Written Answers Nos. 482-496
482. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress made in skills and apprenticeships since 27 June 2020; the new initiatives undertaken; and the additional funding provided for them. [62322/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government was formed, and I was appointed to this role, against the backdrop of an unprecedented global pandemic. In accordance with the Programme for Government, a new Action Plan for Apprenticeship to cover the period 2021-2025 was proposed for development. The purpose of the plan was to look at new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships and to set out how the apprentice population would more closely reflect the general population and further address the issue of barriers to participation in apprenticeship by under-represented groups by offering targeted supports.
As a vital first step in supporting and protecting apprenticeship, the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme was approved under the July Jobs Stimulus for employers registering apprentices after 1 March 2020. The Scheme comprised a €2,000 payment when employers register a new apprentice, followed by an additional €1,000 payment one year later where that apprentice is retained. The intention of the scheme was to ensure that the apprenticeship population was supported during those troubled times and would play a key part in supporting economic recovery during and following Covid-19.
It had been anticipated that the initial duration and subsequent expansion of the Scheme to mid-2021 would cover the re-opening period. However this did not transpire and the scheme was extended a second time to the end of 2021.
The scheme supported a significant recovery of apprentice registrations in 2020 and into 2021 and enabled apprentice registrations to not only remain on a par with registrations for 2019 but to exceed them. By end Dec 2021 there were 8607 new registrations compared to 5326 at end 2020 and 6177 by end 2019.
For the duration of the scheme the total number of validated applications was 6,509, in respect of 9,524 apprentices. The establishment, funding and success of the scheme is a strong demonstration of my and the Government's commitment to the development and growth of apprenticeship in Ireland, which will be sustained and intensified through the implementation of the Action Plan on Apprenticeship.
The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 (APA) was launched on 19th April 2021 and sets out a five year plan which sets out new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships to make apprenticeship accessible to employers and learners. The actions set out in the plan seek to deliver on a target of 10,000 apprenticeship registrations per annum by 2025 across all sectors of the economy. Measures to support employer engagement in apprenticeship, particularly within the SME sector, are integral to the delivery of that target.
The APA has been live for over one year now and already I can report to you that as a result of a €34 million investment under Budget 2022 targeting the expansion of apprenticeship, including the development of new programmes and addressing the Covid-related backlogs, significant progress has already been made.
Eight new programmes were launched over 2020 and 2021, despite the pandemic; Arboriculture, Equipment Systems Engineer, Healthcare Assistant, Principal Engineer – Professional Doctorate, Recruitment Executive, Sales, Scaffolding , Supply Chain Associate. This year alone, four apprenticeship programmes have been launched - Bar Manager, Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician, Transport Operations & Commercial Driving, and Cybersecurity Practitioner. There are currently 66 apprenticeship programmes on offer: 25 craft programmes and 41 new programmes introduced since 2016. A further 21 are in development in areas including agriculture, finance, and hospitality.
The increased diversity of new apprenticeships, many of which have off-the-job training delivered through online or blended learning provides a significant opportunity for widening of access to apprenticeship for rural businesses and learners. In addition, Education and Training Boards, Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities are spread throughout the country and play a very important role in ensuring apprenticeship provision has a strong regional dimension.
A key objective of the APA is to make apprenticeship more attractive to employers and learners, to ensure their continued engagement. Progress to date includes:
- The establishment of the National Apprenticeship Office (NAO), the appointment of its first Director and the initiation of its work plan;
- The removal of legislative barriers to the development of apprenticeship programmes in professions, enabled by the approval of the Oireachtas of the Higher Education Authority Bill, 2022;
- The establishment of the National Apprenticeship Alliance (NAA), representing the broad range of partners involved in apprenticeship;
- The imminent establishment of the Equity of Access subcommittee, to help make apprenticeship more reflective of the national population;
- Securing resources for access measures, including a bursary programme for under-represented groups;
- The introduction of the apprenticeship employer grant of €2,000 and a gender bursary grant of €2,666;
- A significant increase in the number of new apprenticeship registrations in 2021, a near 40% increase on 2019 figures;
- The allocation of €17.2m in additional capital investment for SOLAS and the HEA, building on the €20 million Apprenticeship Capital Fund investment in 2021;
- The inclusion of apprenticeship options on the CAO website from November 2021.
Due to these measures and other supports aimed at simplifying the process for employers, there are currently almost 9,000 employers and over 26,000 apprentices. I am confident that these numbers will increase as apprenticeships can help companies to compete in the modern marketplace and make their organisations more competitive. In addition to building a company's skills base, providing quality training helps with staff loyalty and retention, thus adding to the benefits of apprenticeships.
The actions set out in the plan will deliver clarity for school-leavers, jobseekers, and career changers on the wide range of available apprenticeships. Through the Generation Apprenticeship media and billboard campaigns and their ground-breaking apprentice and employer of the year competitions, the NAO will continue to get the message out there that apprenticeship is open for business. All national apprenticeship programmes are promoted under the banner of Generation Apprenticeship and a dedicated apprenticeship website.
Already as part of Budget 2023 I announced a once-off reduction of up to 33% in the contribution fee for apprentices and additional funding for social inclusion measures in apprenticeship, such as a bursary for apprentices from under-represented groups and the expansion of the Access to Apprenticeship (ATA) initiative.
Funding will also be made available through the recently announced pilot Traveller Apprenticeship Incentivisation Programme in 2023 for a Traveller-specific package of financial supports, to increase participation and retention in apprenticeship.
We will continue to invest in building the apprenticeship system in 2023 given the Government’s clearly articulated ambition set out in the Action Plan. I am satisfied that the suite of initiatives included in the Apprenticeship Action Plan will provide strong momentum in making our apprenticeship system a strong value proposition for employers and potential apprentices and to boosting the presence of currently under-represented groups in our apprenticeship population.
483. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if she will outline whether she agrees that the requirement for a visa for Colombians to travel to Ireland should be lifted, considering that Ireland is the only EU country which continues to have this requirement and Britain has recently dropped the visa requirement. [62153/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware that the UK have very recently lifted the visa requirement on Colombia for short visits and that this arrangement also applies in the Schengen area. The Deputy will also be aware that both the UK and Schengen States intend to introduce in the near future an Electronic Travel Authorisation System for certain non-visa required countries.
It is the case that Colombia remains on the list of visa required countries for Ireland. In support of visa processing in Colombia, it is planned to open a Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Bogota in the first quarter of 2023. My Department has also extended the multi-entry visa option for up to 5 years for all visa required countries, including Colombia. These measures should assist in timely processing of visa applications and a more flexible visa package for Colombian citizens visiting Ireland.
In general, the decision to impose a visa requirement is based on a variety of factors including the risk of irregular immigration, public policy and security, tourism and trade and the Common Travel Area. While there is no immediate proposal to lift the visa requirement on Colombia, this matter is being kept under active review.
484. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Justice the reason for the delay in a decision in granting a tourist visa to a person (details supplied); when she expects that the decision will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62344/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person referred to by the Deputy created online Short Stay 'C' visa application on 17 June 2022. The supporting documentation and relevant fees were received on 1 August 2022 in the Bogota visa office.
Processing of these applications is ongoing at present. As each application is examined on its merits, we are unable to give an exact time frame for completion. However, the applicants can be assured that there will be no avoidable delay in finalising their applications.
The persons referred to by the Deputy will be notified as soon as a decision has been reached by a Visa Officer.
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.
485. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the main policy achievements of her Department since 27 June 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61654/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraJustice Plan 2022, published earlier this year, builds on the work outlined in Justice Plan 2021, and outlines a wide range of actions under the Department's five strategic goals, which are:
- Tackle crime, enhance national security and transform policing
- Improve access to justice and modernise the courts system
- Strengthen community safety, reduce reoffending, support victims and combat domestic, sexual and gender based violence
- Deliver a fair immigration system for a digital age
- Accelerate innovation, digital transformation and climate action across the justice sector
Under Justice Plan 2022, I am progressing a suite of policy and legislative reforms which are priorities for me as Minister, in line with the commitments set out in the Programme for Government. Some of the priority achievements of the Department since the formation of the Government are set out below.
Minister Helen McEntee led the development of the Government’s Zero Tolerance plan to tackle domestic, sexual and gender based violence which was published in June – and includes 144 actions across the pillars of protection, prevention, prosecution and policy co-ordination.
The government has introduced and is committed to enacting significant legislation. We are committed to:
- Enacting the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill early in the new year:
- to make stalking and non-fatal strangulation standalone criminal offences
- to increase the sentence of conspiracy to murder from 10 years to life in prison, a key measure to tackle gangland crime and those who direct it
- to double the maximum sentence for assault causing harm – one of the most common offences in domestic violence cases – from five years to ten years
- Enacting the Sex offenders bill to strengthen the monitoring arrangements for convicted sex offenders – Passed all stages in Dáil, now going into Seanad
- Enacting the new Family court bill to put families at the centre of the family justice system - Bill agreed by Cabinet and awaiting second stage in the Seanad
- Enacting the new Hate Crime and Hate Speech Bill to reform and modernise the law through the introduction of new, specific hate aggravated offences for crimes motivated by prejudice against protected characteristics, with tougher sentences than ordinary forms of crime, and to legislate for Incitement to Hatred or Hate Speech – Bill has passed second stage, committee stage will take place early next year
- Enacting the Recording Devices Bill to improve use of CCTV, and to provide for Body worn cameras and Automatic Number Plate Recognition - to be brought into Dáil at second stage in the coming weeks
- Enacting law to establish a new Judicial Appointments Commission to ensure best practice in the way we appoint judges - completed Dáil, continuing at Seanad committee stage
- Modernising and updating 200 year old licensing law – General Scheme approved by Cabinet and published; scheme referred for pre-legislative scrutiny
- Updating sexual offences legislation, such as the law around consent and many reforms in line with commitments in Supporting a Victim's Journey, the plan to put the victim at the centre of the criminal justice system. This legislation will also introduce a revised National Referral Mechanism to help tackle human trafficking – General Scheme published during the summer, full Bill to be published in the coming period
- Introducing the landmark Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill to overhaul of structures and oversight of the Gardaí – Bill to be debated in the Dáil early in the new year
- Publishing Police Powers bill to improve effectiveness of police powers with new fundamental rights provisions – Bill to be published next year
Since 27 June 2020, several important pieces of legislation have been enacted, including:
- Enacted Coco’s Law to criminalise distribution of intimate images without consent
- Enacted the Perjury Bill to establish a statutory criminal offence for perjury
- Enacted a law to remove reporting restrictions which prevented parents from speaking publicly about their deceased child in cases where the child was unlawfully killed
- Enacted measures to introduce pre-trial hearing to ensure that victims are less likely to face stressful unexpected delays and adjournments to trial start dates
- Signed order to bring into the new personal injuries guidelines under the Judicial Council Act
- Enacted new law on Garda operating model to more front-line Gardaí, increased visibility, and a wider range of policing services for people in their local area
Other key initiatives include:
- Refuge accommodation brought under the Minister for Justice for the first time in advance of a new domestic violence accommodation agency being established
- Published a new Penal Policy Plan, to reduce re-offending and improve community safety, focus on the use of community sanctions, and introduce judicial discretion to set minimum tariffs for life sentences for the most serious cases
- Once in a generation scheme to regularise the status of long term undocumented migrants.
486. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in the determination of an application for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61705/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department, with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation. It 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.
Applications are processed in chronological order by date received, and while it is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay, 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.
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.
In 2021, my Department issued 11,512 citizenship decisions, which is the highest number of decisions made since 2015, and reflects positively the significant changes undertaken to date.
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.
487. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Justice if his attention has been drawn to the existence of so-called police stations operated by Chinese authorities; if such police stations exist within the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61709/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe existence of these so-called Chinese 'police stations' has been the subject of scrutiny both here and internationally.
I can inform the Deputy that my Department is aware of the 'Fuzhou Police Overseas Service Station' which was located on Capel Street in Dublin. I understand that following engagement between the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy, the activities of the office have ceased.
488. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the status of the review of the Special Criminal Court; the date that the final report is expected to be submitted; and the schedule of costs to date. [61726/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, in 2021 an expert group was established to carry out an independent review of the Offences Against the State Acts.
The Review Group is chaired by Mr Justice Michael Peart, former Judge of the Court of Appeal, and is tasked with examining all aspects of the Offences Against the State Acts having regard to the current threat posed by domestic/international terrorism and organised crime, the duty to deliver a fair and effective criminal justice system to ensure the protection of communities and the security of the State and Ireland’s obligations in relation to Constitutional and ECHR rights and international law.
The Terms of Reference for the Review Group also included a requirement that the review be undertaken in consultation with relevant stakeholders, statutory agencies and civil society organisations.
The Deputy will appreciate that the Review Group is independent in the performance of its work. I am however informed that the Review Group has, as part of its consultation process, had significant engagement with relevant stakeholders, statutory agencies and civil society organisations, including human rights organisations. My Department provides the secretariat to the Group. I understand that the Group has met on approximately 40 occasions to date, including stakeholder meetings. Expenditure associated with the Group's work to date is €94,985.
I expect to receive the final report of the Review Group in the first quarter of 2023.
489. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Justice the actions that the Garda Commissioner is taking generally to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in urban and rural areas since 27 June 2020. [61773/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour and I am very aware of the damaging effect it can have on communities, particularly disadvantaged areas.
It is vital that people are safe and feel safe and my Department is committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána have the resources they need to achieve this and to working across Government on a multi-agency approach to the underlying causes of crime.
The Government is committed to taking action to tackle anti-social behaviour. This includes:
- Giving An Garda Síochána additional tools and technology to fight crime in a digital era by introducing legislation to provide for body worn cameras, improved community CCTV schemes and expanded use of ANPR.
- Providing the Gardaí with new powers to seize and stop the illegal use of scramblers.
- Giving local people and local representatives a say in how to make their communities safer through the new Community Safety Partnerships.
- Providing a range of community sanctions to be used to address criminality, reduce reoffending and provide protection to the public.
- Introducing legislation to criminalise the grooming of children to commit criminal offences.
- In parallel, we will continue to roll out the community intervention programme “Greentown” which seeks to break the link between children who are engaged, or at risk of engaging, with a criminal gang.
In coordination with colleagues in the National Rural Safety Forum, Minister James Browne launched the Rural Safety Plan 2022-2024 in September 2022. The Plan’s vision is to ensure people and communities in rural Ireland feel safe and are safe in their homes, places of work, and their local environments.
As the Deputy may be aware, operational policing is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. However, I am assured that An Garda Síochána have a range of operations aimed at reducing crime, anti-social behaviour and improving community safety in both rural and urban areas.
Operation Tara, An Garda Síochána's enhanced national anti-drugs strategy, commenced in July last year and has a strong focus on tackling street-level drug dealing throughout rural and urban Ireland.
An Garda Síochána also have a number of operations currently in place to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in Dublin. Operation Citizen is designed to provide reassurance to the public, visitors and businesses of Dublin City Centre that it is a safe place to visit, socialise and do business in through an enhanced police presence. I am informed that the Gardaí will continue the operation for a further period of twelve months to November 2023, after which time it will be further evaluated.
Operation Citizen is supported by other Garda Operations such as Operation Saul and Operation Spire. Operation Saul focuses on tackling anti-social behaviour on public transport networks in the Dublin Metropolitan Region.
This year's winter phase of Operation Thor was launched by Gardaí on 1 October. Operation Thor is designed to tackle burglaries and associated criminal activities, which often increase in the darker winter months, through targeted enforcement and crime prevention activity and information. Since its inception in 2015, Operation Thor has proved highly successful in tackling property-related crime and figures show that there has been a 36% reduction in the rate of such offences when compared to the pre-COVID-19 levels in 2019. The Operation's winter phase places particular emphasis on preventing any predicted surge in burglaries of residential properties during this period.
I can also assure the Deputy that crime trends are analysed on a monthly basis by An Garda Síochána at Divisional meetings. If trends are recognised, resources are dedicated to combat the identified issues. When specific crime-trends/pattern are identified, local management consider additional measures outside of normal policing responses, including location-specific patrols, intelligence-led operations, and searches and arrests to combat known individuals involved in such crimes.
490. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice if consideration will be given to assigning additional staff to the citizenship division in her Department given that there is a three-month delay in acknowledging receipt of applications and over 20 months before a decision is made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61779/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe staffing levels in the Citizenship Division of my Department are kept under review in line with the business needs of the Division.
Unfortunately due to unprecedented demand, and the ongoing legacy of the pandemic, processing times have been extended. I understand the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants and my Citizenship division has been working hard to clear backlogs.
The Citizenship Division receives approximately 1,000 applications per month and utilises the resources available to maximise processing and reduce waiting times.
This year the division has issued naturalisation certificates in respect of 13,583 applicants including 2,549 decisions on minor applications. This is a 18% increase on the 11,512 issued in 2021.
The Justice Plan for 2022 commits to developing a fully digital, customer-centric immigration service and to enhance the efficiency of our immigration system.
Significant changes have been introduced for customers regarding the number of proofs required to establish their identity and residency as part of the Citizenship application process. A new scorecard was introduced to help applicants to complete their applications with greater certainty than before. Since the go-live of the scorecards, a preliminary review of applications received indicates that the quality of the applications has markedly improved.
This is a welcome development and builds on other innovative measures introduced in the citizenship application process, including the deployment of “Tara” the e-chat bot, e-payments, e-tax clearance and Gardaí e-vetting, and the removal of the requirement to provide the original passport when making an application, all of which have positively enhanced the applicant's experience.
491. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the progress that has been made to date in the determination of an application as part of recent undocumented scheme in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61804/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe application for the person referred to by the Deputy was received by the Undocumented Unit of my Department on 9 February 2022 and continues to be processed. Due to the large number of applications on hand it is not possible to provide a definitive timeframe for a decision to issue.
The processing times of applications will vary depending on the complexity of the application, whether it is a single or family application, the supporting documentation and the vetting process with An Garda Síochána (AGS). Applications where there is an existing deportation order will require additional processing.
Each application received is assessed individually in accordance with the published criteria, available on my Department's immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Undocumented-Policy-Scheme-January-2022.pdf.
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.
492. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the reason for the downgrading of a stamp in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61821/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person referred to by the Deputy submitted an online application for a renewal of their Stamp 1 immigration permission to the Registration Office of my Department on 10 July 2022 and included supporting documentation for same.
On the 11 July 2022, the applicant received a permission letter from the Domestic Residence and Permissions division of my Department granting them a change of status to a Stamp 4 permission. The applicant did not present this newly issued permission letter to the Registration Office when applying, or subsequent to the renewal application being made for registration and therefore it could not have been considered when the renewal of the permission was granted.
The Registration Office have now amended the immigration permission stamp details to a Stamp 4 and have issued a new IRP card to the address on file.
The person concerned can expect to receive their new updated Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card shortly.
493. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of fatal road traffic collisions in each of the years 2016 to 2021; the number of drivers involved by year in each of these fatal road crashes; the number of uninjured surviving drivers that were involved by year; the number of uninjured drivers that were not tested for alcohol at the scene of the fatal crash; the reason that these uninjured drivers were not tested at the scene; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61846/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána. Regrettably this information was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy again once it is to hand.
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
172 |
140 |
130 |
130 |
136 |
124 |
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
256 |
198 |
182 |
190 |
191 |
197 |
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
88 |
75 |
71 |
64 |
73 |
68 |
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
16 |
10 |
13 |
10 |
12 |
16 |
494. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the number of fatal road traffic collisions each year from 2016 to 2021 in which the driver was injured in the crash; the number of injured surviving drivers that were involved by year; the number of injured drivers that were taken to hospital; the number of these drivers that were not tested for alcohol in hospital by year; the reason that these drivers were not tested for alcohol in hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61847/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána. Regrettably this information was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy again once it is to hand.
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
172 |
140 |
130 |
130 |
136 |
124 |
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
58 |
33 |
37 |
33 |
33 |
32 |
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
70 |
41 |
43 |
36 |
39 |
37 |
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
67 |
39 |
41 |
33 |
35 |
36 |
|
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
41 |
32 |
27 |
20 |
25 |
29 |
495. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the progress that has been made to date in the determination of an application as part of an undocumented scheme in the case of a person (details supplied); when a decision will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61857/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra523. 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. [62279/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 495 and 523 together.
The application for the person referred to by the Deputy was received by the Undocumented Unit of my Department on 08 February 2022 and continues to be processed. Due to the large number of applications on hand it is not possible to provide a definitive timeframe for a decision to issue.
The processing times of applications will vary depending on the complexity of the application, whether it is a single or family application, the supporting documentation and the vetting process with An Garda Síochána (AGS). Applications where there is an existing deportation order will require additional processing.
Each application received is assessed individually in accordance with the published criteria, available on my Department's immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Undocumented-Policy-Scheme-January-2022.pdf .
If an applicant is unsuccessful for this scheme, they have the option to appeal this decision. The refusal letter, as well as the immigration website, contains information on how to submit an appeal. If their appeal application is also unsuccessful then they will be issued with a proposal of intention to deport under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended.
Under the Section 3 process, the applicant will have the option to voluntarily leave the State or to make submissions to the Minister as to why a deportation order should not be made against them. The Minister is obliged to consider any relevant constitutional and convention rights, such as family life rights and private life rights, before making a decision on whether to make a deportation order. A full consideration of all aspects of their case would be carried out before a decision is made to grant a permission to remain in the State or to make a Deportation Order.
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.
496. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if funding has been sought by the Garda Commissioner to replace any of the helicopters or aircraft in the Garda air support unit in 2023. [61869/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose, policing service. Budget 2023 provides funding of €2.14 billion for An Garda Síochána. As previously indicated, this includes funding to procure a new fixed wing aircraft.
In addition, last week, I announced an additional €4.3 million in capital funding for the Garda fleet for 2022. This is separate to funding already announced in Budget 2023.
As is normally the case, any further funding details for 2023 will be outlined in the Revised Estimate Volume, which is due to be published shortly.
