Results 12,681-12,700 of 15,429 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Liquor Licences (9 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: My officials have requested information from An Garda Síochána to be of assistance to the Deputy and I will revert with a reply to the Deputy as soon as it is received.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (9 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. In addition, the allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner, in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for the allocation of Garda vehicles. As...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (9 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: In accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of An Garda Síochána. Further, the allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner, in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for the allocation of Garda vehicles among the various...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (9 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 241 together. The State is obliged under domestic and international law to examine the application of anyone who arrives at the State to claim international protection. While we are examining their application, all applicants are offered accommodation and other supports such as healthcare, education for children and a weekly payment for personal...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (9 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: The European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018, transposing the EU (Recast) Reception Conditions Directive, came into effect from 30 June 2018. The Regulations include a provision on access to the labour market for eligible international protection applicants. Any applicant who has not received a first instance decision within 9 months can make an application for a labour...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (9 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: An application for naturalisation in relation to the person referred to 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 in due course. The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (9 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: The International Protection Appeals Tribunal is a statutorily independent body and exercises a quasi-judicial function under the International Protection Act 2015. I have asked for and received a report from the Tribunal’s chairperson on the matter. As the Deputy will appreciate, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further pending full consideration of the report.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (9 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, on Friday 21 August 2020, I appointed former Director of the Probation Service, Vivian Geiran, to carry out a scoping exercise to assess the impact that criminal activity in Drogheda is having on the community and make recommendations for action going forward. I am delighted to have appointed Mr Geiran to carry out this scoping exercise which will make...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Proposed Legislation (9 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: The statutory provisions concerning the licensing of premises for the purposes of public dancing are set out in the Public Dance Halls Act 1935 as well as sections 2 to 10 and 21 of the Licensing (Combating Drug Abuse) Act 1997 in so far as they relate to public dancing licenses. The primary purpose of these statutory provisions is to ensure the welfare and safety of persons while present at...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (9 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together. The Deputy will be aware that 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (8 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: As I have previously informed the Deputy, following the appointment on 27 June of the former Tánaiste as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, I understand the Garda Commissioner determined that it was appropriate for already existing security arrangements to remain in place for the Minister. As the Deputy will appreciate, it would not be appropriate to comment further...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (8 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 879 and 887 together. The Government’s approach to meeting the terms of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (“the Convention”) is one of progressive realisation. Work is continuing on the reforms needed for an optimum level of compliance with the Convention's requirements. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (8 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 880 and 950 together. On 18 March 2020, in response to the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department entered into a 12 month contract to use the former Skellig Star Hotel in Cahersiveen as a temporary accommodation centre for international protection applicants. On 30 July 2020, I announced that the residents would be transferred to permanent...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (8 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: Significant expenditure is being committed by individual departments to responding to the needs of persons with disabilities. For example, €1.7bn was spent by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection on Disability Allowance payments in 2019. €2.054bn has been allocated in the HSE Service Plan for disability-related expenditure this year. Funding for special...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Employment Rights (8 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: There is no legally mandated retirement age in the private sector. The age at which private sector employees retire is a matter for the contract of employment agreed between them and their employers. Employers must justify the age of retirement under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015. Section 6(3) of the Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2015 provides for the imposition of a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Assisted Decision-Making (8 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 (“the 2015 Act”) provides a modern statutory framework to support decision-making by adults with capacity difficulties. The 2015 Act was signed into law on 30 December 2015 but has not yet been fully commenced. The Act provides for the establishment of new administrative processes and support measures, including the setting up of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Mental Health Services (8 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: I have been informed by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that the Prison Service employ a number of various psychologist grades across the Service including, a Head of Psychology, a Psychologist, Principal Manager, Senior Psychologists (Grade I), Psychologists, Staff Psychologists (Grade II) and Assistant Psychologists. Please note Assistant Psychologists are employed on a one year...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Housing Policy (8 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: I intend to commence a review of legislation regarding management companies in the coming months. The Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 was enacted with the primary purposes of reforming the law relating to the ownership and management of common areas of multi-unit developments and facilitating the fair, efficient and effective management of owners' management companies (OMCs). These are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (8 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: My Department takes any complaints from residents very seriously and all residents are made fully aware of their ability to contact my Department at any time in confidence. Where appropriate, most complaints should be brought to the centre manager in the first instance. If the resident is not satisfied with the outcome, they can make a complaint directly to the International Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (8 Sep 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Government takes very seriously the needs of working parents, and the difficulties they are facing in the current pandemic. There have been a number of advances in the leave available to working parents in recent years. The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced for the first time paid parent’s leave of two weeks for each parent to be taken in the first year of a...