Thursday, 7 Oct 2021

Written Answers Nos. 341-355

Residency Permits

Questions (341)

Robert Troy

Question:

341. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice if she will address a matter in relation to a stamp three holder (details supplied). [48793/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Justice

It is open to the person referred to by the Deputy to apply for a change of immigration status from Stamp 3 to Stamp 4 if they meet the criteria for doing so. Further information on the criteria for changing immigration permission, including instructions on how to change permission are available on the Immigration Service website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-immigration-permission/changing-your-immigration-permission/.

If the person concerned does not meet the criteria for a Stamp 4 permission, it may be open to them to research the student pathway. Students on Stamp 2 permission are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week, and up to a maximum of 40 hours per week during holiday periods. Further information can be found at: www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-immigration-permission/how-to-register-your-immigration-permission-for-the-first-time/requirements-and-documents-needed/#doc.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility, [e-mail] which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.

Departmental Data

Questions (342)

Patrick Costello

Question:

342. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the breakdown of fixed charge penalty notices issued for illegal parking offences issued in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 with a breakdown of such notices issued per offence in each period, for example, parking on a footpath, parking at a bus stop, parking on a cycle lane and so on. [48835/21]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I have requested the details sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities, but unfortunately it has not been possible to compile the information in time. I will contact the Deputy directly when this information is to hand.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

I refer to your Parliamentary Question (No. 342 of 7 October 2021 ) where you sought: “….the breakdown of fixed charge penalty notices issued for illegal parking offences issued in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 with a breakdown of such notices issued per offence in each period”.

As you will recall, I sought the information you requested from the Garda authorities and undertook to contact you again once the report was to hand.

The table below, furnished to me by the Garda authorities, outlines the yearly breakdown of instances in which a party was issued with a Fixed Charge Notice for the offences of illegal parking.

It is worth noting these figures are taken from PULSE as of 30/09/2021; they are operational and liable to change. Figures for groups with less than 10 records are not included.

	2018	2019	2020	2021
Parking in a space designated for public service vehicles	4927	4495	2684	1411
Park in a Clearway/Disabled Bay	3410	3703	2842	2124
Parking on double/single/continuous white/yellow line	14502	14447	15898	11175
Parking in a restricted parking area	434	385	370	287
Parking close to road junction	427	423	411	257
Parking in a manner that obstructs an emergency vehicle	61	44	34	28
Parking in a manner that obstructs the entrance/exit to a premises/school	306	308	318	228
Parking too close to a pedestrianised zone/crossing	137	124	111	65
Parking too close to traffic lights	31	23	15	<10
Parking on a footway/margin/median strip/trading area	5667	5439	5789	5152
Parking in a manner that obstructs/interferes with/endangers the flow of traffic	1303	1408	2051	1935
Dangerous Parking	59	52	43	36

I hope that this information is of assistance.

Departmental Priorities

Questions (343)

Neale Richmond

Question:

343. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice the steps she is taking to promote high-visibility policing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48853/21]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to ensuring that there is strong, visible policing right across Ireland. Prioritising visible policing in rural and urban communities will ensure community policing is at the forefront of our police service and an integral strand of our social contract with the public.

To this end, An Garda Síochána has an unprecedented budget of €1.952 billion in 2021. This level of funding is supporting the ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff. There are now approximately 14,400 Garda members and over 3,300 Garda staff nationwide.

Although the budget was available for the recruitment of 600 Gardaí this year, the Commissioner has indicated that, due to the impact of the pandemic restrictions in Templemore, Garda recruitment is likely to total approximately 450 trainees spread over four intakes this year. Three of these intakes have already commenced training and the final intake are due to commence next month.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is introducing the new Garda Operating Model, which is designed to make each Division the central unit of policing administration, rather than the current smaller District model. This is to provide a more comprehensive and inclusive policing service and will help strengthen the focus on community policing. As part of this process, trained Gardaí are freed up from desk duties and redeployed to front line policing.

The Government is committed to delivering on the report of the Commission for the Future of Policing in Ireland (CoFPI), which acknowledges that policing and community safety are not the sole responsibility of the Gardaí but require a whole of Government approach.

As the Deputy will be aware, my Department recently published the General Scheme of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill. This Bill will improve the performance and accountability of our policing and security services, and support the human rights of all people throughout Ireland to be and feel safe in their communities. It will represent the most wide ranging and coherent reform of policing in a generation.

The Bill has four main objectives:

1. Make the prevention of harm and protection of people who are vulnerable or at risk, and the safety of communities, a “whole of government” responsibility,

2. Strengthen and consolidate independent, external oversight of An Garda Síochána,

3. Enhance the internal governance of An Garda Síochána and the role of the Garda Commissioner as CEO, and

4. Improve the independent oversight of our national security infrastructure.

This Bill has been developed on the basis of the recommendations of CoFPI following its fundamental in-depth review and builds on the work of the Policing Authority.

The Commission found that community safety requires a whole of Government approach in partnership with local communities. My Department has been developing a new Community Safety Policy and this new policy will be given a statutory basis in the Bill. To support and inform the policy, three Local Community Safety Partnerships are being piloted in Dublin’s North Inner City, Waterford and Longford and will run for the next two years.

Local Community Safety Partnerships are designed to take a holistic approach to safety issues in partnership with the community. The Partnerships will allow local communities to identify issues of particular concern within their area and work with the relevant State services to develop a local Community Safety Plan to specifically tackle these issues. The Local Community Safety Partnerships will be rolled out nationwide to all local authority areas after the pilot phase of two years.

I am very aware of recent incidents of anti-social behaviour in on our communities. I met senior members of An Garda Síochána and representatives of businesses in Dublin city centre, as well as local representatives, in recent weeks to discuss the issue of anti-social behaviour in the city. I will be in continuing contact with An Garda Síochána and others as we progress through the autumn and winter on the actions being taken to ensure people feel safe in Dublin and other towns and cities.

An Garda Síochána continues to implement high visibility policing plans to address public disorder related issues and anti-social behaviour, with particular overt and targeted policing of public places at times when public order incidents and anti-social behaviour typically increase, such as at bank holidays weekends.

As the Deputy will be aware, in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, an Expert Forum on Anti-Social Behaviour has been established, chaired by Minister of State James Browne. This forum considers the effectiveness of existing legislation and proposes new ways forward, including new powers for An Garda Síochána and additional interventions to support parenting of offenders. A sub-group of the forum has already considered measures which can be taken with regard to the misuse of scramblers and quad bikes in communities and similar sub groups can also be established for other issues where appropriate. For example, a further subgroup on the issue of knife crime has now been established and had its first meeting on 28 September.

Cybersecurity Policy

Questions (344)

Neale Richmond

Question:

344. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice if she will determine the steps the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau are taking in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders in response to the rise in phishing over the past year and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48855/21]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I can assure the Deputy that the criminal activity known as 'phishing' or 'smishing', as well as all fraudulent calls are taken very seriously by my Department and is the subject of on-going engagement between An Garda Síochána, telecoms service providers and the banking and technology industries.

I am informed that the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau proactively engages with telecommunications providers to suspend VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) numbers which are suspected of being used to commit fraud and it is the experience of An Garda Síochána that telecommunication companies based in Ireland will provide assistance in the suspension of such numbers upon notification that they are being used to commit fraud offences. I would therefore urge people to notify the Gardaí if they are contacted by someone they suspect to be trying to defraud them.

In addition, GNECB have also conducted enquiries on websites suspected of being involved in fraud and have suspended websites that were being used to target Irish residents.

Both the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau continue to engage with telecommunications service providers regarding the kinds of scam raised by the Deputy and the identification of the persons involved.

I understand that GNECB actively engages with the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) and the Irish Telecommunications Security Fraud Forum (ITSFF) with regard to providing advice and assistance relating to all cybercrime threats. This engagement is ongoing in relation to disrupting suspected fraudsters' ability to target unsuspecting victims through SMS (smishing) messages.

The Deputy may also be aware that October is European Cyber Security Month and the Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána will be launching a number of initiatives in the coming weeks to support this.

An Garda Síochána

Questions (345)

Neale Richmond

Question:

345. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice the amount and volume of drugs and cash seized by An Garda Síochána in each of the years 2015 to 2020 and to date in 2021, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48856/21]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, but I have not received this information in time. I will write to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

I refer to Parliamentary Question Number 345 which was for answer on 7 October 2021, where you requested to be informed of “the amount and volume of drugs and cash seized by An Garda Síochána in each of the years 2015 to 2020 and to date in 2021.”

You will recall that the information could not be obtained in the time available and my Department undertook to consult with An Garda Síochána and contact you again when the information was available.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that while drug types and values are recorded as objects on PULSE, the type of drug, and its purity, weight and value is dependent on analysis from Forensic Science Ireland (FSI), which can take some time for An Garda Síochána to receive. I am further informed that the drugs figures included in An Garda Síochána’s Annual Reports refer to the quantities of drugs analysed by FSI in each calendar year rather than data recorded on PULSE for that year.

The following table, based on information published in An Garda Síochána’s Annual Reports (2015-2020), detail the value of drugs seized for each year from 2015 to 2020.

	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Total (€’s)	46,704,240	29,706,281	71,859,695	30,696,694	30,572,365	31,404,368

The information provided to me by the Garda authorities shows that up to the 31 September 2021 controlled drugs with an estimated street value in excess of €48million have been seized in such operations conducted by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), for the year 2021. This figure is, as outlined above, subject to analysis by FSI.

I am advised that the information recorded by GNDOCB is provisional data only and relates to estimate street values of controlled drugs seized in the course of operations conducted by GNDOCB, including joint investigations conducted by GNDOCB with Customs Revenue Service.

I am further informed that a search of the PULSE database was conducted on 5 October 2021 to identify any object of sub-type ‘Cash’ associated as ‘Seized’ with any PULSE incident reported since 1 January 2015. I have been provided with the following table by the Garda authorities, containing the recorded value of each of these objects, aggregated by Garda region and reported year.

Garda Region	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021*
Dublin Region	1,008,756	2,220,499	3,199,769	3,244,288	4,453,974	7,008,632	5,606,197
Eastern Region (NEW)	314,627	336,616	3,633,155	2,440,232	1,236,526	2,886,228	1,554,733
North Western Region	481,761	343,533	545,800	648,819	761,690	3,603,526	949,652
Southern Region (NEW)	596,408	465,478	823,661	915,008	1,038,160	5,764,791	1,625,353
Grand Total (€’s)	2,401,552	3,366,126	8,202,385	7,228,348	7,490,350	19,263,178	9,735,935

*Figures to 4 October 2021.

I am advised that this information may be liable to change and that in a small proportion of incidents the value of cash seized is recorded in the narrative descriptions. I am informed that the figures provided in the above table are based solely on records where the value is recorded in the specific value field and that therefore they should not be understood as definitive total amounts.

I trust this information is of assistance.

An Garda Síochána

Questions (346)

Neale Richmond

Question:

346. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice if she has considered the examination by the Chief Justice of government spending on the courts and justice system; her views on whether the funding is sufficient; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48861/21]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

The Government is committed to ensuring the courts are adequately resourced to ensure the efficient administration of justice and continues to commit substantial resources to enable this. €158.8 million has been allocated to the Courts Service for 2021. This includes €8 million in support of the initial phase of the Courts Modernisation Programme. There has also been an additional provision of €5.7m for COVID measures to enable court sittings take place in a safe environment.

The EU Justice Scoreboard, which presents an annual overview of the justice systems of all 27 Members States, shows that Ireland’s per capita expenditure is the third highest across the EU. Irish expenditure is by far the highest of the Members States with a similar common law legal system. Irish spending has also continued to increase for every year measured in the EU Justice Scoreboard.

I also welcome the significant capital allocations granted to the Justice Sector under the National Development Plan 2021-2030, launched this week. The Government has committed to investing over €270m every year for the next five years in capital projects in the Justice Sector, which represents a significant increase on recent years.

This investment will provide for the completion of vital projects including a new laboratory for Forensic Science Ireland in Backweston, a family law complex at Hammond Lane and redevelopment work at Limerick Prison.

Throughout the pandemic, the Judiciary and the Courts Service have worked closely and innovated through the use of technology to maintain the highest level of court activity possible, with a particular focus on families, victims of domestic abuse and people who are most vulnerable at this time. I expect that the progress made on new ways of working will be maintained into the future. I know that the Courts Service and the Judiciary are committed to ensuring that as much business as possible is dealt with and I understand that the Courts Service is also working on a plan on how to deal with demands that will arise after the pandemic.

Since the easing of restrictions in May, Courts have returned to normal sittings and are dealing with all business again. Additional High Courts sat in September together with the usual scheduled sittings to deal with emergency matters. High Court Civil Jury Trials re-commenced in the Kings Inns at the end of June and will continue from 2 November in Croke Park .

A Working Group has also been established in line with the Programme for Government to consider the number of and type of judges required to ensure the efficient administration of justice over the next five years. That Group is examining the wider judicial resource needs in all courts, and is expected to report in the Spring of next year. Notwithstanding this group’s important work, Government has recently implemented an increase in the number of High Court judges from 37 to 42, with four of those appointments made this week.

Asylum Applications

Questions (347)

Colm Burke

Question:

347. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice the current position in respect of the offices which were acquired by her Department in Cork city and county over two years ago to facilitate asylum applications; the reason the facility has not opened; when the premises are likely to be brought into use; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48893/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Justice

In early 2019 the International Protection Office began exploring options to facilitate international protection interviews outside Dublin using video conference technology. One of the options explored was a building in Cork City which was due to be vacated by the Probation Service which is under the remit of my Department.

I am informed that following testing of systems in the spring of 2019, staff of the International Protection Office commenced the process of conducting interviews by video in summer 2019 in the building and the premises has been in regular use since then, with the exception of periods during the COVID-19 public health restrictions.

An Garda Síochána

Questions (348, 350)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

348. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of armed support unit raids there have been on family homes and dwellings in each of the years since 2015 to date. [48899/21]

Catherine Murphy

Question:

350. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of ASU warranted searches there have been on family homes and dwellings in each year since 2015. [48907/21]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 350 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that Garda personnel engaging in the performance of operational searches of dwellings on behalf of An Garda Síochána with the objective of combatting criminality are required to fully comply with legislative powers, human rights considerations and organisational policy in this area.

I am informed by An Garda Síochána that Regional Armed Support Units do not engage in 'standalone' operations but are deployed as a specialist resource in support of National and/or Divisional Units performing operational searches.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Regional Armed Support Units consist of Garda personnel who are highly trained and experienced in specialised tactics and operational deployment in the area of method of entry, hostage & barricade management and in the use of both lethal and less-lethal firearms in order to combat any threat arising from the use of force or firearms during such operations.

I am advised that operational requisitions submitted to Regional Armed Support Units are considered and assessed in line with operational procedures, in respect of the threat and risk posed to unarmed Garda personnel and members of the public during the performance of such operations. I am further advised that each operational requisition is assessed on its merits by utilising the Garda Decision Making Model, in line with adhering to policy, legal, human rights and ethical considerations, on a case by case basis prior to deployment of Regional Armed Support Units being sanctioned.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that data in respect of operational search activity relating to ‘family homes or dwellings’ is not collated in the manner prescribed in the Deputy's questions.

An Garda Síochána

Questions (349)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

349. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the amount her Department and An Garda Síochána have paid in compensation for damage caused during raids and searches in each of the years since 2015. [48900/21]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I have a requested a report from the Garda authorities on the matters raised by the Deputy and will contact her directly when this is to hand.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

I refer to Parliamentary Question number 349 of 7 October 2021 where you asked for the amount my Department and An Garda Síochána have paid in compensation for damage caused during raids and searches in each of the years since 2015.

You will recall that the information could not be obtained in the time available and I undertook to consult with An Garda Síochána and contact you again when the requested information was available.

As you may be aware, claims from property owners for damage caused to their properties arising from searches undertaken by An Garda Síochána are typically delegated to and managed by the State Claims Agency (SCA). Each claim is considered separately having regard to the particular facts of the case.

With regard to those claims paid by the SCA, I am advised that the information in the below table has been extracted from the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and relates to claims where the SCA has paid out damages as a result of a property damage claim arising from a raid/search carried out by An Garda Síochána for each of the requested years.

2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021 (Jan – Sept)	Total
€11,275	€24,695	€24,294	€22,747	€29,307	€17,996	€28,471	€158,785

I am informed that in some instances some more minor compensation claims in this regard have been paid directly by An Garda Síochána. I am also advised that at this time it is not possible for An Garda Síochána to disaggregate these type of payments from the overall expenditure for minor compensation claims for damage to property (not just search related) by members of An Garda Síochána.

For the Deputy’s information, the below table outlines the overall expenditure for minor compensation claims for damage to property paid directly by An Garda Síochána, in each year requested by the Deputy.

2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021 (Jan – Sept)	Total
€ 1,094	€ 5,303	€ 3,084	€ 37,477	€ 1,345	€ 4,272	€ 6,430	€ 59,005

I trust this information is of assistance.

Question No. 350 answered with Question No. 348.

An Garda Síochána

Questions (351)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

351. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí by rank suspended in 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021. [48938/21]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including all matters relating to discipline. As Minister I have no direct role in these decisions.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the below figures reflect the number of members suspended for each of the years requested by the Deputy. I am further advised that An Garda Síochána do not provide details of the ranks of members suspended, as this might identify individuals.

Year
2018	21 members suspended
2019	21 members suspended
2020	41 members suspended
2021 (as at 30.09.2021)	24 members suspended

An Garda Síochána

Questions (352)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

352. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí dismissed from the service under a disciplinary sanction by rank in 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021. [48939/21]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I have sought a report from the Garda authorities on the matters raised by the Deputy, and I will contact him directly when this is to hand.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

I refer to Parliamentary Question number 352 of 7 October 2021 where you asked for the number of Gardaí dismissed from the service under a disciplinary sanction by rank in 2018 to 2020, and to date in 2021.

You will recall that the information could not be obtained in the time available and I undertook to consult with An Garda Síochána and contact you again when the requested information was available.

As you will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including all matters relating to discipline. As Minister for Justice, I have no direct role in these matters.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that the table below outlines the number of members dismissed from the service under a disciplinary sanction by rank from 2018 to 2020, and to date in 2021.

Year	Year Total	By Rank
2018	2	2 Garda
2019	10	2 Reserve Garda 5 Garda 3 Sergeant
2020	0
2021	0

I trust this information is of assistance.

An Garda Síochána

Questions (353)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

353. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí disciplined by rank for abuse of information services within An Garda Síochána, that is phone communications, email and data recording systems such as PULSE in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and do date in 2021. [48940/21]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I have requested the information asked for by the Deputy from the Garda authorities, and I will contact him directly when this is to hand.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

I refer to Parliamentary Question number 353 of 7 October 2021 where you asked for the number of Gardaí disciplined by rank for abuse of information services within An Garda Síochána, that is phone communications, email and data recording systems such as PULSE in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021.

You will recall that the information could not be obtained in the time available and I undertook to consult with An Garda Síochána and contact you again when the requested information was available.

As you will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including all matters relating to discipline. As Minister for Justice, I have no direct role in these matters.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that three members have been found in breach of the criteria set out in your question, one member of Garda rank in 2019, and two members of Garda rank in 2020. There were no breaches under these criteria in either 2018 or to date in 2021.

I trust this information is of assistance.

Judicial Appointments

Questions (354)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

354. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of District Court judges appointed in County Kildare; the number of cases that are in a backlog to date in 2021; and the plans to increase the provision of judges at District Court level in 2021 and 2022. [48963/21]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

The Deputy will appreciate that, as Minister, I have no role in the scheduling of individual court cases and the allocation of court business. These are entirely matters for the Presidents of the Courts and the presiding judges who are independent in the exercise of their judicial functions, under the Constitution. Furthermore, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Judiciary and the Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998.

Throughout the pandemic, the Judiciary and the Courts Service have worked closely and innovated through the use of technology to maintain the highest level of court activity possible, with a particular focus on families, victims of domestic abuse and people who are most vulnerable at this time. I expect that the progress made on new ways of working will be maintained into the future. Since the easing of restrictions in May, the Courts Service informs me that courts have returned to normal sittings and are dealing with all business again.

To be of assistance to the Deputy, I have made enquiries with the Courts Service and I am advised that while the District Court throughout the country remained open for business during the Covid-19 pandemic, non-essential work was postponed due to Government public health restrictions. Unfortunately, this impacted on waiting times across the country including in Kildare. Waiting times can vary between Districts and within District Court areas.

The assignment of District Court Judges to Districts, including Kildare, is a matter for the President of the District Court. I understand there is one Judge currently assigned to District No. 25 (Co. Kildare).

A Working Group has been established in line with the Programme for Government to consider the number of and type of judges required to ensure the efficient administration of justice over the next five years. That Group is examining the wider judicial resource needs within all courts, and is expected to report in the Spring of next year.

The Government is committed to ensuring adequate resources for the courts in order to maintain access to justice for all citizens. The Courts Service received a €10 million increase in its capital budget last year, which has given flexibility for strategic infrastructural investment including in relation to ICT and accommodation. This commitment was reinforced with the highest ever budgetary allocation for the justice sector including €158.8 million for the Courts Service for 2021 including €8 million for the new Courts Modernisation Programme, and an additional provision of €5.7m for COVID measures to enable court sittings take place in a safe environment.

Immigration Status

Questions (355)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

355. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date that has taken place in the case of a person (details supplied); if a particular person or persons have been given the responsibility to restore the case to its previous status other than the repeated intention to deport which would be totally at variance with previously established humanitarian standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49001/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Justice

The person referred to is the subject of a Deportation Order made on 1 February 2019. However, they made a request on 23 October 2020, under section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), to have that Order revoked and this will be considered as soon as possible. The decision will be that the existing Deportation Order will be either ‘affirmed’ or ‘revoked’.

As a person subject to a Deportation Order, they are legally obliged to comply with any reporting obligations placed on them by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) during this time.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility ([e-mail]) which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.