Results 11,561-11,580 of 15,536 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (15 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: Non-EEA family members or dependents of UK nationals will continue to hold the same residence rights to live, work or study in Ireland, from 31 December 2020 if they reside here at the end of the transition period and continue to do so. My Department is putting arrangements in place for those people who come from a country outside the EU (non-EEA), and are a family member or dependent of a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (15 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: The applicant referred to by the Deputy created an online application for Long Stay Join Family (Irish National sponsor) visas on 25 July 2020. The application was received in the Dublin Visa Office for further processing on 6 October 2020. The application is currently awaiting comprehensive examination. In accordance with the provisions of the Policy Document on Non-EEA Family...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Voluntary Repatriation Schemes (15 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: Any third country national who has no basis to remain in the State can seek to return voluntarily to their country of origin. That option is made formally available in the context of persons issued with a notification of intention to deport, under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), and persons who have had their international protection and permission to remain claims refused...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Data Collection (15 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: With regard to the Criminal Assets Bureau, I can inform the Deputy that under section 8 of the Criminal Assets Bureau Act, Bureau officers retain the powers and duties conferred upon them by membership of their parent organisations. Bureau Officers include members of An Garda Síochána who are assigned to the Bureau. I am advised that all applications made by An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Data Collection (15 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: I can advise that the Deputy that the Data Protection Commission has confirmed that it is not an authorised body for the purposes of making requests under Section 6 of the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Data Collection (15 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: I am informed by An Garda Síochána that the breakdown requested by the Deputy with regard to the information provided in response to PQ No. of 754 of 24 November 2020 is not available. I am advised that the available information as set out below cannot be disaggregated by reference to the number of requests made under the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 by any one...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (15 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and I am informed by An Garda Síochána that a query was run against the PULSE database on 10 December to identify any object of sub-type ‘knife’ linked as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Northern Ireland (15 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I know that he has campaigned tirelessly on behalf of the families for many years and, of course, I am in full agreement with him that the perpetrators of this atrocity should be brought to justice. The bombing of Belturbet on 28 December 1972 was an appalling and callous act of violence that claimed the lives of two innocent young people and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (15 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: The General Scheme of the Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill which has been developed by my Department following a comprehensive review of current law and administrative practice, was approved by Government in June 2018. A copy of the Bill is available on my Department’s website. The Bill is currently with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel (OPC) for drafting. I want to be in a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (15 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 11 March 2019. This application is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. If any further documentation is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Deportation Orders (10 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: We have a robust system in place. At the same time, it is a system and ,like any other, it can always be improved. That is part of a wider discussion and engagement which may need to take place after this. I reiterate my comments from yesterday to the effect that we will continue to take the same compassionate and pragmatic approach we have taken throughout this pandemic. I give that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Pardons (10 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: Just because it is a long time ago, some people might ask whether it would make any difference. Where a miscarriage of justice may have occurred, it is extremely important that we correct the record. We need to provide clarity and assurance to the family. I will give some more detail in the process. Following the initial consideration of a case by departmental officials where they form a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Pardons (10 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: I again reassure the Deputy that this case is very much ongoing in my Department. It has not been and will not be forgotten. As soon as I receive the independent expert advice, I will act on it as quickly as possible. I am very conscious that people have been awaiting this for a long time and obviously they would like to get an answer as quickly as possible. I commit to the Deputy that I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Deportation Orders (10 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: I wish to reassure the Deputy and repeat what I said yesterday that my Department has taken and will continue to take a pragmatic approach and most importantly a compassionate approach to immigration arrangements in the context of Covid-19. The approach to deportation orders will continue for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic. A decision to suspend the issuing of negative...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Deportation Orders (10 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy outlined, we are in a very difficult and complex situation. Taking one action can potentially have an impact in another space. It is really important to have joined-up thinking and provide as much reassurance to everybody who is impacted by this. I can speak to the Deputy separately about the individual cases. We want to reassure people that they will not be deported...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence Services (10 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: In response to both Deputies, information is key. It is very important that victims of domestic abuse, violence and sexual abuse know what supports are available to them. A key recommendation of the O'Malley report, which then fed into Supporting a Victim's Journey, was that there should be greater access to information in different forms and through different media. At the implementation...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Pardons (10 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, representatives of the Michael O'Donohoe memorial project have gathered a considerable amount of material relating to this particular case, including a transcript of the trial from the mid-1880s. They have met with officials in my Department and provided material in support of an application for a presidential pardon under Article 13.6 of Bunreacht na...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Family Support Services (10 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: One of the things that has struck me at the last few meetings I have had on the development and modernisation of the family law system is that it is not just about new courts, judges or systems but also about making sure that ancillary supports are provided as well. We must ensure that it is not just the physical environment that is conducive to helping families to get through very difficult...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence Services (10 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: I thank Deputy Murnane O'Connor for her question. Regarding her query about measures taken to combat increased domestic abuse in Carlow, I will respond in more detail later but would emphasise that our collective approach is an all-encompassing national one and will continue thus. There is no doubt that domestic abuse incidents have increased during the pandemic. We also know that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence Services (10 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: Deputy Murnane O'Connor has raised very valid points and that is why it is so important that the aforementioned audit takes place. It will be concluded by March of next year and will take into account the fact that there are also housing and social welfare support issues involved here. Work is being done by Tusla at the moment to review the current bed capacity in order to ensure that we...