Results 1,261-1,280 of 9,147 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: An Garda Síochána (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution of Garda members between the different Garda units and Divisions. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: An Garda Síochána (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will appreciate, the priorities in the Programme for Government have been agreed by the new Government and I look forward to delivering on the Justice agenda contained within the Programme. Work to progress these commitments has commenced, however, the Deputy will appreciate that timelines or operational details on policy proposals are not yet available until work programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Court Accommodation (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Department understands that the Courts Service purchased a site at Kylekiproe in 2020 on which to build a new Courthouse. Further progress with the Portlaoise project and several others, as part of the Courts Service building projects in the National Development Plan, will depend on the next round of NDP funding. The construction of a purpose-built Family Law Court complex at Hammond...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: An Garda Síochána (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including all matters relating to the recruitment, training and appointment of its members. This responsibility extends to the Garda Band. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Band regularly performs at...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: European Court of Justice (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO) was established in 2017 under the EU's enhanced cooperation measure to investigate and prosecute crimes against the financial interest of the European Union. These crimes are as set out in Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the fight against fraud to the Union’s financial interests by means of criminal...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: An Garda Síochána (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the distribution of Garda members between the different Garda units and Divisions. As Minister, I have no role in such matters. The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 829 and 830 together. My Department currently directly employs 37 Service Officers on standard civil service terms & conditions. A further six are based in agencies under its aegis including in the Probation Service, the Dublin Coroner's Service, and the Private Security Authority. I am informed that 30.8 Service Officers are employed by agencies...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The mileage claims by former Minister of State, James Browne, TD amounted to €14,503.36 in 2023 and €14,963.61 in 2024. The combined total cost of overnight allowances associated with both civilian drivers in the Minister of State’s office was €23,937 in 2023 and €17,940 in 2024. All such expenses were claimed in accordance with relevant circulars issued...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can inform the Deputy that the detail of the staff members that are assigned to my private office are set out in the table below: Grade Pay Scale Allowance Private Secretary/Assistant Principal (PPC) (temporary assignment) €79,086 - €98,559 €24,952 Higher Executive Officer (PPC) ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Prison Service (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The provision of safe and secure custody and dignity of care for people in prison in Ireland is a priority for the Irish Prison Service and for me, as Minister for Justice. The Deputy will be aware that the Irish Prison Service has all but eliminated the practice referred to as ‘slopping out’ in prisons through a major refurbishment programme and the replacement of prison...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Prison Service (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am informed that the information requested by the Deputy is collated by the Irish Prison Service on a periodic basis. The January 2025 census is currently being finalised and will be published on the Irish Prison Service website in the coming weeks. In the interim, I can advise the Deputy that according to the most recently completed census of cell occupancy, taken on 16 July 2024, there...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Prison Service (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Government has made significant capital funding available to the Irish Prison Service in order to enhance the existing prison infrastructure and to provide additional capacity. The opening of the new standalone female prison in Limerick in 2023 provided an additional 22 female cell spaces. Plans are also being pursued to increase the capacity in the Dóchas Centre in the coming...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Regulations (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can inform the Deputy that, since 13 January 2025, all nationwide first-time registrations of Irish immigration residence permissions are the responsibility of the Registration Office of the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) of my Department. Furthermore, since October 2024, all renewals of immigration permissions transferred to ISD of my Department, meaning that applicants from across...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Penalty Points System (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the management of the Fixed Charge Processing System (FCPS). As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters. I am however assured that road traffic enforcement remains a core policing...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: An Garda Síochána (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: 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. This includes the distribution of resources, including the Garda fleet, across the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in this matter. The Government is committed to providing An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Policing Co-operation (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: A key principle of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland is that community safety requires multi-agency cooperation working in partnership with An Garda Síochána and crucially with communities themselves. The Report recommended the establishment of national and local structures to bring together Departments and State agencies involved in harm prevention to promote...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: An Garda Síochána (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 843 and 848 to 850, inclusive, together. This Government will be resolute in its support of Gardaí. We want to build safe and secure communities, and a well-resourced An Garda Síochána is critical to achieving that. The Programme for Government commits to examining a range of further measures to enable An Garda Síochána recruit...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legal Services Regulation (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 844 and 845 together. The Deputy may be aware that in 2021, in accordance with the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, the then Minister for Justice asked the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) to prepare and submit a report on the possible creation of a new profession of conveyancer. This request was in line with the provisions of section 34(1)(c)...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: An Garda Síochána (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Garda Vote in Budget 2025 saw unprecedented funding of over €2.48 billion for this year, a 27% increase since 2020 which is supporting the continued recruitment of Garda members and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Crime Prevention (5 Feb 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities and is deeply aware of the impact that serious crime, including drug related crime, can have on communities. The Government’s approach to the misuse of drugs is set out in Ireland’s National Drug Strategy, ‘Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery’. This is a health-led approach to drug and alcohol use...