Results 1,101-1,120 of 11,583 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Procurement Contracts (29 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: My Department and agencies for which the Department provides procurement services* has not, in the past five years, recorded any use of reserved contracts and social clauses in its public procurement tenders. However, my Department is committed to promoting the wider use of social considerations in public procurement and this area is being actively researched by our Procurement Unit. Where...

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

Jim O'Callaghan: I am committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Garda Vote in Budget 2025 saw unprecedented funding of over €2.48 billion for this year, a 27% increase since 2020 which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and staff, and...

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

Jim O'Callaghan: Implementing effective border security arrangements is a priority for me, and the Programme for Government commits to developing a border security strategy to deliver stronger border security. Carriers such as airlines and ferry companies play an essential role in protecting and upholding our borders and they are obliged to ensure their passengers have the necessary valid passports, ID cards...

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

Jim O'Callaghan: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, it has not been possible to compile the information in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is available.

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

Jim O'Callaghan: I am informed by the Garda authorities that as of 30 June 2025 there is one Sergeant and nine Gardaí attached to the Garda Dog Unit. The Garda Dog Unit is based at Kilmainham Garda Station, in the Dublin Metropolitan Region and has a national remit. It operates under the direction and control of Assistant Commissioner, Organised and Serious Crime and the operational strategic...

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

Jim O'Callaghan: Road safety is a shared responsibility. The whole of Government response is led by the Department of Transport and is taken very seriously across Government. An Garda Síochána plays a vital role in enforcing road traffic law and in making our roads safer for all road users, including vulnerable road users. Road traffic laws are enforced by Gardaí assigned to Roads Policing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (29 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The total number of male and female prisoners detained in Mountjoy Prison as at 23 July in each year from 2019 inclusive of this year is outlined in the table below. Prisoner population statistics are published on a daily basis and are available at: www.irishprisons.ie/information-centre/statistics-informatio n/2015-daily-prisoner-population/ As at 23 July 2025, Mountjoy Male prison is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (29 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The visitor centre at Mountjoy Prison was opened in 2000, servicing Mountjoy main prison, the Training Unit, Mountjoy West and the Dóchas Centre. The visitor centre will be temporarily relocated whilst essential works are underway to increase the capacity of The Dóchas Centre. It will reopen once the core elements of this work is completed. The Irish Prison Service is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (29 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that there are no plans at present to establish a separate Ombudsman for Prisons in this jurisdiction. My officials are currently working with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel to draft legislation that will further develop the role of the current Office of the Inspector of Prisons, in line with our international human rights obligations under the Optional...

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

Jim O'Callaghan: An Garda Síochána publishes data on the allocation of Gardaí by Division, Station and rank, including for each Garda station in the country. This can be found at the following link: www.garda.ie/garda/en/about-us/our-departments/human-resourc es-and-people-development/garda-hr-directorate/garda-strengt h-breakdown-2025/may-2025.html The Deputy can access data dealing with...

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

Jim O'Callaghan: Each year since the inception of the Ireland Against Racism Fund, an initial provisional total of €1m has been earmarked for successful applicants to the funding call. Due to the quality of applications received, and the availability of funds in the relevant subhead, a higher amount than initially allocated has been awarded to successful applicants each year. The reason for this...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: National Development Plan (29 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am pleased to have negotiated funding of €2.180 billion under the National Development Plan (NDP) for major capital projects in the Justice sector from 2026-2030. This is an increase of some €800 million on the previous NDP in 2021. The funding will be allocated to significantly increase prison capacity, invest in Garda stations, courthouses, the National Cyber Security...

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

Jim O'Callaghan: I am informed by Garda authorities that members of the public can attend Garda Stations to make a complaint and provide video footage in support of their complaint. They will be required to make a statement and prove authenticity of the video footage and undertake to attend Court as a witness in the event of Court proceedings. In future, it is planned to provide a technical online...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (29 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Providing reception conditions – accommodation and other basic supports – to people seeking international protection is part of Irish and EU law and is also part of our humanitarian duty to provide shelter to people fleeing war and persecution in their home country. The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is currently accommodating nearly 33,000 residents in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (29 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Department's International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS) has not received an offer of accommodation at this location and is not currently examining this property for use as international protection accommodation.

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

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2086 and 2087 together. My Department provides funding to a range of organisations including community, sporting and other voluntary sector organisations through grant schemes and programmes. These grant schemes and programmes do not generally provide organisations with capital funding. My Department does provide non capital funding to a range of...

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

Jim O'Callaghan: An Garda Síochána publishes data on the allocation of Gardaí by Division, Station and rank, including for each Garda station in the country. This can be found at the following link: www.garda.ie/garda/en/about-us/our-departments/human-resourc es-and-people-development/garda-hr-directorate/garda-strengt h-breakdown-2025/may-2025.html The Deputy can access data dealing with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Staff (29 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. In the District Court, the Government assigned Judge Desmond Zaidan to District 25, Kildare, on 15 May 2008. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (29 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can assure the Deputy that I am acutely aware of the grave humanitarian crisis in Gaza and my Department is working closely with colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to ensure a coordinated national response to this volatile and evolving situation. This includes work to evacuate Irish citizens and their families who may require visa assistance. The person referred...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (29 Jul 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The General Scheme of the Irish Prison Service Bill, as approved by the previous Government, provides for the establishment of the Irish Prison Service on a statutory basis with defined functions. The proposed Bill will also introduce significant new governance arrangements and strategic supports, including a non-executive board, an audit committee and other expert committees as required....