Results 12,361-12,380 of 17,539 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: Spiking a person’s drink or spiking someone by injection are obviously very serious offences. They are, in effect, poisoning and they are criminal offences, under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, that can result in a three year prison term. I can assure the Deputy that any incident of this type of crime, including those with evidence to suggest a link with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the deployment of Garda members. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. I am assured, however, that Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child Abduction (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Irish Central Authority for Child Abduction is located within my Department. The Central Authority can only assist on cases where children have been removed from this jurisdiction to a country that is a bilateral partner to the 1980 Hague Convention, that is, where their accession is accepted by this jurisdiction. Pakistan’s accession to the Hague Convention became effective...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 180 together. As the Deputies will be aware, Budget 2022 provides for the establishment of the new Community Safety Innovation Fund. It is intended that this fund will support investment in projects which will improve community safety. The fund, which is expected to grow in the coming years, will have an initial outlay in 2022 of €2m. A...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Services Regulation (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Legal Services Regulatory Authority is independent in its regulation of the legal professions under the terms of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 and in its administration of the public complaints regime. Without any detailed proposal to consider I can only confirm that there are no immediate plans to amend the definition of a client. However, I can say that there is an ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, prosecutions are a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions, who is independent in her functions under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1974 (as amended). I am advised by the Garda authorities that it is not possible to provide the number of prosecutions for breaches of Covid-19 regulations in 2020 and to date in 2021. I am further advised that the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Government committed to introducing new pathways to status regularisation within 18 months of its formation. My Justice Plan 2021 contains a commitment to create new pathways for long-term undocumented people and their dependents who must meet specified criteria to regularise their status. It will not be an amnesty and should not be perceived as such. The scheme will provide an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation (25 Nov 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 the performance of its functions. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made and the Courts Service has provided me with the following update. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, a key pillar of the Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, is building stronger and safer communities. I can assure the Deputy that my Department is committed to ensuring that there is strong, visible community policing right across Ireland, both rural and urban. Making our towns, villages and rural areas safer is best achieved when Gardaí work closely with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Northern Ireland (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Stormont House Agreement, concluded by the two Governments and the Northern Ireland Parties in December 2014, provides for a framework of measures to address the legacy of the conflict in Northern Ireland. In July 2019, the Criminal Justice (International Cooperation) Act 2019 was enacted. The legislation is an important step in the Government’s commitment to the agreed...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that tackling criminal activity is a key priority for the Government and an ongoing priority for An Garda Síochána which is reflected in the National Policing Plan. As there is already a robust framework of law to address the issue of drug related crime, there is currently no specific legislation in preparation in my Department regarding this issue....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: State Pardons (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, a local group gathered a considerable amount of material relating to this case, and I know the Deputy has taken a very close interest in this application. As the Deputy will also be aware, in early 2020, the then Minister for Justice and Equality engaged an expert on nineteenth century trial law in Ireland for their expert opinion on the safety, or otherwise,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. As Minister, I have no direct role in this matter. The below table, furnished to me by the Garda authorities, outlines the yearly breakdown of the number of incidents of drink and drug driving that occurred in Cavan/Monaghan Division over the time...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: I am pleased that Budget 2022 reflects the commitment of the Government to enhancing community safety and that An Garda Síochána has the resources to be an effective and trusted policing service. The budget provided by Government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to unprecedented levels, with an allocation of €1.952 billion for 2021 and over €2...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commissions of Investigation (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the Commission of Investigation established pursuant to S.I. 311/2018 (formerly known as the Hickson Commission) is tasked with the investigation of the extent to which a number of organisations, including State bodies, and individuals were aware of the activities of Bill Kenneally and whether they failed to take appropriate action. Mr Justice Michael White...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Protected Disclosures (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Protected Disclosures Act was enacted in 2014 to allow employees to bring alleged wrongdoing to the attention of the appropriate authorities. Section 22 of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 requires public bodies to prepare and publish a report each year in relation to the previous year, on the disclosures received and dealt with under its policy, in an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: I share the Deputy’s concerns for the Afghan people and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Ireland has acted swiftly and compassionately to demonstrate our support and solidarity with the Afghan people. My Department continues to work closely with colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: Non-fatal strangulation and asphyxiation are common features of domestic abuse and are often an indication that victims are at further risk of potentially lethal violence. While strangulation is currently prosecuted as a crime under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, I have discussed with the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris making it a standalone offence. I believe there is an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible by law for the management of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and deployment of resources. As Minister, I have no responsibility for these matters. I am advised however, that Garda management keeps the distribution of resources under continual review to ensure their optimum use in light of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (25 Nov 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, under Section 33 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), for the deployment of An Garda Síochána throughout the State. The Commissioner is also responsible, under Section 26 of the Act, for the management and administration of Garda business, including the recruitment and training of Garda members and...