Results 1,481-1,500 of 15,060 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities, and strengthening An Garda Síochána is at the core of that. We will continue to provide An Garda Síochána with the resources it needs to ensure communities around Ireland are safe and feel safe, including to invest in recruitment, in equipment and technology and in buildings. This is reflected in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Correspondence (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy that correspondence has been received by my Department. As the Deputy will appreciate, due to data protection, I am not in a position to comment on the contents of correspondence from members of the public. I can say that a response from my Department has issued previously to the individual concerned, outlining the reasons as to why I am unable to intervene in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: Section 13 of the Surveillance Act 2009 makes provision for the confidentiality of information in connection with the operation of the Act. In accordance with section 12 of that Act, a designated judge is appointed to review the operation of a number of the sections of the Act including those related to approvals for the deployment of tracking devices. The designated judge reports to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Reunification (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: The Family Reunification application for the person referred to by the Deputy has been received by my Department and continues to be processed at this time. All applications are processed in chronological order. The speed in which a decision can be made largely depends on the quality of the application received. My Department will continue to engage with the applicant for any further...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: It is a priority for my Department to ensure that the courts are resourced to administer justice efficiently and effectively. The Government endeavours to fill judicial vacancies at the earliest opportunity. There is currently one vacancy in the Supreme Court and it has become practice over the past years to maintain that vacancy. In December 2020, the then Chief Justice confirmed that...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the deployment of Garda members throughout the State. I am informed by the Garda authorities that a distribution model is used which takes into account all relevant factors including population, crime trends and the policing needs of each individual Division. I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that personnel...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can advise the Deputy that 173,363 visa applications were received in 2024 to 29 October 2024. In the same period in 2023, my Department received 142,789 applications. This reflects an increase of 21%, compared to the same period in 2023, with 30,574 additional applications received. The vast majority of visa applications are determined in a matter of weeks. However, some applications, in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 729 to 731, inclusive, together. As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is operationally responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. This includes all operational and investigative policing matters. As Minister, I have no role in these matters and cannot seek to direct the Commissioner in relation to them. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: The State Claims Agency (SCA) manages personal injury and third-party property damage claims against the State and State authorities, including An Garda Síochána. The SCA also manages claims for legal costs against the State and State authorities. Each claim is assessed on its own merits by the State Claims Agency. As the Deputy will appreciate, I have no remit over the agency...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Agreements (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: For the information of the Deputy, the four remaining articles of the Budapest Convention to be addressed are Articles 20, 21, 33 and 34. These concern the real-time collection of traffic data, interception of content data and the mutual legal assistance provisions around both. It is my intention to address these four articles via forthcoming legislation which will overhaul the legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: For the information of the Deputy, the four remaining articles of the Budapest Convention to be addressed are Articles 20, 21, 33 and 34. These concern the real-time collection of traffic data, interception of content data and the mutual legal assistance provisions around both. It is my intention to address these four articles via forthcoming legislation which will overhaul the legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Correspondence (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, my Department is unable to publish any information that would identify any person as being an international protection applicant. This is a separate matter to the law dealing with data protection matters more generally. My officials and I are legally obliged, under Section 26 of the International Protection Act 2015, to ensure that the identity of any person...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department. I understand the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants. I want to assure anyone who has an application for naturalisation submitted that the Citizenship Division of my Department is doing everything possible to progress applications as quickly as possible. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is the accounting officer for the Garda Vote and is responsible for the economy and the efficiency of the Garda Síochána in using its resources. The Commissioner is also responsible, under Section 26 of the Act, for the management and administration of Garda business,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Support Services (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: I would like to inform the Deputy that waiving the registration fee is not possible in the situation outlined. It is only under certain circumstances that an applicant is exempt from the registration fee, which I have listed below: Under 18 at the time of registration A spouse, widow or widower of an Irish citizen A civil partner or surviving civil partner of an Irish citizen A spouse...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for the deployment of personnel and as Minister I have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this deployment under review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities to ensure optimum use is made of available resources. I am advised by the Commissioner that Garda Juvenile Liaison...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 743 and 744 together. As the Deputy will be aware, a further record-breaking increase in funding for An Garda Síochána was allocated in Budget 2025. The allocation for An Garda Síochána now stands at €2.48 billion, and has increased by 27% since 2020. This funding will support the recruitment of new Garda members, Garda staff and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Nov 2024)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 745 and 746 together. I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. Regrettably, this was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.