Written Answers Nos. 832-851
833. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice if she will request information from the Revenue Commissioners on the total amount remitted by investors of the immigrant investor programme to Ireland before they became resident in Ireland since 2012; the total amounts remitted each year since the inception of the scheme; and the total amount of tax collected from visa holders under the immigrant investor programme. [55087/22]
View answer872. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice the total amount remitted by investors of the immigrant investor programme to Ireland before they became resident in Ireland since 2012; the total amounts remitted each year since the inception of the scheme; and the total amount of tax collected from visa holders under the programme. [55084/22]
View answer873. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide details and a copy of the second phase of an external completed review report into the immigrant investors programme (details supplied). [55085/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 833, 872 and 873 together.
The Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) was introduced in April 2012 to encourage inward investment and create business and employment opportunities in the State. The programme provides investors with the opportunity to invest in Ireland. Key to the programme is that the investments are beneficial for Ireland, generate or sustain employment and are generally in the public interest.
Applicants who are successful are issued with a pre-approval notification informing them that they have 90 days to invest their money in the State. On receipt of evidence that the funds have been invested, a final approval letter is issued advising the applicant that they have permission to reside in the State and that they should apply for the appropriate visa, if required, to facilitate travel to the State. Total investments approved from 2012 to end September 2022 is €1.178bn.
The tables below provides a breakdown of IIP applications received, approved and the value of investments since the inception of the programme to the end of September 2022.
|
Year |
Applications received |
Approved applications |
Value of Approved Investment |
|
2012 |
5 |
2 |
€1,500,000 |
|
2013 |
18 |
16 |
€12,200,000 |
|
2014 |
30 |
5 |
€2,950,000 |
|
2015 |
75 |
70 |
€38,300,000 |
|
2016 |
334 |
33 |
€18,750,000 |
|
2017 |
324 |
369 |
€250,700,000 |
|
2018 |
423 |
155 |
€138,750,000 |
|
2019 |
443 |
237 |
€209,300,000 |
|
2020 |
339 |
270 |
€188,000,000 |
|
2021 |
258 |
264 |
€185,700,000 |
|
2022* End September |
812 |
192 |
€132,100,000 |
|
TOTAL |
3061 |
1613 |
€1,178,250,000 |
Taxation is a matter for the individual and the Revenue Commissioners. It is a matter for the Revenue to assess and collect any tax due from individuals.
All immigration related programmes are kept under constant review to ensure their effectiveness and appropriateness, taking into consideration international and EU level developments.
In 2019, an audit of the IIP identified a number of actions to be undertaken, including a strategic review of the IIP. Following a tender process, a contract to carry out an external review was signed in June 2019. This review was to be carried out in two phases. The Terms of Reference for the review are published at: www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-live-in-ireland/immigrant-investor-programme-external-review
The second phase of the review has been completed and is being considered by my Department and it would not be appropriate to release the Report while still being considered.
In the meantime, applications to the IIP continue to be accepted and examined by an independent Evaluation Committee and, where assessed positively, are submitted to me for approval.
834. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Justice her views on the establishment of an online portal, in light of Assistant Garda Commissioner Paula Hilman's comments to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice meeting on 4 October 2022 that she and senior members of An Garda Síochána support the creation of an online portal for members of the public to efficiently upload dash-cam evidence of dangerous driving; if the creation of such an online portal would require primary or secondary legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54154/22]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the development and implementation of road traffic legislation and policy, including the Government's Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, and the promotion and advancement of road safety, falls within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Transport.
As regards the establishment of a dedicated online portal for the submission of video evidence of potential violations of road traffic legislation, the Deputy may be aware that the current Traffic Watch facility allows for members of the public to report driver behaviour to An Garda Síochána. Matters reported via this facility are forwarded to the relevant District Office for investigation. Similarly, citizens may make complaints to any member of An Garda Síochána or through the Garda website.
Under Action 29 of the Road Safety Strategy, An Garda Síochána will explore the potential of an online portal for road users to upload footage of road traffic offences which could assist in prosecutions. I understand that on 4 October 2022, Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman gave the Joint Committee on Justice an update on this Action, and indicated An Garda Síochána’s commitment to the portal.
In relation to whether or not an online portal will be enabled through the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022, I can inform the Deputy that the legal advice made available to me indicates that specific legislative provisions will not be required for an online portal. Section 41 of the Data Protection Act 2018 provides a lawful basis for personal data collected for one purpose to be processed for another purpose, where such onward processing is for the purpose of the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of criminal offences.
Therefore, members of the public who collect dashcam footage are entitled to pass it on to An Garda Síochána, and An Garda Síochána is entitled to process it for the law enforcement purposes mentioned. An Garda Síochána would need to process such data in line with its data protection obligations generally and would be required to put guidelines in place for dealing with the data obtained, its retention and destruction.
Road traffic enforcement remains a core policing function of An Garda Síochána. The Garda National Roads Policing Bureau ensures a consistent approach to road safety and enforcement of road traffic legislation across the country.
It is also important to emphasise that road traffic legislation is enforced as part of the day-to-day duties of all members of An Garda Síochána, in addition to the employment of specific enforcement operations.
I would of course encourage any member of the public to report any incidents of dangerous driving directly to An Garda Síochána.
835. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice if a refusal of visa can be urgently reviewed in the case of a person (details supplied) who has provided evidence of return to the Philippines, including home ownership, professional employment and family circumstances, including a child in education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54162/22]
View answerThe visa application referred to by the Deputy was refused on 05 October 2022. The reasons for this decision were set out in the refusal letter sent to the applicant at that time.
To date no appeal of this decision has been received by the Visa Office. An appeal must be submitted within 2 months of the date on the letter of refusal.
All visa applicants are advised that the onus is on them to provide as much information in support of their application as they feel is necessary. Guidelines in this regard are posted on the Immigration Service website. When making an appeal, the applicant should take into account the reasons for refusal listed in the refusal letter. The appeal should include any further information or additional documentation they wish to have considered, and should be sent for the attention of the Visa Appeals Officer, in the relevant Visa Office, where the matter will be considered afresh.
Full consideration will be given to any appeals received on behalf of the applicants, however the onus is on applicants to satisfy the Visa Appeals Officer that a visa should be granted.
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.
836. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Justice if she will establish a dedicated transport police unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54192/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the establishment of any operational policing units within the Gardaí. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.
I want to say at the outset that acts of violence and anti-social behaviour are completely unacceptable. The safety and security of both public transport passengers and staff, including arrangements to deal with anti-social behaviour, are important matters that must be managed by every public transport company, in conjunction with An Garda Síochána where appropriate. This Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, with an unprecedented allocation of over €2.14 billion in Budget 2023.
I am advised that the Commissioner has no current plans to introduce a dedicated transport police unit, as An Garda Síochána's mission of 'Keeping People Safe' extends to all areas of our communities, including public transport.
There are a number of tools at the disposal of the Garda Commissioner to respond to anti-social behaviour on public transport. Garda management engages extensively with transport operators, including the National Transport Authority, Irish Rail (DART and InterCity rail) and Transdev Ireland (Luas) to provide a high visibility presence through a coordinated approach.
I am further informed that there is ongoing communication between An Garda Síochána and the respective control centres, and access to good quality CCTV can provide assistance to Gardaí when investigating serious incidents.
I am advised by An Garda Síochána that legislation covering anti-social behaviour is sufficient for An Garda Síochána to police these incidents. There are a number of existing pieces of legislation that are available to Gardaí to tackle anti-social behaviour, including the Public Order Acts.
An Garda Síochána is also currently operating a Reduction in Assaults Strategy, which includes advertising on social media regarding the consequences of perpetrating an assault on another person.
An Garda Síochána has a range of regional and local operations in place to prevent, pre-empt and detect incidents arising.
For example, Operation Twin Tracks, a community engagement and rail safety policing initiative, is being conducted by Gardaí in partnership with other public transportation stakeholders. This Operation was launched with the purpose of providing high visibility policing of rail and light rail transport within the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) and the rail networks and train stations nationwide, and to deliver crime prevention advice to rail and light rail users.
Two days of action were held on 3 June and 29 July where high visibility patrolling operated between the hours of 3pm and 11pm on each day within the Dublin Region (Connolly and Heuston Stations) and nationwide on eight intercity routes. Local Crime Prevention Officers and Community Policing Gardaí were available to deliver crime prevention advice at community engagement/crime prevention stands at a number of stations on each of the days.
In January this year, the Garda authorities also launched Operation Saul to further support, enhance and strengthen the strategic and operational objectives of Operation Citizen, the Garda operation to reassure people that Dublin City Centre is a safe place to visit. Operation Saul aims to provide a safe environment for commuters using public transport services in the City.
837. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if her Department and all bodies under her Department's aegis have reviewed their estates portfolio in the context of identifying unoccupied buildings that may be suitable for use in the context of meeting the accommodation needs of persons arriving in Ireland from Ukraine. [54221/22]
View answer838. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number and type of unused and-or unoccupied buildings in her Department's estates portfolio and all bodies under her Department's aegis. [54239/22]
View answer852. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice if she has met with An Garda Síochána, the Probation Services and the Irish Prison Service to discuss derelict or vacant buildings in their ownership. [54452/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 837, 838 and 852 together.
I can confirm that my Department and the bodies, agencies and offices under its aegis have reviewed their portfolio of buildings. Details in relation to all unoccupied buildings have been provided to the Department of Housing in relation to Ukraine and to the Department of the Taoiseach and the Land Development Agency in the context of Housing for All.
As the Accounting Officer of An Garda Síochána, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the Garda estate, and the Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. Works in relation to Garda accommodation are therefore progressed by the Garda authorities working in close cooperation with the OPW and as Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.
Details of the unused or unoccupied buildings are as follows:
|
Office/Agency |
Number of unused/unoccupied buildings |
Type of Building |
|
Irish Prison Service |
2 |
Old Cork Prison and Thornton Hall, North Dublin |
|
Probation Service |
1 |
Former Probation Service hostel |
|
Courts Service |
9 |
Seven Courthouses, one former caretaker’s bungalow and a former fire station |
839. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice if she has ever received reports on crime detection rates from An Garda Síochána; and, if so, if she will provide the details of same. [54252/22]
View answerI receive regular updates on crime rates from the Commissioner.
However, as the Deputy will also be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) is Ireland's national statistical office and is the body with responsibility for publishing all crime statistics. The CSO produces these statistics using data recorded on An Garda Síochána’s PULSE system and makes regular releases under reservation in relation to various crime statistics. The CSO also continues to work with An Garda Síochána to address quality issues in the underlying sources used to compile the statistics.
Neither I nor my Department have any role in the compilation or dissemination of crime statistics. These can be found on the CSO website and include the quarterly Recorded Crime and Recorded Crime Detection releases.
To be of assistance to the Deputy I can confirm that the Q3 quarterly Recorded Crime statistics are due for publication by the CSO on 21 December. I can also confirm that the 2021 Recorded Crime Detection statistics are due to be published by the CSO on 17 November 2022.
I would also draw the Deputy's attention to the Commissioner's monthly reports to the Policing Authority, published on the Garda website, which also contain information on crime trends.
840. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the number of incidents of drug use, crime and antisocial behaviour around Railway Square in County Waterford. [54273/22]
View answerI have sought information from the Garda authorities in order to answer the Deputy's question, however this information was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy again when the information is to hand.
841. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice when a GNIB card is likely to issue in the case of a person (details supplied), who is awaiting a number of weeks for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54284/22]
View answerI can confirm that an application for a Stamp 4 permission from the person referred to by the Deputy was approved on 26 May 2022 and is valid until 26 May 2023. An IRP card was issued to the address on file for the applicant.
Their new address, as provided by the Deputy, has now been recorded and a new IRP card has been issued. The person concerned can expect to receive their new Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card within the next 10 working days.
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.
842. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Justice if there are data available on the number of prosecutions taken for assault of front-line health workers since the enactment of section 185 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. [54291/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Director of Public Prosecutions is the agency responsible for the prosecution of crime in Ireland. As Minister for Justice, I have no role in such matters.
As the Deputy will also be 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 for Justice, I also have no role in such matters.
However, to be of assistance, I requested related information from the Garda authorities who inform me that since the enactment of Section 185 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, there have been 29 unique charges recorded on the PULSE system whereby the person was charged with the offence of 'assault, threaten, impede, wilfully obstruct or resist a frontline health worker'.
These numbers are accurate up to 27 October 2022. Due to the low number of charges it is not possible to provide a year on year breakdown.
843. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice if she has received a work-in-progress report on the civil legal aid review; and when the review intends to accept submissions from NGOs and other bodies. [54306/22]
View answerAs committed to in my Justice Plan 2022, I recently announced a comprehensive review of the Civil Legal Aid Scheme, for the first time in its more than 40-year history. The scheme provides legal aid and advice to people of limited means in civil disputes, including in family law.
The Review Group is being chaired by a former Chief Justice, with expert membership drawn from those who work with marginalised groups, legal practitioners, academics, Department officials and representatives from the Legal Aid Board, which administers the statutory scheme.
I understand the Review Group held its first meeting on 22 June 2022, and its work is now ongoing.
As the Deputy is aware, since its establishment, the Civil Legal Aid Scheme has been a hugely significant and beneficial resource for many people. However, within those 40 years, Irish society has changed, and the demands of the scheme have grown. In order to provide maximum benefit to those it was established to serve, within the finite resources available to fund legal aid, a robust, comprehensive review of the scheme is now timely.
This review will allow for an assessment of how flexible and responsive the scheme is to the needs of those it is intended to serve. The Review Group will make recommendations for its future, including in relation to eligibility. This work is expected to take 12 months. The Review Group will report periodically to me on progress before submitting its final report once its work is completed.
As part of the review process, it is intended that there will be significant consultation, including a public consultation, to ensure that the insights of a range of stakeholders regarding the operation of the scheme – and how best to support those of limited means with legal needs – will inform the work of the Review Group. Capturing the views of those with unmet legal needs will be an important part of the Group’s consultation and engagement.
I understand that the Group has been working on its approach to the consultation and intends to issue a call for submissions from NGOs and other bodies shortly. The Group is also working on a mechanism to capture the views of those who have experience of the civil legal aid scheme or who have applied for it, as well as developing a bespoke method to capture the views of hard-to-reach groups.
I would encourage as many people as possible to participate and have their say on this important matter once the consultation opens.
Ultimately the review should map out a future for the Civil Legal Aid Scheme, one which will provide for a flexible service that has, as far as possible, the capacity and resources to respond to the priority legal assistance needs of those of insufficient means.
844. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Justice the efforts that can be made to expedite probate cases where a delay in finalising probate is resulting in properties remaining vacant; and if records are available on the number of vacant properties held up in the probate process [54343/22]
View answerManagement of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas at: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie.
Probate is an operational matter for the Courts Service. Therefore, I have referred your question to the Courts Service for their direct reply.
845. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide the gender and age breakdown of refugees and asylum seekers arriving in Ireland in each of the past five years; the number of refugees and asylum seekers who arrived in the country without a passport; the number of these who arrived through airports; and the steps her Department has taken with refugees and asylum seekers who have no passport or travel documents. [54347/22]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy with regard to the breakdown of cases by gender and age (whether the person is an adult or a minor) can be found in the attached tables. This is based on the age of the applicant at the reference period sought.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the State has a duty to protect its borders and to ensure that all arriving passengers are entitled to enter the State. This is a fundamental exercise of State sovereignty, which is necessary to protect the security of the State and to prevent illegal immigration. The exercise of powers in this area is at all times subject to the law and to respect for individual rights.
The Border Management Unit (BMU) of my Department has responsibility for frontline immigration duties at Dublin Airport only. Other ports of entry are the responsibility of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), including the border with Northern Ireland.
Immigration officials conduct passport checks on arrival to ensure passengers are properly documented in accordance with Section 11 of the Immigration Act 2004. If a person indicates or is identified as being in need of international protection, they are admitted to the international protection process.
I can inform the Deputy that in the first nine months of this year, 3,705 people arrived undocumented in Dublin airport. While these passengers should have presented documents at their point of departure, they were no longer in possession of those documents when they reached the immigration desks at Dublin airport.
In the first nine months of 2022 out of a total of 5,662 persons refused leave to land, 4,969 persons indicated an intention to claim asylum to the Border Management Unit in Dublin airport. This figure includes those who may have had valid documentation. The IPO does not collate statistics relating to applications for international protection based on whether such applicants were refused leave to land or whether a person had valid documentation upon arrival at a port of entry.
Furthermore, based on subsequent investigations to establish passenger identity, it is clear that a proportion of undocumented arrivals who claim asylum upon arrival in Ireland hold status in another member state and are likely to have travelled here on a convention travel document.
On 18 July 2022, the Government decided to temporarily suspend Ireland’s participation in the Council of Europe Agreement for the Abolition of Visas for Refugees. The temporary suspension came into operation from noon on 19 July 2022. At the same time, a revised Visa Order was introduced to require visa required refugees travelling to Ireland from participating Member States to have an Irish visa. It is too early to determine the impact of the suspension on application numbers. However, this will be closely monitored by the Department in the coming months.
This is not a decision that the Government has taken lightly. We are committed to upholding our international and EU obligations towards international protection applicants and refugees. However, where there is evidence that there may be exploitation within such systems, the Government must act swiftly to mitigate the risks, both to maintain the integrity of our immigration and international protection systems and to uphold public confidence in those systems.
My Department is examining the factors which may have contributed to the significant increase in applications for international protection and will continue to take all necessary steps to manage the international protection process efficiently and effectively, as part of the broader whole of Government response.
846. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide an update on development of the zero-tolerance plan; the timeframe for its implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54353/22]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The implementation of Zero Tolerance, our third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, has been a priority for me since it was published earlier this year.
It is an ambitious five-year programme of reform to achieve a society which does not accept DSGBV or the attitudes which underpin it.
The €363 million strategy is built on the four pillars of the Istanbul Convention framework and the accompanying implementation plan contains 144 detailed actions for implementation this year and next.
I will not be able to give an update on each action, as I am sure the Deputy can appreciate, but I am sure he will be interested to know that an updated version of the implementation plan for the Strategy, with an update on each specific action, will be published on the Department's website at a later stage.
I am also happy to provide some overarching implementation updates to the Deputy in the meantime:
- The first Interdepartmental Group meeting of the implementation bodies for the new DSGBV strategy took place on 17th October and there was an excellent response from Departments and Agencies, with updates received from the launch of the strategy in June to end of Q3.
- The Senior Officials' Group for the Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Equality met previous to this on 12 Oct and the Secretaries-General High-Level Oversight Board, which is co-chaired by Department of the Taoiseach, met last week.
- I will be meeting the wider DSGBV sector NGOs and stakeholders in person on 23 November for a debriefing/consultation session.
- I have committed to establish a new DSGBV Agency to come into operation on 1 January 2024 and my Department and Tusla have been working in close collaboration to ensure a smooth and orderly transition of DSGBV services before that date. A memorandum of understanding, to continue the
- provision of services while the new Agency is being developed, took effect on 26 June and will continue until the new Agency is up and running.
- The Programme Board to provide high level strategic oversight and monitor programme progress will meet on a monthly basis, with the first meeting having taken place on October 4th.
- The new Strategy commits to doubling the number of refuge places. This will be the fastest ever expansion of refuge spaces. By the end of the strategy, there will be over 280 refuge spaces, with additional safe house and step down accommodation also delivered. The Interdepartmental Steering Committee on DSGBV Accommodation held its first meeting on 7th of October and will manage and oversee progress of the actions necessary to deliver on these additional refuge units.
- Development of 24 refuge units is currently underway in Wexford, Dundalk and Navan and will be delivered by 2024 and there will be 98 refuge units in priority locations delivered by 2025 along with a further 19 additional and upgraded units by the end of the strategy.
Finally I would like to add that implementation of the new Strategy is backed up by a substantial funding commitment under budget 2023. Under the budget, I was able to secure an extra €9 million for 2023, a 22% increase for continuing our work to combat domestic, sexual and gender based violence.
847. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide an update on the execution of bench warrants issued to An Garda Síochána by the District Court, Dublin, sitting at Dolphin House (Family Courts 20, 40, 41, 47 and 49), including the number issued in 2022 and the number executed, in tabular form. [54354/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, management of the courts, including operational matters and logistical functions, are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998, and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. As Minister, I have no role in these matters, it is the function of the Courts Service to provide information on any orders issued by the Courts.
The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie.
To be of assistance, I have also referred the Deputy's query directly to the Courts Service.
848. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Justice the number of court trials of the Central Criminal that have been heard in Limerick courthouse since it was opened. [54394/22]
View answerManagement of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas at: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie.
Figures of this nature are recorded by the Courts Service. Therefore, I have referred your question to the Courts Service for their direct reply.
849. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Justice if she has held discussions with officials within An Garda Síochána in relation to the swimming pool in Templemore Garda college; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54399/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the management and administration of Garda business is under the remit of the Garda Commissioner under the provisions of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended). The Commissioner is also the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote under Section 43 of the Act and is duly responsible for the economy and the efficiency of the Garda Síochána in using its resources.
My understanding of the position with respect to the swimming pool in the Garda College Templemore is that the Office of Public Works has, in consultation with Garda College authorities, issued licences for use of the pool to local groups on a not-for-profit basis since 2017. The public health restrictions introduced to limit the spread of COVID-19 meant that the pool was closed in March of 2020 and reopened in March of 2022. The pool closed again in June.
I am advised that although An Garda Síochána had hoped to reopen the pool, a decision was taken by the Garda Authorities to keep the pool closed due to the high cost associated with heating, running costs, and upkeep of the facility as well as the low expected use over the coming months.
I am advised that this decision was taken in light of the current high cost of energy and having regard to the policy on reduction of energy usage in the current climate by the public sector.
While I have no role in relation to this matter, I have been assured that this decision will be reviewed by An Garda Síochána in Spring 2023, in consultation with the OPW.
850. 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. [54402/22]
View answerThe person referred to by the Deputy holds a Stamp 4 permission, which expires on 26 February 2023.
It is open to the person concerned to contact the Registration Office of my Department before the expiration of their immigration permission in order to renew their permission. Since 20 July 2020 all renewals for the Dublin area are being processed online at: inisonline.jahs.ie
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.
851. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54417/22]
View answerOfficials working in the Atypical Working Scheme (AWS) Unit of my Department have reviewed the applications of the persons concerned and have confirmed that the decisions as issued were correct.
However I can confirm, that new applications from the person's details supplied have been received by my Department and are being processed in line with the schemes published criteria.
The processing time for AWS applications is 20 working days, once all the required documentation has been satisfactorily received. Notwithstanding this, my Department has committed as an exceptional measure that these applications will be expedited and that a decision will be communicated shortly.
