Results 11,201-11,220 of 15,536 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation (10 Feb 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 its functions. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has provided the following update on this matter. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Garda National Vetting Bureau processes vetting for relevant organisations registered with the Vetting office whose employees (paid or otherwise) are conducting “Relevant Work or Activities” as defined in Schedule 1, Part 1 and Part 2 of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016. I am aware of the issue to which the Deputy refers and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, the former Director of the Probation Service, Mr Vivian Geiran, recently completed the scoping exercise in question and prepared a report on his findings. I have received the report and I am currently considering the findings therein. My officials are drafting an action plan and will consult on it with other relevant Departments and agencies. I look forward to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: From midnight on 15 January 2021, all passengers arriving into Ireland by air or ferry are required to produce evidence of a negative/not detected RT-PCR Covid-19 test, taken up to 72 hours prior to arrival. Regulations under the Health Act 1947 underpin these new requirements. Under these Regulations, passengers are legally required to produce evidence of a negative/not detected result...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Work Permits (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: For reasons of confidentiality I am unable to comment on any individual immigration or international protection case. The health and well-being of all people who apply for international protection is of the highest priority to me and my Department and to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth who are responsible for providing accommodation and related supports...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Assets Bureau (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the identification, tracing, freezing, and ultimate confiscation of criminal assets does not rest with a single body in Ireland and is spread across a number of different agencies and statutory bodies, not all of which are within the responsibility of the Department of Justice. The relevant bodies include An Garda Síochána, the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Releases (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 611 and 612 together. TRAIL is part of the Peter McVerry Trust (PMVT) organisation and was established in 2004. It provides transitional high quality accommodation to offenders released from prison, who would otherwise be homeless. The project aims to reduce client’s risk of re-offending by alleviating the stresses which homelessness creates. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for policing the current Public Health regulations rests with the Garda Commissioner. Further, responsibility for the legislation underpinning the Public Health response lies with my colleague, the Minister for Health. I am advised by the Garda authorities the Fixed Charge Processing System (FCPS) reports on the number of fines which have been...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The applicants referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for a residence card to the Immigration Service of my Department on 20 October 2020. Processing of these applications is ongoing. As each application is examined on its own merits, the Immigration Service is unable to give an exact timeframe for their completion. However, I am advised that a decision will issue in the coming...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Support Services (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I am aware that increasing attention is being drawn to the area of certain family relationships termed parental alienation. Indeed, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality Report on Reform of the Family Law System includes a recommendation that consideration be given as to whether laws should be amended to take into account situations where one parent is wrongfully influencing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. In addition, the allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner, in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for the allocation of Garda vehicles. As...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: Under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for carrying on and managing the administration and business of the organisation as well as for the allocation of Garda resources, in light of identified operational demands. As Minister, I have no role in those matters. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the table below details the total expenditure...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána including decisions on the recruitment and deployment of personnel and resources. I, as Minister, have no direct role in such matters. I have further requested information from the Garda Commissioner in relation to this matter and will write to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: Parliamentary Question 712 of 29 September 2020 refers to the estimated cost to have 15,420 sworn Gardaí by the end of 2021; and the estimated cost for same to be increased to 16,200 by the end of 2022. I can confirm that a substantive response to Parliamentary Question 712 of 29 September 2020 was issued to the Deputy on 30 October 2020. A copy is attached for convenience. To be of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. I have requested information from the Garda Commissioner in relation to this matter and will write to the Deputy directly with the information requested, when it is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I recognise the crucial role frontline workers are continuing to play in responding to the threat of COVID-19. They work in a challenging environment and deal with vulnerable people on a daily basis. Their exceptional commitment has been particularly clear throughout the pandemic, during which they have been playing a key role in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. All...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: There are a number of avenues available to public representatives to raise matters with me or directly with officials of my department in respect of individual immigration queries. The Oireachtas Mail facility (INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie) has been specifically established for this purpose and is available to Members of the Oireachtas and MEPs who were elected in the State. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Relations (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I have not yet spoken to the Australian Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon Peter Dutton MP, since my appointment as Minister for Justice in June 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible by law for the management of An Garda Síochána, including the deployment of resources. As Minister, I have no responsibility for these matters. However I am informed by Garda authorities that there are two trucks, listed as 'Others' in the table below, currently assigned to the Garda Water Unit Fleet. These trucks...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. In addition, the allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner, in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for the allocation to the Garda fleet. As...