Results 13,501-13,520 of 17,543 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: European Arrest Warrant (13 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware the European Arrest Warrant is an internal EU instrument used exclusively among Member States and subject to the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the EU and as such it ceased to apply between the EU and the UK at the end of the transition period. I can inform the Deputy that the agreement reached on the future relationship between the EU and the UK as set...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (13 Jan 2021)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 739 to 741, inclusive, together. The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible by law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. I, as Minister, have no direct role in these matters. An Garda Síochána have supplied me with the figures in the below table with regard to the use of OC ('pepper')...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Leave to Remain (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: What is sometimes referred to as an application for humanitarian leave to remain is, in fact, the submission of written representations against the making of a deportation order, as provided for under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended). As part of the consideration of any such case – leading to a decision to make a deportation order or to grant permission to remain...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 21 April 2017. 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: Youth Justice Strategy (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: The new Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to the implementation of a new Youth Justice Strategy, drawing on learnings from the Icelandic model and emphasising prevention, early intervention and inter-agency collaboration. The Deputy will be aware that my Department published a draft Youth Justice Strategy earlier this year. The draft Strategy is currently being finalised...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: An Garda Síochána has been allocated an unprecedented budget of €1.952 billion for 2021. This level of funding is enabling sustained, ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff. As a result, there are now some 14,600 Garda members and over 3,000 Garda staff nationwide. Budget 2021 will allow for the recruitment of up to 620 new Gardaí and an extra 500 Garda staff....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: At the end of November 2020, there were 484 applications on hand for 5 years or more. These cases are at various stages of processing and some involve cases where there has been no further engagement by the applicant with the Citizenship Division of the Immigration Service of my Department for some time. Citizenship Division continue to liaise with these applicants with a view to finalising...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 7 September 2018. 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: Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 476 and 477 together. My Department is aware that there have been issues in the past around the securing of registration appointments and a set of software fixes were introduced in late 2018, designed to prevent such abuses of the system. The new measures have been successful to date in preventing the block booking of appointments by third party agents....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Inspections (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Inspector of Prisons, whose independence in the exercise of her functions is provided for by law, plays a vital role in ensuring effective independent oversight of our prison system. The main function of the Inspector of Prisons is to carry out regular inspections of prisons and places of detention in Ireland. The Inspector also investigates deaths of prisoners in custody and has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Staff (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: The Irish Prison Service is committed to the provision of safe, secure and humane custody for people who are sent to prison in this State. The Deputy will be aware of their outstanding record of safeguarding those in their care during the current pandemic. The Chaplaincy Service is independent and professional, while working as part of the prison multi-disciplinary team reporting to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Online Safety (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 480 to 483, inclusive, together. The Government remains committed to improving online safety and a range of measures in this regard are included in the new Programme for Government, Our Shared Future. In addition, my Department continues to implement the commitments made under the Action Plan for Online Safety 2018-19 which fall under its remit. As the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Child Protection (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm for the Deputy that Ireland has notified the European Commission that Directive 2011/93/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHAhas been fully transposed. In response to correspondence received from the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: The COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions imposed have impacted in various ways on all persons in the State including those requiring immigration permissions. Each application is examined on an individual basis and any person requiring a renewal of their permission should submit all relevant information for consideration. The Immigration Service of my Department will take into account...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy 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. 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 relevant Local Authority, which must also act as data...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: 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 including allocation of personnel and resources. An Garda Síochána has been allocated an unprecedented budget of €1.952 billion for 2021. The significant level of funding provided over recent years...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: At the outset I would emphasise to the Deputy that prosecutions are a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions who is independent in the performance of her functions. I am informed by the Garda authorities that since the commencement of the relevant legislative provisions on 27 March 2017, the number of reported incidents of 'Brothel keeping' and 'Payment etc. for Sexual Activity with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: At the outset I would emphasise to the Deputy that prosecutions are a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions who is independent in the performance of her functions. However, to be of assistance I have asked An Garda Síochána to provide me with information regarding the number of ongoing investigations related to human trafficking. I will forward any information received...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Irish Prison Service (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: I am advised by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that all prison based employees of the Irish Prison Service are essential workers and are required to attend for duty during the Covid 19 pandemic. Due to the nature of the role played by prison service staff, the service they provide cannot be done from home. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has authorised...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (17 Dec 2020)

Helen McEntee: Due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the requirement to comply with public health guidelines, unprecedented delays are being experienced in the issuing of acknowledgment receipts and the processing and return of documentation and the updating of records in relation to new citizenship applications. During this period, the majority of staff in the Citizenship...