Results 12,701-12,720 of 17,543 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Divorce Process (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Domicile and Recognition of Foreign Divorces Act 1986 governs the recognition of foreign divorces granted on or after the coming into operation of the Act on 2 October 1986. Section 5 of the 1986 Act provides that a foreign divorce may only be recognised in Ireland if it was granted in the country where either spouse was domiciled on the date the divorce proceedings were instituted. The...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Rights (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: Ireland intends to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICED) as soon as practicable. As the Deputy will appreciate, it is likely that legislation will be required to fully ratify the Convention. In the meantime, there are a number of measures in place which protect persons against unlawful detention. These include: ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: Applications for a certificate of naturalisation were received from the persons referred to by the Deputy on 28 March 2019. These applications are currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicants meet the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. The granting of Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Missing Persons (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1487, 1488 and 1489 together. I can inform the Deputy that significant progress has been made in recent years with the development of the National DNA Database to assist in the identification of human remains. The Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence and DNA Database System) Act 2014 commenced on 20 November 2015, provided for the establishment of a DNA...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 4 March 2016. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, but I have not received this information in time. I will write to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Data (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: The European e:Justice Portal is maintained by the European Commission. As well as information on EU law, the Portal contains information on the national law of the Member States of the European Union. Information is provided by the Member States concerned and is set out in factsheets on the Portal. Membership and responsibility of the European Judicial Network (EJN) is spread across my...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: The person referred to by the Deputy has a current permission to remain in the State, on stamp 4 conditions, up to 20 September 2021. Their permission was extended from its original expiry date of 8 April 2021, by the most recent temporary extension of immigration and international protection permissions that I announced on 26 March last. Queries in relation to the status of individual...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: The visa application for the person referred to by the Deputy was created online on 21 September 2020, and processing of this application is ongoing at present. However, a decision on this application will not issue until the current travel restrictions on international travel have been lifted. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic a decision to temporarily cease accepting new...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (21 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, but I have not received this information in time. I will write to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Procedures (21 Apr 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 its functions. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made regarding insolvency cases in the Circuit Court. The Courts Service advises that there...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Airline Vouchers (19 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, gives her apologies that she cannot be here. The Covid crisis has seen an unprecedented impact on international travel and, as a result, civil aviation globally is currently experiencing its most challenging crisis ever. Many analysts are predicting that it will take several years for the sector to return to 2019 levels. The Minister of State, Deputy...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Airline Vouchers (19 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: The objective with regard to the aviation sector, not just for the Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, but also for the Government over the past year, was to make sure that those who were travelling abroad for holidays or for whatever other reason were not negatively affected. A huge amount of work has been done to ensure that, where possible, refunds have been given and where...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Domestic Violence Policy (19 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Senator for raising such an important issue. Unfortunately, Covid-19 has highlighted this as an issue, although it existed long before now. I have said many times that while we have been asked to stay at home and home is a sanctuary for us, it is anything but that for others. It has placed additional pressure on individuals and, in particular, victims of domestic sexual...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Domestic Violence Policy (19 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: Absolutely. While I do not have the exact figures, we know there has been a significant increase in the number of reports of domestic violence and in Garda engagement with victims of domestic violence over the past year. The numbers increased between 2019 and 2020 and have increased even further since the pandemic commenced. I am very conscious of that. The work we are doing to support...

Seanad: Children Amendment Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (19 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: First, I thank Senator McDowell and other proposing Senators for bringing this Bill before the Seanad, and I thank all Senators who have engaged with the Bill and contributed to the discussion in the House. Having had a debate on the Bill and given further consideration to issues raised in both this House and the Dáil, the Bill is returning to this House with some Government amendments...

Seanad: Children Amendment Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (19 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: I thank all the Senators for their support. Senators will see me again, hopefully, next Monday.

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Second Stage (19 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: I am pleased to bring the Criminal Procedure Bill 2021 before the Seanad today. This is a relatively short Bill whose primary purpose is the introduction of preliminary trial hearings. The need for these hearings has been agreed for many years and is a priority action in the programme for Government and my Department's justice plan. A number of reports have highlighted the benefits of such...

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Second Stage (19 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Senators for their important contributions to this debate. I note some of the points made. On the point Senator Ward made about the exact wording around no previous hearings, it is only to say that the prosecution or the defence is entitled to a preliminary trial hearing for a relevant offence if there has not been one but it does not preclude it from having a second one. Again,...

Children (Amendment) Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Apr 2021)

Helen McEntee: I will respond specifically to the points raised by Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I am very sympathetic to the points she has raised. On foot of her raising that the last time we spoke in the Dáil, I asked my officials to engage with her and explore this potential change. What became very apparent, as the Deputy outlined, was that this is quite a complex area. In some cases, it goes...