Parliamentary questions

Legislative Measures

John Lahart

471. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Justice if she is satisfied that the maximum effort is being made by her Department to fully utilize the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Act 1995 to return any convicted criminals to their own countries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21814/24]

An Garda Síochána

Pa Daly

472. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice the number of reserve Gardaí who have been attested to date from Garda College in Templemore from the first intake in December 2006; the number of reserve Gardaí currently remaining in the force; and the number of reserve Gardaí who obtained their Annual Allowance in 2023. [21821/24]

Departmental Advertising

Carol Nolan

473. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice the total costs incurred by her Department from 2019 to date relating to the placing of advertisements in print media; the names of the print media publications involved, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21869/24]

An Garda Síochána

Catherine Murphy

474. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the current number of roads policing Gardaí who have access to the ANPR app via their mobility device to allow them to scan all vehicles approaching them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21893/24]

An Garda Síochána

Catherine Murphy

475. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the current number of roads policing Gardaí who have access to the 'traffic app' to search driving licences by scanning the driving licence rather than having to type in manual details; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21894/24]

Ukraine War

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

230. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice if she and her Department will engage with the UK authorities to examine if an exemption could be allowed for Ukrainian refugee children based in Donegal and other Border counties to travel across the Border into Northern Ireland to avail of amenities such as swimming, cinemas and school tours. [21070/24]

Work Permits

Brendan Griffin

231. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice if a decision has been made on an application for an employment permit by a person in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21072/24]

Work Permits

Brendan Griffin

232. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice if a decision has been made on an application for an employment permit by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21073/24]

Immigration Policy

Bernard Durkan

233. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the extent to which she is satisfied that the most recent European proposals in respect of immigration are sufficiently grounded to ensure universal acceptance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21126/24]

Immigration Policy

Bernard Durkan

234. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the steps, if any, available to the European Union to ensure the availability and acceptance of universal immigration policy throughout Europe to which all EU countries can contribute; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21128/24]

Road Traffic Offences

Paul Donnelly

235. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Justice the number of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) gardaí issued for parking on a footpath in 2023; the percentage of those FPNs that were paid within the first 28 days of penalty notices being issued in 2023; the percentage that were paid within the subsequent 28-56 days of the penalty notices being issued in 2023; the percentage of those FPNs issued in 2023 for parking on a footpath that have yet to be paid, in tabular form; if An Garda Síochána intends to issue FPNs to persons via registered post; and if not, why not. [20975/24]

An Garda Síochána

Jim O'Callaghan

236. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the most recent figures for the number of appointed detectives in each Garda division, in tabular form. [21005/24]

Prison Service

Patrick Costello

237. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice to list, in tabular form, all of the progression units in the Irish prison system; and the number of prisoners in each as a percentage of the overall population of each institution. [21035/24]

Passport Services

Duncan Smith

238. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Justice if she is aware of an issue whereby documentation is being returned to passport offices despite not being correctly completed by gardaí, thereby delaying passport applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21069/24]

Health Services Staff

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

239. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice if she has engaged with her colleague the Minister for Foreign Affairs on what can be done to assist medical professionals working in our health service who have family back home in Sudan, by way of humanitarian assistance; and if she has received requests for humanitarian visas for family members of these medical professionals. [21076/24]

Sentencing Policy

Cian O'Callaghan

240. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 535 of 30 April 2024, if she will review the legislation for sexual offences against children where a perpetrator lives very close to the child in question, regardless of whether the crime was a first offence, and where the child is likely to see the perpetrator; if she will work to increase the protections for children in these cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21082/24]

Legislative Measures

Michael Healy-Rae

241. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice if she would consider reducing the amount of time required for legal separation, which currently stands at one year (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21092/24]

Citizenship Ceremonies

Bernard Durkan

242. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice when a person (details supplied) whose application was granted in December 2023 will be invited to a citizenship ceremony; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21093/24]

Citizenship Applications

Bernard Durkan

243. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice when a final decision in respect of an application for citizenship will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21097/24]

Visa Applications

Eoin Ó Broin

244. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Justice for an update on a visa application for an individual (details supplied); the processing times for applications of this nature; and a timeframe for decision. [21102/24]

An Garda Síochána

Catherine Murphy

245. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice in view of the Government’s recent endorsement of the Joint Statement on Efforts to Counter the Proliferation and Misuse of Commercial Spyware, if she will now clarify whether An Garda Síochána makes use of commercial spyware and, if so, what oversight, transparency and redress processes are in place. [21109/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Neasa Hourigan

246. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Justice the awards made both with and without a tender process to management consultancy firms (details supplied) by her Department and bodies under the aegis of her Department for each of the years 2019 to 2024, in tabular form and classed by firm; the purpose and a brief description of the awards; the value of the awards and the total amounts paid; the timeline or timeframe of the contracts; and the desired or completed output. [21171/24]

Departmental Policies

Patrick Costello

335. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she will liaise with her British counterparts to establish a body akin to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains to perform a similar function in relation to the 'disappeared' of the 1916-1923 period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20260/24]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

336. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice the number that were in the international protection system awaiting either a decision on their international protection application or their application for leave to remain; the number that had been granted status either international protection or leave to remain; the number that had received a deportation order; the number that do not fall within any of the foregoing categories up to the end of March 2024; and if she will outline the basis upon which the latter group is provided accommodation by IPAS [20272/24]

International Protection

Michael McNamara

337. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice the number of international protection applicants who were living outside direct provision in private-rented accommodation at the end of March 2024. [20274/24]

Citizenship Ceremonies

Cathal Crowe

338. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Justice when the next citizenship ceremony is planned to take place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21239/24]

Coroners Service

Pearse Doherty

339. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Justice the average waiting times for inquests, per county, for the past five years, in tabular form; the number of coroners, per county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20105/24]

An Garda Síochána

Darren O'Rourke

340. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the number of juvenile liaison officers, by rank, attached to the Meath Garda division as of 29 April 2024; and if she will provide same as of 1 January 2022, in tabular form. [20160/24]

An Garda Síochána

Darren O'Rourke

341. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the number of new Garda unmarked Garda cars and marked Garda vans that came into the fleet in 2023 and to date in 2024; and the number of these types of vehicles withdrawn from the fleet during this period, in tabular form. [20161/24]

Departmental Data

Carol Nolan

342. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 833 of 9 April 2024, if she is now in a position to provide the data requested; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20171/24]

International Protection

Catherine Murphy

343. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide the metrics she used to determine that 80% of persons seeking international protection had arrived in this jurisdiction via Northern Ireland; the date on which she and/or her officials began recording data in respect of migration figures via Northern Ireland to the State; and if she will provide the sample size of data used to determine the 80% figure. [20185/24]

Official Engagements

Catherine Murphy

344. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the date on which and precise time she was notified by the UK's Home Secretary that their meeting of 29 April 2024 was cancelled; if she has made efforts to reschedule this meeting; and if any of her officials are part of the Tánaiste's attendance at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. [20186/24]

An Garda Síochána

Patrick Costello

345. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of members of An Garda Síochána who have been trained on bicycles in each Garda region; the number of bicycles currently in use by An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20244/24]

An Garda Síochána

Patrick Costello

346. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of electrically assisted bicycles An Garda Síochána has; the number of Gardaí trained for patrolling duties on e-bikes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20245/24]

An Garda Síochána

Patrick Costello

347. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice whether this is an “intercept detection” offence only by An Garda Síochána or whether such offences can be reported by the public to their Garda stations or Traffic Watch; the number of drivers prosecuted from 2020 to 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20247/24]

An Garda Síochána

Patrick Costello

348. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice the number of incidents reported to the Garda Traffic Watch in 2022 and 2023 that could not result in a fixed penalty notice prosecution as they were not processed within 107 days of the offence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20248/24]

An Garda Síochána

Patrick Costello

349. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice whether a person making a report to An Garda Síochána Traffic Watch is entitled to an acknowledgement of that report, and, where in the case that An Garda Síochána chooses not to proceed with an investigation of the incident reported, notice of that decision and an explanation of the decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20249/24]

An Garda Síochána

Mairéad Farrell

350. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice if she will outline, from the reopening of the Garda College in 2014, the total number of gardaí recruited through the Public Appointments Service. [20252/24]

An Garda Síochána

Mairéad Farrell

351. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice the average number of gardaí for each of the years between 2020 and 2023 inclusive; and the average number of sergeants employed by An Garda Síochána in each of those four years. [20254/24]

International Protection

Jim O'Callaghan

352. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of return orders that have been made, pursuant to Section 51A of the International Protection Act 1995 as amended, to the Member State that has granted refugee status or subsidiary protection to the applicant for the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20255/24]

International Protection

Jim O'Callaghan

353. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of return orders that have been made to return the applicant to the first country of asylum for the person for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20256/24]

International Protection

Jim O'Callaghan

354. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of return orders pursuant to Section 51A of the International Protection Act 2015, as amended, have been made to the safe third country, that is, a safe country for the applicant, for each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20257/24]

International Protection

Jim O'Callaghan

355. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the number of return orders that have been made in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 pursuant to Section 51A of the International Protection Act 2015, as amended, have been effected and the applicant returned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20258/24]

Departmental Policies

Patrick Costello

356. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she will establish a body akin to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains to perform a similar function in relation to the 'disappeared' of the 1916-1923 period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20259/24]

Departmental Data

Darren O'Rourke

357. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice the number of community safety wardens appointed so far for Dublin city; and the number she believes will be the full complement. [20267/24]

Deportation Orders

Peadar Tóibín

358. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice in advance of the Court ruling last month that Britain was not a safe country, the number of people who were deported to Britain since they left the EU Dublin Regulations post-Brexit. [20271/24]

Departmental Data

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

359. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Justice the number of people who have been returned to Britain by the Government in each of the past ten years, itemised by the manner in which they were returned. [20276/24]

An Garda Síochána

Catherine Murphy

360. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 510, 511, 512 and 513 of 16 April 2024, if she will clarify whether the data provided is an accurate and true reflection of the data that was initially sought by this Deputy; and if she will provide the sources of the data she provided for figures relating to staffing figures at the location referenced. [20280/24]

International Protection

Holly Cairns

361. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Justice to provide the data underpinning her recent claim that 80% of all asylum seekers in Ireland are entering the State via the North; to detail the methodology for the collection of this data; and to detail the timeframe over which this data was collected. [20281/24]

International Protection

Holly Cairns

362. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Justice whether all international protection applicants are asked whether they have travelled to Ireland via the UK as part of the standard interview; the number of IPO applicants over the past 12 months who have confirmed they did so; and the total number of IPO applications over the past 12 months. [20282/24]