Results 11,241-11,260 of 15,536 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Reviews (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to tackling white collar crime and corruption and to the implementation of new anti-corruption and anti-fraud measures informed by the Hamilton Review. I am strongly committed to tackling all forms of corruption and white-collar crime and the Deputy will be aware that I recently announced my intention to...

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

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 649 and 652 together. The Deputy will be aware that the Commissioner is responsible, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, for generally carrying on, managing and administering Garda business. This includes all operational aspects of Garda business, including the monitoring of, and actions taken against, organised crime groups (OCGs) within the State. I...

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

Helen McEntee: An Garda Síochána has been allocated an unprecedented budget of €1.952 billion for 2021. The significant level of funding provided over recent years is enabling sustained, ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff. As a result, there are now approximately 14,600 Garda members and over 3,000 Garda staff nationwide. This represents an increase of over 13% since 2015....

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

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and deployment of resources. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities, to...

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

Helen McEntee: WRKK05500 type: 7 --> As the Deputy will be aware, prosecutions are a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who is independent in the performance of her functions. In order to be of assistance, my officials contacted the Courts Service and An Garda Síochána with regard to the remainder of the Deputy's query. The Courts Service have advised that their...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Juvenile Offenders (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and deployment of resources. The allocation of Garda resources is made in light of identified operational demand, and this includes deployment of personnel among the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no...

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

Helen McEntee: I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service (IPS) that there are currently 183 prisoners in custody associated with known criminal gangs, with 39 of those due for release in 2021. The Deputy will wish to note that this figure excludes the subversive prisoners in Portlaoise Prison. Membership or allegiance of these criminal groups fluctuates on a continuous basis with some...

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

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service (IPS) provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes to those in custody including education, vocational training, healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, addiction counselling, welfare and spiritual services. These programmes can offer purposeful activity to those in custody while serving their sentences and encouraging them to lead...

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

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 657 and 658 together. Prisoner care and rehabilitation is a core aim of the Irish Prison Service. The Service tries to achieve a balanced approach in the effective performance of its care and custody functions and seeks to manage sentences in a way which encourages and supports prisoners in their efforts to live law abiding and purposeful lives on release. I...

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

Helen McEntee: The information sought has been requested and will be provided to the Deputy once it has been received, checked and collated.

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

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management and control of An Garda Síochána and for the effective and efficient use of Garda resources, including all Garda stations. Further, the Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. Works in relation to Garda accommodation are...

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

Helen McEntee: The Irish Prison Service defines an absconder as a prisoner who leaves an Open Centre without the relevant approval. The Deputy will wish to be aware that An Garda Síochána are informed when prisoners abscond and they have the power to detain, arrest, and return such persons to prison. Experience has shown that the vast majority of offenders who abscond return voluntarily or are...

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

Helen McEntee: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of prisoners in custody in each of the prisons is published on a daily basis and this information is available on the Irish Prison Service website www.irishprisons.ie. This breakdown includes the number of prisoners in custody and the bed capacity in each prison. The information can...

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

Helen McEntee: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that all prisoners who are sentenced to a term of imprisonment, with the exception of prisoners without a determined sentence, for example, life sentence prisoners, qualify for one quarter remission on the basis of good behaviour. In addition, prisoners who have engaged in authorised structured activity may apply to receive enhanced remission of...

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

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, the decision to grant bail in a particular case is a matter for the presiding Judge, who is independent in the exercise of his or her judicial functions. There is also a Constitutional presumption in favour of the grant of bail as, under Irish Law, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The specific information is not yet maintained in such a way as...

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

Helen McEntee: Diverting young people away from getting involved in criminal activity is a key priority for the Government and the exploitation of young people and children is a particular concern. As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government includes a commitment to criminalise adults who groom children to commit crimes. To this end, on 15 January 2021, Minister of State James Browne and I...

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

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is a multi-agency statutory body established under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act, 1996. The Bureau’s remit is to target the assets, wherever situated, of persons which derive or are suspected to derive, directly or indirectly, from criminal conduct. Since its inception, the Bureau has been at the forefront of fighting...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Leave to Remain (10 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: For reasons of maintaining full confidentiality, it is not my Department's practice to comment on whether an application for asylum or subsidiary protection has been made in the State. An applicant for such protection status, or their legal representative, should contact either the International Protection Office (IPO) or the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) directly, as...

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

Helen McEntee: I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to all those impacted by the shocking incidents which have taken place in Dublin in recent weeks. My Department is keeping the law in relation to sentencing for knife crimes, as well as all other policies around knife crimes, such as targeted interventions, under review. Following a number of initial discussions on our shared concern about...