Results 1,961-1,980 of 3,777 for speaker:Marc Ó Cathasaigh
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Impact Assessments (25 May 2023)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh: When will the Department's review of the environmental impact assessment, EIA, agriculture regulations commence? Once it commences, will the Minister require screening of all hedgerow removal, land drainage and conversion of land to agricultural use, regardless of the scale of such operations, while such a review is ongoing?
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Impact Assessments (25 May 2023)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I will be very brief. It is very welcome that that has been launched today. However, there is still a need for that screening process. I have raised the issue of hedgerows with the Minister of State again and again. People need to exceed 500 m before that screening process kicks in. What we are worried about is that, over the consultation period, people will take advantage of what will...
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: This raises questions about the immigrant investor programme. I am glad the programme has concluded and has been wound up. In response to one of Deputy Dillon’s questions, it was stated that in 2022, there was a marked increase in applications, which rose to 1,316. The obvious question, particularly in terms of security concerns, is whether we have geographic information on where...
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It would be interesting if the Department could furnish the committee with particulars for 2022. Clearly, a specific concern arose in 2022 that led to a response.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: In terms of identifying security risks, I imagine geographic characteristics would come into the thinking.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: The Department stated 950 applications were received in 2023, which seems an extraordinary figure.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Wow.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Yes, the figure of 950 is what I have in front of me but it is over 1,300. We had a watershed in February, when we announced the scheme's closure. How many arrived before that and how many after? Are any applications received after the closure of the scheme being considered? Have any been approved?
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Does that figure of 1,350 applications mean that all of them were received before 15 February or have they still come into the consideration process because they were-----
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It is an astonishing number for so early in the year.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Roughly 3,000 on hand, all told. I am sure there are more questions to be asked there but I have many other things I need to get to. I have a question about international protection, the growth in staffing in particular and the impact that has had on processing times. The Minister, Deputy Harris, spoke on this in the Dáil Chamber on Tuesday. We have gone from 206 staff to 299 and...
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I had a question to ask about the naturalisation of minors. Probably in common with many others here, I have had representations from people whose parents have been naturalised and are working in the health system. In this case, the youngest child is an Irish citizen. We have massive delays. A response I got to a parliamentary question stated it was 19 to 23 months for a straightforward...
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It was not long ago that I last asked that question. I do not have the date.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It ought to be and yet they are taking a long time.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I have digressed a bit, which is my own fault. I wish to return to the international protection issue. We have seen significant numbers of extra staff coming in. I feel strongly, probably in common with many other people, that if somebody arrives here and makes an international protection and asylum application, that should be processed as quickly as possible, whatever the answer will be...
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I want to squeeze in one more topic.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I am looking at the clock and it is running down on me. I want to ask a question about county registrars. I tabled a couple of parliamentary questions on this matter. The clue is in the name. We should have at least 26 country registrars. I am of the view that the work they do is effective. We know their role in the count centres, which is where most politicians run into a county...
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: They are.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: We have 17.
- Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023) Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Seventeen have been sanctioned and there are three vacancies. We have 14 serving as per the response to my most recent parliamentary question.