Conor Sheehan
Question:1611. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Justice the number of Department funded youth division projects workers based in Limerick in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [20252/25]
View answerAn Garda Síochána
Questions (1611)
Written answers
Under the Programme for Government and the Youth Justice Strategy, I am committed to improving outcomes for young people at risk of a life of criminality through investment in youth justice services. Youth Justice interventions are about recognising that many young people who stray from the proper path need support and direction to turn their lives around. We can make a lasting difference to the quality of life not just for young people, but for the entire community.
Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) work with young people at risk of crime and anti-social behaviour to divert them away from criminal behaviour and towards better life outcomes.
A top priority for my Department has been the expansion and deepening of the services offered to young people by the YDPs, which are funded by my Department and run by community-based organisations. On average, the YDPs engage with about 4,000 young people across the State in any one year.
In Budget 2025, €33 million has been allocated to Youth Justice Services. This will facilitate an increase in the availability of YDP services in the evenings and at the weekends when many young people need them the most.
It will also facilitate an increase in supports for families, interventions for typically hard-to-reach young people and early interventions for 8-11 year olds who may be at increased risk of becoming engaged in criminal activity.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, as of February 2025, a total of 33.75 Full Time Equivalent Youth Justice Workers were being employed on projects in Limerick, compared with a total of 30.6 Full Time Equivalent in September 2024.
I have included below a breakdown of mainstream/12-17, Early Intervention, Family Support, and Other (i.e. Senior Workers, Team Leaders, and Project coordinators) Youth Justice Workers employed across all these YDPs in 2025.
|
12-17 |
Early Intervention |
Family Support |
Other |
|
27.10 |
1.00 |
3.00 |
2.65 |
Information and Communications Technology
Questions (1612)
Sinéad Gibney
Question:1612. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Justice if all IT systems used by his Department can utilise the síneadh fada; where this is not the case, to provide the list of systems which do not accept or facilitate the use of the fada, in tabular form; the steps being taken to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20305/25]
View answerWritten answers
I can confirm that currently all of my Department’s customer-facing I.T. systems can hold data in the Irish language character set, including the síneadh fada.
It is the policy of my Department, as set out in Section 4.11 of the Department of Justice Irish Language Scheme, to ensure compatibility with the Irish language of relevant I.T. systems, when considering system updates, where possible, and without adversely affecting the current level of services available.
EU Directives
Questions (1613)
Holly Cairns
Question:1613. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Justice to provide a list of all EU directives which are awaiting transposition in his Department; the date on which transposition is due; and the reasons for any delay in transposition, in tabular form. [20332/25]
View answerWritten answers
The below table provides a list of measures under the remit of my Department in respect of which Ireland has not yet notified the Commission of transposition and which fall due for transposition by the end of 2027.
|
Title of Directive |
Deadline for Transposition |
|
Directive (EU) 2024/1226 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the definition of criminal offences and penalties for the violation of Union restrictive measures and amending Directive (EU) 2018/1673 |
20/05/2025 |
|
Directive (EU) 2021/555 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 March 2021 on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons (codification) |
14/12/2019* |
|
Directive (EU) 2023/1544 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2023 laying down harmonised rules on the designation of designated establishments and the appointment of legal representatives for the purpose of gathering electronic evidence in criminal proceedings |
18/02/2026 |
|
Commission Implementing Directive (EU) 2024/325 of 19 January 2024 amending Implementing Directive (EU) 2019/68 as regards the minimum depth of markings on firearms and essential components |
22/07/2025 |
|
Directive (EU) 2023/2123 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 October 2023 amending Council Decision 2005/671/JHA as regards its alignment with Union rules on the protection of personal data |
01/11/2025 |
|
Directive (EU) 2024/1712 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 amending Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims |
15/07/2026 |
|
Directive (EU) 2024/1385 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violence. |
14/06/2027 |
|
Directive (EU) 2024/1640 of the European Parliament and of the Council of Europe of 31 May 2024 on the mechanisms to be put in place by Member States for the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing, amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and amending and repealing Directive (EU) 2015/849 |
10/07/2027 |
|
Directive (EU) 2024/1654 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2024 amending Directive (EU) 2019/1153 as regards access by competent authorities to centralised bank account registries through the interconnection system and technical measures to facilitate the use of transaction records |
10/07/2027 |
|
Directive (EU) 2024/1069 on protecting persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded claims or abusive court proceedings (Anti-SLAPP Directive) |
01/05/2026 |
|
Directive (EU) 2024/1346 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 laying down standards for the reception of applicants for international protection |
12/06/2026 |
|
Directive (EU) 2019/1023 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on preventive restructuring frameworks, on discharge of debt and disqualifications, and on measures to increase the efficiency of procedures concerning restructuring, insolvency and discharge of debt, paragraph (d) of Article 28 |
17/07/2026** |
*Work on a data filing system to transpose the outstanding Article 4.5 of Directive (EU) 2021/555, has progressed with a pilot almost ready to be rolled-out and draft Regulations to transpose the provision into Irish law have been prepared. It is expected that Ireland will be in a position to inform the Commission that the outstanding article has been transposed in full later this year, the other provisions of this Directive having previously been transposed.
**Article 34(d) of Directive (EU) 2019/1023 requires Member States to adopt and publish the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with Article 28(d) of the Directive (which relates to the lodging of challenges and appeals) by 17 July 2026.
Additionally, The EU Digitalisation Package (Regulation (EU) 2023/2844 and Directive (EU) 2023/2843) provides for the use of e:Codex (an ICT system) in communications between relevant authorities under 24 civil, commercial, and criminal EU instruments, to occur over the next several years between January 2028 and January 2031. The Digitalisation Package is entirely technical in nature. The legislation is already in place to transpose each of the measures concerned and will be examined with a view to making any necessary amendments to them to provide for the use of e:Codex instead of communication mechanisms currently in use, such as email or post.
Departmental Properties
Questions (1614)
Holly Cairns
Question:1614. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Justice to provide a list of all properties his Department have rented from 2015 to date in 2025, including the length of tenancy; and the amount spent on rent on each property over this time period. [20350/25]
View answerWritten answers
It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available.
I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.
Departmental Contracts
Questions (1615, 1616)
Holly Cairns
Question:1615. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Justice whether an external company is contracted to provide cleaning services to his Department building; and if so, the name of the company and the value of the contract. [20368/25]
View answerHolly Cairns
Question:1616. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Justice whether an external company is contracted to provide security services to his Department building; and if so, the name of the company and the value of the contract. [20386/25]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1615 and 1616 together.
Public procurement is governed by EU and national rules and my Department ensures that appropriate procedures are followed for all procurement activity. Departments are obliged to ensure that public procurement is discharged in line with the standard accounting and procurement rules and that contracts awarded represent best value for money.
Public procurement practices are subject to audit and scrutiny under the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993. Procurement is also subject to internal audit within my Department. To ensure adherence to these public procurement rules, the Department uses Office of Government Procurement (OGP) national public procurement Frameworks for all goods and services, where these are available.
Details of cleaning and security services contracted by my Department to external companies are outlined in the following table:
|
Service |
Supplier |
Contract Duration |
Contract Value |
|
Cleaning |
Grosvenor |
24 months* |
€490,000 per annum** |
|
Security |
Manguard |
24 months* |
€260,000 per annum** |
|
Supplier |
Contract Duration |
Contract Value |
|
Grosvenor |
24 months* |
€490,000 per annum** |
|
Manguard |
24 months* |
€260,000 per annum** |
*With option to extend for a further 12 months, with a maximum of 2 extensions
** Contract is based on an hours basis, is subject to operational needs and may rise or fall each year.
Question No. 1616 answered with Question No. 1615.
Local Community Safety Partnerships
Questions (1617, 1634)
Matt Carthy
Question:1617. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice the timeframe in which he intends to facilitate the establishment of community safety partnerships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20414/25]
View answer
Maeve O'Connell
Question:1634. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Justice when his Department will issue instructions to Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council regarding the commencement of local community safety partnerships. [20860/25]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1617 and 1634 together.
The Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which I commenced on Wednesday 2 April 2025, provides for the establishment of Local Community Safety Partnerships which will operate at each local authority level.
A key principle of the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland is that community safety requires multi-agency cooperation working in partnership with An Garda Síochána and crucially with communities themselves. The Commission's report recommended the establishment of national and local structures to bring together Departments and State agencies involved in harm prevention to promote community safety.
Local Community Safety Partnerships will replace and build upon the good work of the Joint Policing Committees, supplementing this by bringing together a broader range of relevant stakeholders including local councillors, An Garda Síochána, local residents, community representatives, business and education representatives, and a range of statutory agencies including the HSE, Tusla and each local authority.
Each newly established Local Community Safety Partnership will be required to develop and implement its own tailored community safety plan and will take a strategic approach to their work so that issues arising can be dealt with in a coordinated manner; addressed collectively by relevant service providers in partnership with the community.
In preparation for the national rollout, three Pilot Partnerships are ongoing in Waterford, Longford and Dublin North Inner City since 2021. Each pilot LCSP brought together community members, local representatives and statutory representatives and successfully produced a community safety plan with specific projects and actions to improve community Safety. The Pilot Partnerships were subject to independent monitoring and evaluation with baseline, interim and final reports published. The learning from these pilots is being used to inform the national roll out of LCSPs.
Regulations are currently being finalised, under section 114 of the Act, to enable the rollout of the Partnerships as soon as possible on a nationwide basis.
Question No. 1618 answered with Question No. 1592.
Domestic Violence
Questions (1619)
Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin
Question:1619. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Justice the emergency supports currently available for victims of domestic violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20479/25]
View answerWritten answers
I am deeply committed to a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of domestic violence and ensuring that victims receive the supports that they need is a priority for me as Minister for Justice.
Under Budget 2025, €3,574,000 was allocated to promote and assist the development of support services to victims of crime. This funding enables the provision of services supporting victims at different stages of the criminal justice system. This includes the provision of support, information and advice on the rights of victims; court accompaniment services; specialised counselling services; helplines and accompaniment to Garda interviews for those who have been victimised in this way.
An Garda Síochána attaches the highest priority to combatting all forms of domestic abuse and to helping and protecting victims. Divisional Protective Service Units now operate in every Garda Division in the country. These ensure that when vulnerable victims of crimes such as domestic abuse present to Gardaí, they are met with specialist professional and expert assistance.
Reforming our criminal justice system to make it more victim-centred is a key focus of my Department’s work. Importantly, this includes legislative reform which broadened the scope of how we define domestic violence, to ensure that more forms of abuse are recognised and punishable under the law.
Under the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 the maximum sentence for assault causing harm increased from five to ten years. The Act also introduced new stand-alone offences of stalking and non-fatal strangulation, both offences are common ways in which abusers target victims. The Act widens the existing offence of harassment to include any conduct that seriously interferes with a person’s peace and privacy, or causes significant fear, distress, or harm and it introduces a new system of civil orders designed to prevent stalking and protect victims. This new approach extends protections currently available to certain victims under the Domestic Violence Act 2018 to all victims of stalking behaviour, regardless of their relationship with the perpetrator.
A central element of delivering on the Zero Tolerance goal of the Third National Strategy was the establishment, in January 2024, of Cuan, the statutory domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) agency.
Cuan has a specific mandate to drive the implementation of the strategy across Government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social issue. Under Budget 2025, DSGBV funding was increased to €70 million, with increased funding for Cuan to €67 million.
One of the overarching goals of the strategy is ensuring that everyone who needs a refuge space will get one and includes an ambitious target to double the number of refuge spaces by the end of 2026.
Cuan is working in partnership with the local front-line services providers, local authorities, the Department of Housing and the Housing Agency and has streamlined processes in order to accelerate the delivery of domestic violence refuges.
Cuan also funds 78 organisations across Ireland. This includes national organisations such as Women’s Aid and Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, and organisations that provide a range of specialised supports.
As the Deputy’s question relates to work carried out by Cuan, specifically in relation to the provision of services to victims of domestic violence, I have forwarded it to the agency for direct response.
Citizenship Applications
Questions (1620)
Michael Cahill
Question:1620. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Justice if he will expedite an Irish descent citizenship application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20480/25]
View answerWritten answers
The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department.
This application is based on Section 16 'Irish Association', which can take longer to process than applications based upon residency.
Section 15 of the Act sets out the statutory conditions that must be fulfilled for a certificate of naturalisation to be granted. Section 16 of the Act gives discretion to waive the statutory conditions in certain circumstances, including where the applicant is of Irish descent or Irish associations (related through blood, affinity or adoption to a person who is or is entitled to be an Irish citizen).
Citizenship Division have written to all Section 16 applicants advising them of the new recently published guidelines on ‘Irish Association’ and have provided an opportunity to the person concerned to provide additional documentation should they wish. These new guidelines were developed in the interests of fair and transparent procedures, and comprehensive decision making. With the publishing of these guidelines, it should assist in reducing processing times for these complex cases.
Any application made under Section 16 should be supported by substantive documentation. This documentation should show that the Section 16 application is exceptional and one where the normal residency pathways to citizenship are not appropriate. However, there is no automatic right or entitlement to have any of the statutory conditions waived even where the applicant comes within the certain circumstances defined.
The person concerned can now directly check the status of their immigration application on the Immigration Service’s new Digital Contact Centre (DCC). They can register for, or log in to their existing account, at: https://portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/
As an Oireachtas member, you can also request the status of individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@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.
Citizenship Applications
Questions (1621)
Alan Kelly
Question:1621. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 if he would consider putting forward a person (details supplied) for citizenship of the State in recognition of his contribution to the Irish peace process. [20523/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 provides that the President, on the advice of the Government, may grant Irish Citizenship as a token of honour to a person, or to the child or grandchild of a person, who has done honour or rendered distinguished service to the nation. It has, due to its exceptional nature, been bestowed on a very limited number of people.
A Government decision to advise the President to grant honorary citizenship would require a member of the Government to submit a memorandum setting out a case as to why the exceptional honour should be granted. Because of the exceptional nature of the award, proposals or applications other than on foot of such submissions are not accepted.
Visa Applications
Questions (1622)
Ruth Coppinger
Question:1622. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice the status of a visa application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20550/25]
View answerWritten answers
I can advise the Deputy that the application referred to was created on 01 August 2024. Supporting documentation was received in the Ottawa office on 27 August 2024. The application was received in the Dublin Visa Office on 11 September 2024 where it awaits examination and processing.
My Departments business target for join family visa applications is 12 months. It must be made clear that these are business targets for the immigration service. The business target reflects the detailed and often complex assessment that is required to be carried out in relation to applications for family reunification.
It is not possible to give a definitive date as to when this application will be finalised. All applications are processed in chronological order, based on date order of receipt. While every effort is made to process applications as soon as possible, processing times will vary having regard to the volume and complexity of applications, the possible need for the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) function of the Department to investigate, inquire into, or seek further information, and the resources available.
The applicant will be notified as soon as a decision has been reached by a Visa Officer.
Processing times and decisions at the Dublin Visa Office can be checked at the following link which is updated each Tuesday:
www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/.
The date published on the website is the oldest date of application currently being processed under a given category. However, it should be noted that the Visa team continue to process and make decisions on applications received after the published processing date. If a particular application takes longer to consider this may result in the published processing date remaining unchanged. I can assure you that this does not indicate the processing of these applications has halted overall.
My Department is committed to providing the best possible service to applicants. To provide greater clarity, officials in my Department are currently in the process of updating the Immigration Service website for processing times for decisions on visa applications by the Dublin visa office.
The person concerned can now directly check the status of their immigration application on the Immigration Service’s new Digital Contact Centre (DCC). They can register for, or log in to their existing account, at:
portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/.
As an Oireachtas member, you can also request the status of individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@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.
An Garda Síochána
Questions (1623)
Ivana Bacik
Question:1623. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline in detail the staffing resources of each Garda station in the Cork city divisions; and if he will contact the Garda Commissioner to ensure the required additional Gardaí are allocated from Templemore this June. [20571/25]
View answerWritten answers
The information sought by the Deputy in relation to staff resources of each Garda station in the Cork City Divisions is publicly available and can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice/publications/garda-staff/.
The number of Gardaí assigned to each station in the Cork City Divisions is also publicly available and can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/66833-garda-workforce/
The Deputy should access the file titled “Garda Members by Division District Station 2009 to 28 February 2025 for a breakdown of total Gardaí numbers for each Garda Station in the Cork City Divisions.
I am informed that when allocating and transferring Garda members to and from any Division, consideration is given to commitments and undertakings outlined in the Annual Policing Plan and priorities as determined in delivering ‘A Policing Service for The Future’.
I understand that the requirements of all Garda Divisions nationwide are also taken into account, which include:
• Local and national crime trends and workloads;
• Policing arrangements and operational strategies;
• Minimum establishment statistics;
• Local population and trends, geographical area and size;
• Transfer applications, including welfare, personnel issues and concerns.
An Garda Síochána do not police on a station basis, but rather on a Divisional basis and view stations as locations within communities for people to attend, and for resources to be accommodated. Policing for an area will be delivered using all resources in a Community Engagement area and supported by Divisional resources and units.
Visa Applications
Questions (1624)
Ruth Coppinger
Question:1624. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice to report on the typical waiting times for the granting of a short term stay visa for South African citizens; if he will outline the reasons for the length of the processing times; the measures he intends to take to improve processing times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20579/25]
View answerWritten answers
I can advise the Deputy on 10 July 2024 visa requirements were introduced for nationals of South Africa.
The Dublin Visa Office have established a dedicated “South Africa desk” to process applications from residents of South Africa. My Department also established Visa Application Centres, located throughout South Africa, with visa service provider VFS Global. This is to ensure the facilitation of legitimate travel with processes that are robust, effective, and fair.
The South Africa Desk publishes guidance for applicants, target processing times and weekly decision reports, at the following webpage:
www.irishimmigration.ie/south-africa-visa-desk/.
The current target processing times for visa applications submitted to the South Africa Visa Desk are 6 to 8 weeks for applications to visit family/friend and approximately 12 weeks for tourist applications.
I can advise the Deputy that visas are being issued largely in line with the published target processing times. Applicants are advised that unforeseen delays can arise, which are outside the control of the Visa Desk. With this in mind, my officials recommend that, for short stay visas, applicants should apply up to 90 days in advance of their proposed travel dates and that applicants should not book flights until they have received and validated their visa.
If an application has significantly exceeded the above times, it is possible that, on initial assessment, the application has not met the criteria to be issued a visa, and further assessment/verification is required. In such instances, processing times will be longer than those stated above.
Any applicant can now directly check the status of their visa application on the Immigration Service’s new Digital Contact Centre (DCC). They can register for, or log in to their existing account, at:
portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/.
As an Oireachtas member, you can also request the status of individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@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.
Citizenship Applications
Questions (1625)
Mark Wall
Question:1625. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Justice to provide an update on a stateless application made to his Department (details supplied); to provide direct contact details of an official in his Department who is dealing with this case; to provide the contact details of all supports available within his Department for the person making the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20627/25]
View answerWritten answers
I can advise the Deputy that the person cited was granted an immigration permission through the Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants Scheme on 5 July 2022, and this permission expired on 4 July 2024.
Due to the length of time that this individuals immigration permission has expired, they are required to register again in-person.
All first-time registrations nationwide are being handled at the Burgh Quay Registration Office in Dublin. The person cited will need to book an appointment using the Digital Contact Centre (DCC). The appointment system on the DCC is the only means of securing an appointment. With the DCC, customers can select and book appointment slots to register for the first time. They can also reschedule or cancel if necessary.
When attending their registration appointment, the person concerned should bring the permission letter from the Domestic Residence and Permissions Division regarding their grant under the Long-Term Undocumented Migrants Scheme.
I can further advise the Deputy that my Department has previously provided guidance to the person cited in relation to registering their permission as they do not hold a national passport.
Further information on the registration process and required documents for registration are outlined on my Department's Immigration Service website at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-immigration-permission/.
As an Oireachtas member, you can also request the status of individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@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.
An Garda Síochána
Questions (1626)
Aidan Farrelly
Question:1626. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice if he has received an interim report from the Recruitment and Training Capacity Group in respect of Garda recruitment; if he has received advance recommendations; the date on which it will finalise its work and report to him; if the group, or his Department, has utilised external consultancy in respect of the group's work; the cost of same; and the service provider. [20631/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Programme for Government commits to examining a range of further measures to grow Garda numbers, including funding the recruitment of 5,000 members over the next five years, supporting and expanding the Garda Training College in Templemore, and widening the talent pool applying to join An Garda Síochána.
The Recruitment and Training Capacity Group has been established to support the achievement of increased recruitment. The Group’s work is ongoing, and all options to enhance recruitment effectively are being considered.
I look forward to the submission of the final report to me in the summer. I can inform the Deputy that no advance recommendations have been made at this stage, beyond recommendations regarding the future work of the Group.
I can further confirm that no consultancy has been engaged for the interim report or the subsequent work of the group.
Victim Support Services
Questions (1627)
Brian Brennan
Question:1627. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware of the difficulties faced by businesses in accessing information (details supplied); if changes can be introduced to have this information supplied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20812/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Government and An Garda Síochána recognise that shoplifting and organised retail crime pose a significant threat to the economic welfare of Irish retailers.
Retail theft is a serious matter, and it is not a ‘victimless’ crime. These incidents do real harm not only to the business owners, their staff and families, but also affect the community.
Officials in my Department are conducting preliminary planning work on developing a retail crime strategy.
The Programme for Government also commits to tackling retail defamation and to updating the Public Order Acts to allow a prolific perpetrator of retail crime to be excluded from a premises for a period of time.
On the specific issue raised by the Deputy, the definition of 'victim' in the Victims of Crime Act is a natural person; “victim” means a natural person who has suffered harm, including physical, mental or emotional harm or economic loss, which was directly caused by an offence. The Act is not intended to cover corporate bodies and other similar entities.
Officials in my Department are raising the issue highlighted by the Deputy with An Garda Síochána.
Visa Applications
Questions (1628)
Michael Cahill
Question:1628. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Justice if he will expedite a visa application in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20834/25]
View answerWritten answers
I can advise the Deputy that the applications referred to were created on 21 January 2025. Supporting documentation was received in the Paris office on 07 April 2025 where they await examination and processing.
It is not possible to give a definitive date as to when these applications will be finalised. All applications are processed in chronological order, based on date order of receipt. While every effort is made to process applications as soon as possible, processing times will vary having regard to the volume and complexity of applications.
Processing times and decisions at the Overseas Visa Offices can be checked at the following link:
www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/#decisions.
The persons concerned can now directly check the status of their immigration application on the Immigration Service’s new Digital Contact Centre. They can register for, or log in to their existing account, at:
https://portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/.
As an Oireachtas member, you can also request the status of individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@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.
An Garda Síochána
Questions (1629)
Tom Brabazon
Question:1629. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Justice the number of Gardai by rank attached to community policing units at both Coolock & Raheny Garda stations Dublin 5, as of 22 April 2025. [20844/25]
View answerWritten answers
Community policing is at the heart of An Garda Síochána and is something that all Garda members have a role in.
A member of An Garda Síochána is deemed to be a ‘Community Garda’ where that person is allocated to a Community Policing Team (CPT), and is responsible and accountable for applying a problem–solving approach to appropriate crime and policing quality-of-life issues in a specified geographic area through community partnership and engagement. Examples of this engagement are working with Neighbourhood Watch, Community Alert, or local business fora.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that on 28 February 2025, the latest date for when figures are available, there are a total of nine community Gardaí in Coolock Station, with none assigned to Raheny Station.
|
Community Policing Strength February 28 2025 |
|
|
|
|
|
Station |
Insp |
Sergeant |
Garda |
Total |
|
Coolock |
|
1 |
8 |
9 |
Both stations are situated in the DMR North Garda Division and I would note that there are 64 Community Gardaí assigned to this Division as of the end of February.
In the interest of transparency, figures related to the Garda workforce, including Community Gardaí, are published on my Department's website. This information is supplied by An Garda Síochána, is operational and subject to change. These figures are regularly updated by my Department, upon receipt of the information from the Garda authorities and can be accessed using the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/bd777-an-garda-siochana-your-police-service-some-facts-and-figures/.
Please be advised that this information is operational and may be subject to change.
Probation and Welfare Service
Questions (1630)
Tom Brabazon
Question:1630. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Justice the number of service users that have used the probation services at a location (details supplied), in each of the past three years and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [20845/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Probation Service team based in the Donaghmede Office have responsibilities across a large area of Dublin North which includes Dublin 17, Dublin 13, Dublin 5 and a part of Dublin 3. This team also covers all rural areas north of Dublin Airport to the county boundary including Swords, Malahide and Portmarnock. At any one time the team may be working with up to 250 persons referred from the criminal courts for assessment or supervision.
The Deputy should note that those referred by the Courts may be met with in the local office in Donaghmede as well as in other Probation Service offices on the Northside of Dublin. Client meetings also take place in the clients’ homes or in other community organisations/facilities as appropriate.
The table below details the number of appointments scheduled in the Donaghmede Office each month from 2022 to date in 2025. This data is not a count of individuals. People seen by the Probation Service may have more than one appointment over the course of their case being managed by the Probation Service.
Scheduled appointments in the Donaghmede office by year and month
|
Year/Month |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
January |
80 |
73 |
106 |
122 |
|
February |
78 |
95 |
114 |
97 |
|
March |
118 |
83 |
103 |
106 |
|
April |
104 |
73 |
125 |
94 |
|
May |
103 |
82 |
173 |
|
|
June |
89 |
81 |
97 |
|
|
July |
61 |
74 |
117 |
|
|
August |
80 |
80 |
65 |
|
|
September |
110 |
43 |
119 |
|
|
October |
97 |
72 |
129 |
|
|
November |
101 |
106 |
116 |
|
|
December |
56 |
70 |
91 |
|
|
Total |
1,077 |
932 |
1,355 |
419 |
Child Detention Centres
Questions (1631)
Matt Carthy
Question:1631. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice if it has been brought to his attention that Section 144 of the Children Act 2001, while providing for the suspension of the whole or any portion of a period of detention, does not appear to provide a mechanism by which a suspended detention order can be reactivated in circumstances whereby an accused has breached the conditions of the suspension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20847/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Children Act 2001 provides the legislative framework for youth justice in Ireland. The Act provides for a criminal justice regime appropriate to the particular needs of children and facilitates their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
In July 2024, the General Scheme of the Children (Amendment) Bill 2024 was published to address issues and gaps that have arisen in the two decades since enactment of the 2001 Act. This General Scheme was referred to the Justice Committee where it awaits pre-legislative scrutiny. One of the main objectives of the Bill is to provide for alternatives to suspended sentences for children.
Section 144 of the Act will be amended to provide for the deferment of a detention order only in circumstances where no place is available in a Children Detention Centre. The option to defer ‘for any other reason’ will be removed and will be replaced by a new sanction, namely a Deferred Sentence Supervision Order (DSSO).
A DSSO can be imposed if a judge deems that a sentence of detention is the appropriate penalty.
The judge can then defer the sentencing hearing for up to a year. During this time the child will be under the supervision of the Probation Service. If the child complies with the terms of their probation, then the judge can discharge the child at the deferred hearing. If the child fails to engage with the Probation Service, the judge can make an order for detention or, if the child turns 18 in the interim an order for imprisonment. If the child fails to comply with the order during the period of deferment, the Probation Service can apply to the court to have the order revoked.
The Bill also seeks to amend the provisions for community sanctions so that they are fully enforceable after the child turns 18 years old. These sanctions include: (1) probation orders, (2) intensive supervision orders, and (3) probation (training and activities) orders. The existing provisions for Detention and Supervision Orders will be amended so that the supervision element of the sanction can be fully enforced once a child turns 18. The court will be given flexibility to structure the order as the court sees fit.
Additionally, the Bill will set the age of eligibility for procedural entitlements under the 2001 Act to the age a person was when the alleged offence was committed and not the age the person is at the time of the trial. These entitlements include anonymity. Finally, the Bill will deal with related matters, including changes to the board of Oberstown.