Results 11,361-11,380 of 15,536 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the Direct Provision accommodation system transferred to my colleague, Minister O'Gorman on 14 October last. My Department retains responsibility for the processing of international protection applications. 3,335 people whose applications are being examined by the International Protection Office (IPO) and 1,046 people who are at appeal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Trafficking (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: Combatting the terrible crime of human trafficking is a priority for Ireland and we attach great importance to the work of multilateral international organisations who are active in tackling human trafficking, including the UN, Council of Europe, OSCE and the European Union and Ireland continues to work with all our partners in those forums to combat this heinous crime. The Government is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: At the outset, I would like to express my deepest sympathies to all those who suffered both during their time in mother and baby homes, and as a result of those experiences during the years that followed. As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána, including the investigation of alleged crime, and I as Minister have...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Services Regulatory Authority (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: The provision of property services to consumers in Ireland is subject to a detailed legislative framework of licensing, regulation, monitoring and enforcement, under the Property Services Regulation Act 2011 (afterwards ‘the Act’). The Act also established the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA), a statutory regulatory body specifically tasked with responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 21 May 2018. On 26 February 2019, a letter was sent from the Citizenship Division of the Immigration Service of my department to the person concerned and the status of the application for naturalisation remains as outlined in this letter. The granting of Irish citizenship through...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence Services (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that tackling domestic abuse and supporting victims is a key priority for the Department of Justice and for the Government as a whole. This is true in terms of commitments and additional resources made available during the pandemic as well working collectively to put in place a comprehensive range of supports and services to meet the needs of victims of domestic...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: The median processing time for all international protection applications determined in 2020, by the International Protection Office (IPO) was 17.6 months and 12.7 months for prioritised applications. For cases decided in the Ministerial Decisions Unit in 2020, the median processing time was 1.6 months. The median processing time for all international protection appeals determined in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Services Regulatory Authority (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: The provision of property services to consumers in Ireland is subject to a detailed legislative framework of licensing, regulation, monitoring and enforcement, under the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011. The Act also established the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA), a statutory regulatory body specifically tasked with responsibility for licensing and regulating property...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 9 April 2018. This application is at an advanced stage of processing and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 18 September 2018. This application is at an advanced stage of processing and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. If any further documentation is required, it will be requested from the person in due course. The granting of Irish citizenship through...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: I can inform the Deputy that my Department does not provide funding for the installation of intruder alarms. However, I understand that the Department of Social Protection, under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme, may make an exceptional needs payment to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. An...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Controls (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: The person concerned made an application for permission to remain in the State as the spouse of an Irish national in September 2019. This application is currently being examined by the Immigration Service of my Department and arrangements are being made to have all original documents returned to them in the coming days. To be fair to all applicants, applications received are dealt with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Local Authority Funding (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: There are no specific funding streams for Local Authorities provided by my Department. However, payments have been made to a number of Local Authorities under a number of programmes managed by my Department as follows: 2018 Irish Refugee Protection Programme - Housing and Urban Regeneration €527,988 Leitrim County Council €39,889 ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Staff (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: I am advised by the Irish Prison Service that the following Governors were appointed to their respective prisons on the dates outlined below: Location Governor Appointment Date Arbour Hill Desmond O'Shea 19/09/2020 Castlerea David Conroy 15/08/2020 Cloverhill Anthony Harris...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to bring forward a regularisation scheme within 18 months of the formation of the Government, to create new pathways for long-term undocumented people and their dependents, meeting specified criteria and bearing in mind Ireland's European Union (EU) and Common Travel Area (CTA) commitments. Work is underway in my Department to give...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: It has been noted on the applicant's file that she cannot provide a mortgage statement/residential tenancy agreement. Correspondence issued to the applicant in November 2020, requesting additional documents as proof of residency. Once these documents have been received the application will continue to be processed by the Immigration Service of my Department. The onus is on the applicant to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: Statistics on citizenship applications are not compiled by the Immigration Service of my Department in such a way as to provide details of the profession of applicants, as requested by the Deputy. I recognise and acknowledge 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: I am aware of the petition referred to by the Deputy. I recognise and acknowledge 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Reviews (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: The review of the Defamation Act 2009 is a legislative priority for the Government. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to review and reform defamation laws to ensure a balanced approach to the right to freedom of expression, the right to protection of good name and reputation, and the right of access to justice. My Department has already completed extensive work on the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (27 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 645 and 646 together. I wish to clarify that under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015, permitted family members must apply for an assessment as a permitted family member of a Union citizen, whether as a member of the household of that Union citizen or as a dependant of the Union citizen and be deemed as a permitted family...