Results 1,841-1,860 of 10,120 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: CCTV schemes are currently governed by section 38 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Síochána (CCTV) Order 2006 (SI 289 of 2006), GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. The Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Act 2023, which was signed into law in December 2023, provides for a new regime for the authorisation and operation of CCTV schemes. In...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: 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 and National/Specialist Units. As Minister, I have no direct role in this matter. The Government is committed to providing An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: 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, particularly considering the current processing times. I want to assure anyone who has an application for naturalisation submitted that the Citizenship Division of my Department is doing everything...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that the visa application referred to was refused and this decision was upheld by the Visa Office on appeal. The reasons for the refusal of the appeal were outlined to the person in a letter issued on 1 December 2024. I appreciate that this decision has likely caused disappointment. However, I can advise that is still open to person concerned to apply again for an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Projects (4 Mar 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 Commission's report recommended the establishment of national and local structures to bring together the relevant departments and State agencies involved in harm...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Tackling drug dealing and associated criminal activity is a top priority for An Garda Síochána and the Government. The Government is investing record amounts into An Garda Síochána to target those involved in the sale and supply of illegal drugs through Operation Tara. Operation Tara has a strong focus on tackling street-level dealing across the country, and also seeks to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the operational policing response to burglary and Operation Thor is An Garda Síochána's national response to burglary. Operation Thor actively targets organised crime gangs and repeat offenders through co-ordinated crime prevention and enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest burglary trends. One focus area of Operation...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the operational policing response to burglary and Operation Thor is An Garda Síochána's national response to burglary. Operation Thor actively targets organised crime gangs and repeat offenders through co-ordinated crime prevention and enforcement activity based on intelligence and the latest burglary trends. One focus area of Operation...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Projects (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: At the outset, it is important to note that, as Minister, I do not comment on individual Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) applications. The 'applicant' in the IIP process is the proposed investor and not the project owner. The State has no responsibility in relation to the delivery of any project or the performance of an investment under the Programme; these are a private matter between...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As Minister for Justice, I am acutely aware of capacity restraints in our prisons. I have already engaged with the Irish Prison Service on this issue and the Government has committed to increasing capacity of our prisons by 1,500 over the course of five years. This work has already commenced. The number of people in custody as of 3 March 2025 is outlined in the table below. These statistics...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Ireland is, in general, a diverse and welcoming country, but regrettably there is a small minority who subject others to abuse or attack resulting from their own prejudice. This behaviour cannot and will not be tolerated and anyone subjected to crimes motivated by homophobia should report it to An Garda Síochána. The Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024 came into force, in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that an extensive consultation process has taken place with stakeholders, including other Government Departments, Government agencies, representative bodies in the licensed trade, businesses, public health bodies and advocacy groups, charitable organisations, consumers and communities in relation to the proposed legislation. Public health is a key consideration in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Programmes (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Programme for Government commitment referred to by the Deputy relates specifically to the information-sharing database that Banking & Payments Federation Ireland plans to develop on behalf of its members. The proposed database will allow participating financial institutions to share certain information for the purposes of helping to identify and prevent fraud. Legal advice...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Judicial Appointments (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As Minister for Justice, it is a priority for me, and for my Department, to ensure that the courts are resourced to administer justice efficiently and effectively. In accordance with Articles 13.9 and 35.1 of the Constitution, judicial appointments are made by the President, acting on the advice of the Government. The assignment of judges is the responsibility of the respective...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Programmes (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is important to note that under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions. Furthermore, the scheduling of individual court cases and the allocation of court business are entirely matters for the Presidents of the Courts and the presiding judges who are, under the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Programmes (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: My Department works closely with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to ensure that Ireland's labour market migration arrangements are fair, efficient and meet the needs of our economy and society. Currently, a person from outside the European Economic Area wishing to work in Ireland must make an application to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The management of trees is a matter that cuts across the legislative remit of a number of Departments, for example those dealing with Forestry, Roads, Planning and Development as well as National Parks and Monuments. The Roads Act 1993 provides that an owner or occupier of land shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that a tree is not a potential hazard to persons using a public road....

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Process (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Defamation (Amendment) Bill has been restored to the Order Paper in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to restore the existing Bill. My officials are working closely with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel to the Government to settle the text of amendments to be brought forward at Committee Stage. I am committed to progressing this Bill to enactment as a matter of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (4 Mar 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 Commission's report recommended the establishment of national and local structures to bring together Departments and State agencies involved in harm prevention to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (4 Mar 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: An application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division of my Department. To be fair to all applicants, applications are dealt with in chronological order of receipt. My Department endeavours to process applications as quickly as possible. However, processing times may vary due to a number of factors, such as the...