Results 12,301-12,320 of 15,536 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Stardust Fire (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Stardust fire was an horrific tragedy that has left a legacy of pain for many people in the Artane community. In September 2019, the Attorney General wrote to my predecessor as Minister for Justice and Equality to inform him that he had “formed the opinion that fresh inquests into the Stardust deaths are advisable” and in December 2019, issued his direction to the Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: In accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing the administration and business of An Garda Síochána. The Commissioner is also responsible for the efficient use of Garda resources, in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for the allocation of Garda vehicles and Garda personnel...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: State Pathology Service (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Office of the State Pathologist is an agency under the aegis of my Department, providing independent expert advice on all matters pertaining to forensic pathology. The Office delivers a nationwide, 24/7, year round service throughout the Republic of Ireland. In order to support the work of the OSP, recruitment is currently ongoing to appoint State Pathologists. An open recruitment...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Training (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the provisions of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 for the management and administration of the Garda organisation. This responsibility includes decisions on distribution of resources and personnel. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. I am advised by the Garda Commissioner that the Standard...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: I have sought the relevant figures from An Garda Síochána and will revert to the Deputy as soon as they have been received.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid Service (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Legal Aid Board (LAB) is the statutory, independent body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to persons of modest means in the State, in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 (the “Act”) and the Civil Legal Aid Regulations 1996 to 2017. Civil legal aid and advice is provided primarily through a network of law centres by...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 527 and 528 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that to date only four prisoners have tested positive for Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic. Each positive case was a recently committed prisoner from the community and none of the cases have been acquired within the prison environment. I am advised that the Irish Prison Service has put in place an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: The administration and management of An Garda Síochána is, by law, a matter for the Garda Commissioner. This includes responsibilities for matters including recruitment and training of members. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. Provision was made for up to 700 recruits to begin training in the Garda College over the course of 2020. An initial batch of 125 new...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Facilities (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: Provision of safe and secure custody and dignity of care to persons in the penal system in Ireland is a priority for me as Minister and for the Irish Prison Service. Delivery of the Limerick Prison redevelopment project is a key part of ongoing work in relation to the prison estate and is reflected in the Prison Service Strategic Plan 2019-2022. Prior to the Budget the Irish Prison Service...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Traffic Offences (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: I am advised by the Garda authorities that the following table shows the number of traffic offences under the PULSE traffic category which involved dangerous or illegal use of e-scooters in the years in question. The Deputy should note that as with scramblers/quad bikes etc., there are more incidents on PULSE than there are objects/vehicles associated with incidents, as one vehicle may be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: An Expert Review Group has been established to examine the issue of Garda Recruitment, Entry Pathways and Recruit Education. This is a commitment under A Policing Service for the Future, the Government’s Implementation Plan for the recommendations in the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. The Group will examine a variety of matters including the age of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: I have requested information from the Garda Commissioner in relation to this matter but it was unfortunately not possible to compile it in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly with the information requested, when it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Accommodation (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: Loughan House and Shelton Abbey are open, low security prisons for adult males who are regarded as requiring low levels of security. I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that the current bed capacity of Loughan House is 140 and that of Shelton Abbey is 115. The Irish Prison Service collates daily data, on a prison by prison basis, on the prisoner population. This...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Visiting Committees (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, Prison Visiting Committees are made up of individuals from across society. The Visiting Committee to each of the current 12 prisons or places of detention is appointed under the Prison (Visiting Committees) Act, 1925 as applied by section 4 of the Prisons Act, 1970. Rules relating to the specific functions and operation of such Visiting Committees are set out in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Inspector of Prisons (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Inspector of Prisons, whose independence in the exercise of her functions is provided for by law, plays a vital role in ensuring effective independent oversight of our prison system. The main function of the Inspector of Prisons is to carry out regular inspections of prisons and places of detention in Ireland. The Inspector also investigates deaths of prisoners in custody and has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Staff (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: I wish to inform the Deputy that the allocation of staffing resources across the prison estate is based on the security and operational needs of each individual prison. The number of staff required is influenced by a number of factors including, in particular, the numbers in custody, category of prisoner and regimes and a range of other factors, including the risks and needs associated with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, community-based CCTV is governed by section 38(3)(c) of Garda Síochána Act 2005 and the Garda Síochána (CCTV) Order 2006. This legal framework requires that any proposed community CCTV scheme must: - be approved by the local Joint Policing Committee; - have the prior support of the relevant local authority, which must also act as data...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for family reunification in respect of an adult child under the provisions of the International Protection Act 2015 on 3 September 2020. The application was refused as the adult child is over the age of 18 and a decision letter issued to the applicant on 6 October 2020. It is open to the person concerned to apply for a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Offices (20 Oct 2020)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Department of Justice has ten buildings in its estate in Dublin and a number of regional locations. All of the buildings have a dedicated restroom, which may be used by staff for breastfeeding and expressing breast milk.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (20 Oct 2020)

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. Record resources of €1.952 billion have been made available to An Garda...