Results 12,821-12,840 of 15,429 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Staff (30 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that, as of 28 July 2020, the total number of staff assigned to both the prisons and support functions in the Irish Prison Service, across all grades is 3,215.  Taking all staff and prisoners into account, this figure equates to a ratio for that date of .85:1. On 28 July 2020, the number of discipline grade Officers assigned to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Agreements (30 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: At the outset it is important to note that Ireland’s laws are already in line with the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (commonly referred to as the Lanzarote Convention). This was largely achieved by the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017. The 2017 Act brought in a new offence of accessing child...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Data (30 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The provision of safe and secure custody and dignity of care to those individuals in the penal system in Ireland is a priority area for my Department and the Irish Prison Service.   The Irish Prison Service commits in its capital strategy plan 2016-2021 to a prison estate that provides safe, secure and humane custody, that upholds the dignity of all users, and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Reviews (30 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy refers to the working group chaired by Tom O’ Malley, Senior Lecturer in Law at the National University of Ireland, Galway and member of the Law Reform Commission which was established to examine the adequacy of measures available to protect vulnerable witnesses during the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences. The working group chaired by Mr...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Eligibility (30 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: According to the Department's records an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was approved on 20 March 2007 and a certificate of Naturalisation was issued on 18 June 2007. Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff (30 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: On the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The appointment of Special Advisers is subject to section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997. The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil, which incorporate the principles of section 11 of the PMSA Act, are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Border Management Unit of the Department of Justice and Equality, has responsibility for securing Ireland’s border at Dublin Airport in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration Acts and Orders as they relate to entry and refusal of entry to the State. The Unit has also been collecting and checking Public Health Passenger Locator Forms at Dublin Airport since 28th April...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Contracts (30 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not engaged the services of Sodexo Ireland.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Bench Warrants (30 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, difficulties in relation to the execution of warrants, including bench warrants, are a long-standing issue for many police forces around the world; notably relating to persons actively seeking to evade detection and where limited identification information might be available to support enforcement.  These difficulties are compounded where the warrant has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Direct Provision System (30 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: Due to a lack of spare capacity within my Department’s accommodation portfolio, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) has had no other recourse but to contract bed spaces in hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses to meet demand. The premises referred to by the Deputy is one of those premises contracted on an emergency basis.  As it is not...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Advertising (30 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy within the time allowed. I will write to the Deputy to provide this information as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Eligibility (30 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I am advised by the Citizenship Division of my Department that no application for a certificate of naturalisation has been received from the person concerned. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can only be made after an application is received. Every application is considered on its individual merits.  It is open to...

Perjury and Related Offences Bill [Seanad] 2018: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (29 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Regional Group of Deputies for moving the motion in the House this evening. I am pleased to inform the House that the Government supports the motion and is fully committed to enacting the Perjury and Related Offences Bill 2018 as soon as possible. The importance the Government attaches to this legislation is reflected in our commitment to enact it in the current programme for...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Maternity Leave (29 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the law now stands, a mother is entitled to paid maternity leave of up to 26 weeks, and up to a further 16 weeks of unpaid leave.  Any amendment to the legislation governing the provision of maternity leave, which falls under my responsibility, would require primary legislation.  The provision of maternity benefit  is under the remit of the Minister for Employment...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Direct Provision System (29 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 262 together. The International Protection Procurement Services (IPPS) unit of the Immigration Service Delivery function of my Department is responsible for the procurement, contract management, inspection and payments functions associated with the accommodation provided to persons seeking international protection. The two tables...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Citizenship Applications (29 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be 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. As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Crime Prevention (29 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: I am aware of the newspaper article referred to by the Deputy. I can inform the Deputy that the audit referenced in the article was commenced by my Department in 2019 and is currently being finalised. The funding provided by my Department to the organisation referenced in the article is used to support rural communities in the fight against crime and to develop...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Visa Applications (29 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: In March, the Immigration Service Delivery function of my Department temporarily suspended the processing of all non-priority visas due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This included processing in our seven Visa Offices stationed abroad and in Irish consular missions. A limited resumption of visa services commenced from 22 June 2020. During this initial resumption...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Covid-19 Pandemic (29 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Border Management Unit (BMU) of my Department has responsibility for securing Ireland’s border at Dublin Airport in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration Acts and Orders as they relate to entry and refusal of entry to the State. The Unit has also been collecting and checking Public Health Passenger Locator Forms at Dublin Airport, and undertaking follow-up phone...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Freedom of Information (29 Jul 2020)

Helen McEntee: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Due to the timeframe for processing requests under the FOI Act, there will always be a number of live cases on hand at the end of each month which are carried forward.  This also applies to cases on hand at the end of each year which have to be finalised in the following calendar year. 2020...