementing policies aimed at increasing the use of community sanctions, reducing offending, diverting people away from the criminal justice system, and providing effective rehabilitation. I will very shortly be seeking Government approval for the drafting of the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions Bill) 2025. The Scheme includes a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As part of the Probation Service’s overall strategy to further develop capacity to deliver a high-quality service and meet the requirements contained in section 26 of the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017, the Service established a National Restorative Justice and Victim Services Unit (RJVSU) in October 2018. The Unit meets two core objectives: 1. Provide leadership and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am advised that the Irish Prison Service (IPS) has a continuous rolling capital plan in place for 2025 with an associated funding envelope of €53M.The current high level allocations for 2025 by NDP categories are: € New Build/Accommodation Facilities 27,800,000 Infrastructure Improvements 6,500,000 ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Inspector of Prisons is a statutory office holder, independent in the performance of his functions, in accordance with the Prisons Act 2007 and plays a vital role in ensuring effective independent oversight of our prison system. The Irish Prison Service takes due account of the Inspection Framework for Prisons published by the Office of the Inspector of Prisons and endeavours to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can confirm that no female prisoners have been transferred abroad or to Garda stations due to lack of capacity. A Prison Overcrowding Response Group (PORG) was established in July 2023, composed of officials from the Department of Justice and representatives from relevant agencies. The Group is considering measures to address capacity issues in the prison estate. In June 2024, following...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics (commonly known as SPACE - Statistiques Pénales Annuelles du Conseil de l’Europe) have collected data on imprisonment and penal institutions across Europe since 1983. Data relating to Irish prison population rates as they compare to those of EU member states is publicly available at: www.coe.int/en/web/prison/space.The Council’s...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána. This was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Data on the allocation of Gardaí, including in Monaghan for the years requested, is publicly available on my Department's website and can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-polic e-service-some-facts-and-figures/ The requested information can be found under the file 'Garda Members by Division District Station 2009 to 28 February...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 141 together. The decision to accelerate and prioritise particular international protection cases, or groups of cases, in accordance with the provisions of the 2015 Act, is kept under review. At this time, applications from Palestinian nationals are not accelerated. The median waiting time from the date of application for a first instance...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Bench Warrants (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: While the Garda Commissioner is, by law, responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, including the allocation of Garda resources in respect of identified operational demands, I am assured that An Garda Síochána execute warrants as expeditiously as possible, giving priority to the execution of warrants relating to serious crimes. The execution of warrants,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (30 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I understand that extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants and I want to assure anyone who has made an application for a visa that my Department is doing everything possible to progress these applications as quickly as possible. In 2024, approximately 201,000 visa applications, of all types, were received by the Visa Division of my Department. This reflects an increase of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Student Visas (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1493 and 1494 together. As a matter of long standing policy Ireland welcomes international students who wish to travel here in order to pursue a full-time course of study, thereby providing economic and other benefits to Ireland, as well of course as to the students themselves. Non-EEA national students are given an Irish immigration permission on Stamp 2...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Sector Staff (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Security clearance of persons working in sensitive areas of the civil and public service or other persons requiring access to classified information or security-sensitive locations is an important aspect of the overall security apparatus of the State. My Department administers the current system of personnel security clearance in association with An Garda Síochána, who have...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1496 and 1497 together. I am informed that the original estimate for the Justice Vote (Vote 24) under the administration subhead “policy reviews, consultancy and research” was €1,404,000 which was revised downwards in the context of the supplementary estimates process towards the end of 2024. This saving fed into the estimate of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Daylight Savings Time (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) is under the remit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment. I am informed by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment that the NSAI hosted Ireland’s inaugural Time & Sync Forum, on 11th February 2025, at their National Metrology Laboratory offices in Dublin in conjunction with business partners. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: My Department’s immigration service will generally only engage with individuals or groups such as solicitors, NGOs or other bodies whose bona fides have been established. Applicants for International Protection can avail of the services of the Legal Aid Board (LAB) which:provides legal assistance and advice in support of their application.advises them in relation to the completion...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (29 Apr 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I commenced the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 on 2 April 2025. The Act is largely based on the recommendations made in the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland (CoFPI). CoFPI recommended that Garda staff be recruited directly to An Garda Síochána, rather than the Civil Service. A central tenet of the CoFPI report was that An Garda...