Written Answers Nos. 577-595
577. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice if she is considering a scheme similar to Operation Encompass being rolled out in Northern Ireland for children that are victims of domestic violence incidents to inform their schools in order that a holistic approach can be taken to their support and recovery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7676/22]
View answerI am committed to continue to work with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, An Garda Síochána and Tusla on examining the feasibility of introducing elements of the Operation Encompass approach to this jurisdiction. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is taking the lead role in examining this issue.
This will be considered further as part of the new strategy to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. As this is a child protection and welfare issue primarily, the Department of Children has lead responsibility in leading policy development in this area.
There are differences between the legal and constitutional position in this jurisdiction and the UK, and we will continue to examine if elements of the Operation Encompass approach can be adapted.
I can inform the Deputy that, in October 2020, having received correspondence from the Children's Ombudsman, Department officials consulted with An Garda Síochána in relation to the practicality of a child protection initiative along the lines of Operation Encompass, which was operating in England and Wales.
Operation Encompass involves the police service making immediate notification, within 24 hours, directly to teachers/principals after they have been called to a domestic violence incident in which children were a factor. The practice in the UK which involves police and teacher collaboration, differs from how cases are dealt with in this jurisdiction where there is contact with social services, or Tusla.
One key factor to bear in mind is that Children First does not operate in the UK and it would appear that there is limited interaction between police and social services except where a crime is disclosed. In contrast, in this jurisdiction, Garda policy provides that Tusla are to be notified of every domestic abuse-related incident affecting or involving children, which is not the case in other jurisdictions.
578. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice the number of incident types recorded on the Garda PULSE system under the Mental Health Act 2001 detained under category in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7709/22]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible, by law, for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, and as Minister, I have no direct role in the matter.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that a search of the PULSE database was conducted on 10 February 2022 to identify any incident of type ‘Mental Health Act (detained under)’ reported nationwide and found that a total of 6,315 such incidents were recorded during 2021.
The Deputy should note that these figures are based on data obtained from PULSE on 10/2/2022. All figures are operational and liable to change.
579. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the current and expected residency status and eligibility for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); if they are eligible to apply to the scheme for the undocumented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7731/22]
View answerThe person referred to by the Deputy was granted a Family Reunification permission to enable them to enter, remain and reside in the State on 22 May 2001. They last held a valid permission in the State in 2019 and therefore do not meet the published eligibility criteria for the Regularisation Scheme for Long-Term Undocumented Migrants living in the State.
It is open to the person concerned to write to the Family Reunification Division of my Department at: Family Reunification Unit, Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Justice, 13/14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, D02 XK70. They should provide their name, person ID number and current address, to obtain a letter to present to their local immigration office to renew their Irish Residence Permission (IRP) card.
It is also open to the person concerned to apply for citizenship once they are satisfied that they meet the statutory requirements. Further information on applying for naturalisation is available on my Department's website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/.
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 (inisoireachtasmail@justice.ie) 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.
581. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide a schedule of the organisations and or groups she has consulted with as part of the review into Part IV of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017; and if she has directly engaged with all stakeholders as part of the review. [7735/22]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, my Department contracted an independent expert, Ms Maura Butler, to undertake the review of Part 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017.
The terms of reference for the review are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Terms_of_Reference_-_S7a_ReviewCJ(SO)Act_2017.pdf/Files/Terms_of_Reference_-_S7a_ReviewCJ(SO)Act_2017.pdf
While it was for the expert to design the precise methodologies for engaging with stakeholders as part of the review, the Terms of Reference explicitly confirm that the participation and inclusion of persons engaged in prostitution and persons who have been victims of human trafficking will be sought.
An online survey was used as part of a public consultation process and written submissions were invited from any individual or stakeholders who wished to share their views, addressing the Terms of Reference.
I can advise the Deputy that as the review is being conducted independently of the Department, the Department did not review the submissions received or participate in any of the engagements.
582. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the current and or expected residency status in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7736/22]
View answerThe person referred to by the Deputy has permission to remain in the State on stamp 3 conditions until 24 September 2022.
It is open to them to attend at their local immigration office prior to the expiry of their current permission, in order to renew their permission to remain in the State.
583. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice the progress that has been made to date in respect of the determination of an application for citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7745/22]
View answerThis application for naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy, continues to be 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 in due course.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
In addition, the combined impact of the 2019 High Court judgment in the Jones case and the necessary health restrictions arising from the pandemic, has unfortunately resulted in the processing time for standard applications increasing.
However, my Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times.
Last year, my Department made 11,512 citizenship decisions, the highest level achieved since 2015. Additional staff have also been assigned to the citizenship team. Based on these measures, my Department's objective is to achieve an improved timeframe of 6-9 months for decisions on a majority of applications during 2022.
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 at: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, 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 Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
584. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice the progress that has been made to date in respect of the determination of an application for citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7746/22]
View answerThis application for naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy, continues to be 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 in due course.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
In addition, the combined impact of the 2019 High Court judgment in the Jones case and the necessary health restrictions arising from the pandemic, has unfortunately resulted in the processing time for standard applications increasing.
However, my Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times.
Last year, my Department made 11,512 citizenship decisions, the highest level achieved since 2015. Additional staff have also been assigned to the citizenship team. Based on these measures, my Department's objective is to achieve an improved timeframe of 6-9 months for decisions on a majority of applications during 2022.
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 at: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, 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 Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
585. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice the progress that has been made to date in respect of the determination of an application for citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7747/22]
View answerThis application for naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy, continues to be 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 in due course.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
In addition, the combined impact of the 2019 High Court judgment in the Jones case and the necessary health restrictions arising from the pandemic, has unfortunately resulted in the processing time for standard applications increasing.
However, my Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times.
Last year, my Department made 11,512 citizenship decisions, the highest level achieved since 2015. Additional staff have also been assigned to the citizenship team. Based on these measures, my Department's objective is to achieve an improved timeframe of 6-9 months for decisions on a majority of applications during 2022.
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 at: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, 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 Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
586. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice her views on the conclusions found in a report by an organisation (details supplied) that indicates there has been little change or regress and a worsening of many aspects of prison life; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7754/22]
View answerOversight and evaluation are important elements in developing and improving our penal system. Therefore, I welcome the recent publication by the organisation in question and I thank them for this valuable work.
The report and its conclusions are being examined by my officials in detail.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government contains a broad range of policies and proposals that represent a coherent approach to enhancing and sustaining a more just and safe society with a specific commitment to review policy options for prison and penal reform.
In delivering on this commitment my Department is undertaking a number of important pieces of work that will address some of the issues considered in this report.
The report of the cross-sectoral group tasked with undertaking a review of policy options for prison and penal reform is expected to be published shortly.
The High Level Task Force on Mental Health which is looking at how best to care for people with mental health issues who come into contact with the criminal justice system, produced an interim report in Q4 2021 and a high level implementation plan is expected to be presented to me and other relevant Ministers in Q1 of this year.
Preparation of the legislation necessary to ratify the Optional Protocol to the U.N. Convention against Torture is advanced and my Department is leading on the preparation for a General Scheme of Places of Detention Bill which is expected to be published shortly, subject to Government approval. It will then be referred for drafting in the normal course.
The important work of the Prisons Visiting Committees is recognised and the Programme for Government commits to reviewing the existing function, powers, appointment procedures and reporting processes for these Committees. A Review Team was established in September 2020 to take this commitment forward and their work is ongoing.
Work to introduce a new Prisoner Complaints System is also ongoing and I can advise the Deputy that substantial work has been completed on the necessary actions to introduce this new system. This includes staff training, the development of an integrated IT system to support case handling and a draft policy for complaints handling. Engagement with the OPC with a view to completing work on the required Statutory Instrument is ongoing as is engagement with relevant stakeholders, including the Office of the Ombudsman in preparation for its future operation.
I want to emphasis that throughout the pandemic, everyone involved in the Prison Service have worked tirelessly to ensure effective infection control measures are in place while at the same time continuing to provide a range of rehabilitative support services for prisoners in custody. Covid related restrictions and changes in regime, however necessary, unavoidably impacted the lives of those in custody. Restrictive measures have been modified in line with the various announcements made by Government and in line with advice from Public Health/HSE and the Irish Prison Service National Infection Control Team.
I am informed that the Prison Service intends to continue to review remaining restrictions on an ongoing basis and the unwinding of these measures will be determined by the level of risk posed to prisons at that time and taking account of Government decisions.
587. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the steps her Department is taking to ensure that Ireland meets the target of reducing the prison population to 50 per 100,000 of the population; and the proposed timeline for achieving same. [7758/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, Ireland's prison population, while higher than the target of 50 per 100,000 which was proposed by the Irish Penal Reform Trust, is low by international standards.
As the Deputy will also know, significant action was taken to reduce the prisoner population in March 2020 to ensure that effective infection control was possible across the estate. However, prior to that period, a consistent increase in the number of people in custody and prison overcrowding was a feature in a number of areas, especially for women and remand prisoners.
Non-custodial penalties, particularly supervised community sanctions, play a significant and important role in addressing criminality, reducing reoffending and providing a degree of protection to the public. This is supported by Central Statistics Office figures on recidivism.
The Programme for Government 2020 contains a broad range of policies and proposals that represent a coherent approach to enhancing and sustaining a more just and safe society with a specific commitment to review policy options for prison and penal reform.
Justice Plan 2021 commits to the publication of a Penal Policy Action Plan. Work is at an advanced stage and I hope to be in a position to publish this plan in the coming period.
588. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if her Department will review of the impact of the Criminal Justice (Community Service) (Amendment) Act 2011 particularly as this relates to the use of short custodial sentences. [7759/22]
View answerNon-custodial penalties, particularly supervised community sanctions, play a significant and important role in addressing criminality, reducing reoffending and providing a degree of protection to the public. This is supported by Central Statistics Office figures on recidivism.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government 2020 contains a broad range of policies and proposals that represent a coherent approach to enhancing and sustaining a more just and safe society with a specific commitment to review policy options for prison and penal reform.
Justice Plan 2021 commits to the publication of a Penal Policy Action Plan. As part of this work, a cross-sectoral group which includes the Head of Criminal Justice Policy in my Department, the Director-General of the Irish Prison Service and the Director of the Probation Service, was established last year.
The completion of the review of the Community Service (Amendment) Act 2011 and the use of short custodial sentences forms part of this group’s ongoing work on penal policy. I hope to be in a position to publish a new Penal Policy Plan in the coming period.
589. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the timeline for achieving single-cell occupancy for all prisoners in the Irish prison system. [7777/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware the prison estate comprises a mix of institutions ranging from closed prisons, open prisons, semi-open prisons and remand facilities. This mix of accommodation enables the Service to provide a varied prison regime where progression through the system assists prisoners to prepare for release from custody on completion of a custodial sentence.
The provision of single cell accommodation for all prisoners, while desirable, is not currently possible due to the existing capacity within the prison estate, and current levels of committals. The Deputy many be aware that there are approximately 3,300 usable cells in the estate with about 3,800 people in custody at any one time.
It is also the case that the number of people in custody is subject to increasing and decreasing trends and prior to the onset of the pandemic there were over 4,200 prisoners in custody.
Data from the last published cell occupancy census carried out by the Prison Service indicates that 56% of prisoners in custody are accommodated in single cell accommodation.
The Deputy may also wish to note that some prisoners are accommodated in multi-occupancy cells for reasons other than capacity and some prisoners, at committal stage, indicate a preference to share a cell with another person who may be known to them.
All prisoners are assessed by prison management on committal with regard to their suitability for sharing a cell.
The need to ensure the availability of modern prison facilities with adequate capacity will be central to the development of the new Irish Prison Service Capital Strategy 2023, against the background of the work underway as part of the Programme for Government to develop policies and proposals to review policy options for prison and penal reform, including the effective and appropriate use of non-custodial sanctions.
590. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Justice if she will address a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding parental alienation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7804/22]
View answerTo better inform further discussion on parental alienation, my Department arranged for research to be carried out. Following a competitive tender process in May, research commenced on this important work in June. The aims of the research include to:
- Identify the various definitions and characteristics of parental alienation being used internationally.
- Investigate what is known about the prevalence of this issue (in Ireland or internationally) through examination of the literature.
- Identify and outline the various approaches and responses being taken in other jurisdictions to deal with the issue of parental alienation (legislative and otherwise).
- Describe, outline and evaluate any studies which have examined the effectiveness of these various international approaches and assess the relevance of these studies to the Irish context.
I am pleased to say that a draft report was received by my Department at the end of November and is now being reviewed. It is also my intention to commence a public consultation on the topic in the coming weeks. Both the research and consultation will, I expect, create a deeper understanding of the issue, and inform my Department’s consideration of policy and law in this area. The best interests of the child will of course be paramount in any considerations.
I recognise that going through the breakdown of a relationship can be a difficult and traumatic time for children and parents and that reform of the current family justice system is needed to better support families through such times.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to enact a Family Court Bill to create a new dedicated Family Court within the existing court structure and provide for court procedures that support a faster and less adversarial resolution of disputes in specialised centres.
In September 2020, Government approved the drafting of a Family Court Bill along the lines of the General Scheme, which has been published. This has been referred to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel for drafting. Work is ongoing on the drafting of the Bill, with a view to its publication as soon as possible this year.
My Department is in the process of finalising a Family Justice Strategy, which will set out a high-level vision and key medium and longer-term objectives for the development of a national family justice system in parallel with the establishment of a dedicated Family Court structure as envisaged by the forthcoming Family Court Bill.
To develop the new strategy, a Family Justice Oversight Group was established by my Department. To assist its work, this Group has engaged in a phased consultation process where relevant stakeholders, the public, children and young people who engage with the family justice system gave their views on how a modernised family justice system should look.
One of the areas being considered by the Group is additional training for those working within the family justice system that would benefit all those who engage with the system. It is intended that the Family Court Bill will provide that specialist knowledge and ongoing professional training in the area of family law would be required to be appointed as a Family Court judge. A number of other issues are being considered for inclusion in the emergent Family Justice Strategy, including the availability of and access to support services; the potential use of less adversarial approaches to the resolution of disputes, where possible and appropriate; information dissemination and awareness raising; and oversight of the implementation of any proposed reforms. An action to publish the new family justice strategy will be included in my Justice Plan 2022.
As the Deputy will be aware, the courts are, subject only to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions, and the conduct of any court case is a matter for the presiding judge. For that reason, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on any specific family law case that has come before the courts.
591. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 117 of 2 February 2022, her views on whether it is best practice from a corporate governance and management perspective that An Garda Síochána is unable to provide the cost of any Garda operation; if she can request An Garda Síochána to provide a best estimate of the cost to date of Operation Foray given that this operation is being carried out by a national unit and in view of the fact that each Garda district and division operates a roster system to manage hours worked by members on specific duties and operations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7868/22]
View answerAs outlined in response to Parliamentary Questions No. 511 of 25 January 2022 and No. 117 of 2 February 2022, I have been advised by An Garda Síochána that it is not possible to provide the information sought.
As Minister, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on what is an ongoing Garda investigation.
I would, however, make the general point that An Garda Síochána has a responsibility to investigate crime without fear or favour, and that cost cannot be the determining factor in any investigation.
592. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice the name of the contractor that won the contract to provide the new Garda uniforms; the value of the contract; and the number of applicant bidders in the competition. [7870/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. As Minister, I have no direct role in the matter.
I am the advised by the Garda authorities that the successful tenderer that was awarded the contract to provide the new Garda Uniforms was James Boylan Safety Ltd. I am informed that the published estimated value of the contract is €21 million over a six-year contract term. I am further informed that there were six bidders in the competition.
593. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice the number of citizenship applications that have been finalised and determined on a monthly basis for the period January 2021 to January 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7887/22]
View answerThe statistics requested by the Deputy are set out in the table below.
|
Month |
Decisions Issued |
Cases Finalised |
|
January 2021 |
37 |
211 |
|
February 2021 |
641 |
592 |
|
March 2021 |
1,229 |
429 |
|
April 2021 |
1,446 |
1,009 |
|
May 2021 |
1,145 |
640 |
|
June 2021 |
852 |
1,424 |
|
July 2021 |
606 |
1,384 |
|
August 2021 |
580 |
751 |
|
September 2021 |
431 |
419 |
|
October 2021 |
1,593 |
962 |
|
November 2021 |
1,863 |
1,338 |
|
December 2021 |
1,424 |
2,011 |
|
January 2022 |
49 |
997 |
|
Total |
11,896 |
12,167 |
'Decisions Issued' refers to cases where a decision has been made to grant or refuse an application, or where an application is deemed to be ineligible.
'Cases Finalised' refers to approved applications where a certificate of naturalisation has been issued; along with applications refused, deemed ineligible or where the application was withdrawn by the applicant.
The two sets of figures are not directly comparable as an approval decision issued in any given month may not be finalised until later months. Applicants are encouraged to completed the temporary statutory declaration process within four weeks but some do not complete the process within this timeframe.
For a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. Processing timescales can be impacted by incomplete applications having to be returned; further documentation being required from the applicant; where the payment of the required certificate fee is awaited; or if the applicant has not been engaging with my Department.
In some instances, the input of several public agencies, both within and outside the jurisdiction is needed and the request and receipt of information from these sources can result in delays in processing some applications. Issues can also arise at the final stage of the naturalisation process, for example, where additional information comes to light which is required to be considered before a final decision is taken.
Despite these challenges, in 2021, my Department issued 11,512 citizenship decisions, which is the highest number of decisions made since 2015. My Department is also taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments.
The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times.
Based on these measures, my Department's objective is to achieve an improved timeframe of 6-9 months for decisions on a majority of citizenship applications during 2022.
594. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Justice her plans for a major overhaul of the licensing laws; the timeframe for the publication of the new intoxicating liquor Bill; if it is expected that the new Bill will abolish the requirement to buy an existing licence and extinguish it to secure a new licence via an application in the District Court; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7984/22]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to ‘modernising our licensing laws and application processes’ and my Justice Plan 2021 committed to reviewing and modernising alcohol licensing. In addition, the issue of outdated alcohol licensing legislation was a key challenge identified by stakeholders in the published report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce.
I am delivering on that commitment by preparing Heads of a General Scheme of a Sale of Alcohol Bill.
The objective of the proposed Bill is to repeal the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2018, the Registration of Clubs Acts 1904 to 2008, and the Public Dance Hall Act 1935, and to replace them with updated and streamlined provisions more suited to the 21st century.
Codifying alcohol licensing law into a single Act will make it more accessible and user-friendly for the licensed trade, courts, Gardaí and the public.
The development of this Bill will take account of concerns including on a wide range of issues including public health, public order and the interests of consumers, communities and businesses.
Last November, I launched a wide ranging consultation to seek the views of the public on the modernisation of Ireland’s licensing laws. The consultation, which ran until 21 January this year, looked at how best to update the existing laws governing the sale and regulation of alcohol in Ireland. Members of the public, academics, sectoral groups, and representative organisations were invited to complete an online survey and/or make a written submission to my Department. There was a high level of response to the consultation, with in excess of 5,000 responses received, and I would like to thank all of those who engaged with this process. My Department is now reviewing these responses.
I also plan to host a webinar in early March to give an opportunity for further discussion of the issues of concern to stakeholders including the question of whether the requirement to extinguish an existing licence when seeking a new one should be continued under the forthcoming Bill.
I intend to progress this legislation in the months ahead with a view to enacting it this year. Details of the proposed reform will be included in the General Scheme when published. I look forward to working with members of this House to bring about this important reform.
595. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in reopening Bawnboy Garda station, County Cavan; the timeline for the opening of the station; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7990/22]
View answerI have sought the information requested by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. I will write to the Deputy once that information is made available to me.
