Results 13,321-13,340 of 17,543 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Resources (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: Under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for carrying on and managing the administration and business of the organisation as well as for the allocation of Garda resources, in light of identified operational demands.  As Minister, I have no role in those matters. I understand that the Garda Air Support Unit was established in September 1997 and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: Approximately 24,000 citizenship applications are currently being processed by my Department. In general, the current target is that it should take around 12 months for a standard application for a certificate of naturalisation to be processed from the date it is received to the date a decision is made. The average processing time for applications decided in 2020 was 13.5 months. To the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Status (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 17 September 2019. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Orders (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: Under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts 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 the number of protection orders, safety orders and barring orders granted by the courts in 2019 and 2020. I am informed by the Courts Service...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: Under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts, 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 with the Courts Service. They have informed me that all of the payments for the audio-visual technology to support remote hearings were...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 584 and 585 together. Increasing travel restrictions and the measures introduced as part of the Government’s efforts to interrupt the transmission of COVID-19 means that travel may not be possible and, even if possible, is not advisable unless absolutely essential. It is currently against the law for any person (regardless of nationality or passport) to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Training (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for carrying on and managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána. As Minister, I have no responsibility for these matters I am informed by the Garda authorities that training with regard to dealing with persons facing mental...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Irish Refugee Protection Programme Humanitarian Admission Programme (IHAP) was announced in May 2018 as part of the Government's plan to realise the full commitment of 4,000 persons agreed under the first phase of the IRPP in September 2015.  The programme allows holders of an international protection status in Ireland, (i.e. refugees with Convention or Programme Refugee status),...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Equipment (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: At the outset I wish to emphasise that the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána and its operations, including the use of protective equipment. As Minister, I have no role in these matters.  I am informed that the review of the use of anti-spit guards being conducted by An Garda Síochána is now complete, and the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: Applications for a certificate of naturalisation were received from the persons referred to by the Deputy on 31 May 2017. These applications are currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicants meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. If any...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Procedures (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána, including operational matters and the deployment of resources.  As Minister, I have no role in these matters.  I am informed by the Garda authorities that the safety of the public and Garda members is paramount and that engines are normally...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Controls (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any specific immigration case. However, the general information set out as follows will give the Deputy a sense of how any such matter might be viewed by me and my Department. The criminal laws of the State apply equally to Irish citizens, EU citizens and third country nationals, regardless of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Inquiries (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, a retired Judge, Gerard Haughton, is currently conducting the scoping exercise into the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of the late Shane O'Farrell. Judge Haughton furnished an interim report to my predecessor in November 2019. In his interim report, the Judge stated that he would not restrict or limit Shane's family in their submissions to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The records available to my Department indicate that the person referred to by the Deputy has no legal status in the State since 8 January 2020.  The person concerned is advised to write to the Immigration Service of my Department and request to regularise their position in the State. When submitting their request, they should outline their current...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Complaints Procedures (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: I have been advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that work is continuing on the completion of the necessary actions to introduce the new Prisoner Complaints System including the drafting of the Statutory Instrument which will give legal effect to the new system. Officials in my Department are continuing to engage with the Office of the Parliamentary Council and the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Visiting Committees (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may appreciate, the work of the prison visiting committees has been heavily impacted due to the COVID 19 pandemic including insofar as the timing of the  submission of the 2019 Annual reports to my Department is concerned.  The reports of the various Prison Visiting Committees were submitted over the course of 2020.  The first was received in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: A decision on the citizenship application of the person referred to by the Deputy was issued by the Immigration Service of my Department on 10 February 2017. It is open to the applicant to make a further application for citizenship. However, any new application should address the issues outlined to the applicant at that time. The person concerned has had a permission to remain in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: The visa application referred to by the Deputy was refused by the Visa Office in Abu Dhabi on 9 August 2020. The reasons for this decision were set out in the refusal letter sent to the applicants at that time. An appeal of this decision was launched on 11 October 2020. Appeals for applications of this type are processed in the order in which they are...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Accommodation (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: Under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts 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 the number of court houses that have been closed nationwide in each of the years 1997 to date in 2021. I am informed that it will take some...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (3 Feb 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Minister of State will be aware, community-based CCTV is governed by Section 38(3)(c) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and the Garda Síochána (CCTV) Order 2006 (SI 289 of 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...