Written Answers Nos. 1-30
7. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will expand on the proposals for the use of the old prison site at Rathmore Road, Cork city; if he will engage with the Irish Prison Service to ensure any extension to that facility includes a provision for community use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35407/25]
View answerI can confirm that it is proposed to use the Old Cork Prison site, as previously announced as part of a larger proposal to accelerate the delivery of six prison capital projects. Using an exemption from the initial approval stages of the infrastructure guidelines is expected to reduce delivery times by 12 to 18 months. This is part of the overall plan to increase prison capacity by 1,595.
The Future Prison Capacity Working Group was established in July 2024. The report outlines future prison population growth and acknowledges that building on existing prison campuses offers a number of benefits. It has identified the scope for development at a number of existing prisons, and building on two further sites; (i) the Old Cork Prison site and (ii) Thornton Hall site.
In order to deliver increased prison capacity the Irish Prison Service has developed a renewed capital plan that has the potential to deliver 1,595 additional spaces on existing sites across the prison estate, including Old Cork Prison.
In late 2023, Engineering Consultants were engaged by the IPS Estates Directorate to carry out a detailed assessment of the old Cork Prison facility and to provide a feasibility report on the site with various options for its use. The draft report received by the Irish Prison Service recommends the construction of a new prison on the site using modern methods of construction.
This project is at a very early stage of development.
My officials have assured me as the project progresses there will be stakeholder engagement as part of a considered planning process.
16. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the projected annual cost for Ireland of participation in the EU Pact on Asylum and Migration for each of the next five years, broken down by current and capital expenditure, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36668/25]
View answerIt is a central priority for me as Minister for Justice that our immigrations laws are robust and enforced.
The EU Migration and Asylum Pact is a new EU framework to manage migration and asylum for the long-term. The overall objective of the Pact is to provide a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure. This will be done through convergence in asylum practises across the EU.
Ireland’s national implementation plan sets out the State’s proposed approach to meeting the requirements set out in the Pact. It is not a binding prescription, but rather an indication of how Ireland intends to go about implementing the Pact.
The plan allows for a transition period before the Pact comes into effect in June 2026 during which elements can be examined in greater detail and modified as required. This includes operational aspects as well as resource requirements around human resources, IT, infrastructure and so on.
The plan sets out an ambition to have a maximum 9-month processing period for applicants in the international protection system, which would greatly reduce the cost to the State. The delivery of State-owned beds through the State’s Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy will also reduce the cost of accommodation.
The plan also contains indicative cost modelling estimating potential capital set up costs, post implementation non-pay costs and the cost of new staff required from June 2026. The cost model varies based on a range of possible number of applications per annum.
In the short term, the cost to the State will increase as two parallel legislative systems will operate for some time. However, in the medium to long-term this investment will show a return in the form of decreasing annual costs because of the improved, faster processing it will enable, thereby reducing the time an applicant remains in the system, with significant accommodation and other costs.
The estimated costs for running all aspects of the Department's asylum and immigration services will be set out in the annual Estimates for 2026 and subsequent years on an annual basis in the normal fashion.
17. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will provide an update on his work to permit the retrospective use of biometric technologies by the Garda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36167/25]
View answerAn Garda Síochána needs modern tools and equipment to protect people from harm and save lives.
This includes the rollout of bodycams to help protect frontline Gardaí and to allow them to investigate crime as effectively as possible. The Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Act 2023 was enacted in December 2023 and provides a legal basis for the deployment and use of body-worn cameras by An Garda Síochána, for Garda use of automatic numberplate recognition and for the reform of Garda use of CCTV.
The Programme for Government includes a commitment to allow for the use of biometric technologies in certain, very controlled circumstances as a tool to process evidence in serious cases. The General Scheme of the Recording Devices (Amendment) Bill was published in 2023 and underwent pre-legislative scrutiny by the Oireachtas Justice committee in February 2024, during which experts from across this complex area discussed its provisions.
Work is well advanced on the drafting of a Bill to amend the Recording Devices Act to provide for certain retrospective use of biometric technologies, including facial recognition. Officials within my Department continue to work closely with the Office of the Attorney General and consult with An Garda Síochána with a view to progressing the Bill toward publication.
It should be noted that this Bill does not provide for the use of live FRT, although I intend to bring forward further legislation to provide for live FRT in a subsequent Bill, in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government.
18. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the steps being taken to address overcrowding in prisons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36681/25]
View answer61. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the measures his Department is taking to address prison overcrowding, in light of recent figures showing that prison capacity stands at 115%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36527/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 61 together.
I am acutely aware of capacity restraints in our prisons, and challenges faced by those who work and live in our prisons as a result. The current Programme for Government commits to increasing the capacity of our prisons by 1,500 spaces. The Irish Prison Service have already begun work to achieve this. Since January 2022, capacity across the prison estate has been increased by more than 300 new spaces, with 126 delivered in 2024, 40 delivered to date in 2025 with plans to deliver a further 101 additional spaces by the end of this year.
Budget 2025 increased overall funding for the Irish Prison Service by €79m (18%) compared to 2024, bringing the total allocated to nearly €525m. This increase is to fund measures to address overcrowding, including a capital budget of €53m which is €22.5m more than the original 2024 allocation.
Supported by the increased budget, the Irish Prison Service also aims to recruit up to 300 prison officers in 2025, in addition to the 271 prison officers recruited in 2024.
The Future Prison Capacity Working Group was established in the second half of 2024 to further consider future prison capacity needs and to make recommendations on the numbers and types of prison capacity needed out to 2035. I brought the Report of this Working Group to Cabinet recently and it will be published shortly.
I can further advise the Deputy that I propose to accelerate the delivery of 960 of the additional spaces by utilising an exemption from the initial approval stages of the infrastructure guidelines for these projects, which will enable accelerated delivery with timelines reduced by 12 to 18 months.
Overall, the Irish Prison Service's renewed capital plan has the potential to deliver 1,595 spaces through making optimal use of existing sites, including redevelopment of the Old Cork Prison. It is considered to be a relatively cost effective and efficient path to provide additional prison accommodation. The plan includes significant refurbishment and upgrade works within the footprint of the existing prison estate, and includes proposals for the construction of new extension blocks.
Action is being taken by the Irish Prison Service on a daily basis to manage overcrowding through a combination of inter-prison transfers where capacity is available and structured Temporary Release. Decisions in relation to temporary release are considered on a case by case basis and the safety of the public is paramount when those decisions are made.
I am committed to progressing and implementing policies aimed at increasing the use of community sanctions, that reduce offending, divert people away from imprisonment, and provide effective rehabilitation.
In April, I approved the publication of the Community Service - New Directions Implementation Plan 2025-2027 by the Probation Service. This plan sets out commitments to drive the delivery and support the increased use of Community Service as a robust and meaningful alternative to imprisonment. Engagement with the Judiciary, imbedding the principles of desistence, restorative justice and social justice, and increasing the visibility and accessibility of Community Service are part of this plan.
A range of actions to address capacity issues in our prisons was also agreed in June 2024 following on from the report of the Prison Overcrowding Response Group and work to implement these actions is ongoing.
Among these actions was the introduction in 2024 of a pilot Structured Temporary Release Scheme for suitable candidates in Limerick Women’s Prison. Recognising the positive impact of the pilot so far, the eligibility criteria for the scheme is now being extended on a phased basis to include more women in the prison.
Another of these actions is to amend legislation to increase the maximum number of hours that can be imposed under a community service order from 240 to 480 hours. The amendment will also require a judge to consider a community service order if a sentence of up to two years is being considered, rather than the current one year requirement. These amendments have been included in the General Scheme of the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 which I published on 6 May 2025.
The Bill also includes a range of measures which will bring welcome changes across a range of areas, improving operational capacity in our prisons and bolstering sentencing options to reduce reliance on custodial sentences.
In Budget 2025, the Probation Service received an additional €4 million, bringing their total budget to over €60 million. This is to fund the expansion of crime-diversion programmes, support step-down facilities, restorative justice, and community-based alternatives to imprisonment.
The Programme for Government also commits to implement electronic monitoring for appropriate categories of offender. I would like to assure the Deputy that work is underway to operationalise electronic monitoring in line with existing legislative provisions. An initial rollout of electronic monitoring is planned for later this year following a procurement exercise to select a service provider.
Taken together, these actions demonstrate that this Government and I are committed to delivering one of the fastest-ever expansions of prison capacity in Ireland and increasing and enhancing community based alternatives to imprisonment.
19. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department will examine the current waitlists for Naas courthouse and assign more staff to deal with the current backlog of cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36664/25]
View answerAs Minister, it is my priority to ensure that the courts are adequately resourced to administer justice efficiently and effectively.
This past year marks the first full calendar year of supporting a significantly enlarged judiciary and court operations in the wake of the 2023 publication of the report of the Judicial Planning Working Group (JPWG) and the appointment of 24 additional judges.
Following an impact assessment of the first phase of judicial appointments following the publication of the Judicial Planning Working Group Report, Government approval was secured, on 22 October 2024, to increase judicial numbers by a further 20 judges to meet the growing demands on the justice system and to further reduce long waiting times across the courts. This would involve two additional judges for the Court of Appeal and six each for the High, Circuit and District Courts. As outlined in the current Programme for Government, this Government is committed to putting these extra 20 judges in place within 12 months.
It is my intention to request the Judicial Appointments Commission to initiate the selection processes for these judges later this year. Taken together, these two sets of appointments represent an increase of approximately 25% in the number of Judges in Ireland.
This year, the Courts Service was allocated a budget of over €199.8 million, with additional funding allocated to provide for the recruitment of additional staff to support an expanding Judiciary and to bolster modernisation measures.
Regarding Naas Courthouse, my officials have made enquiries of the Courts Service regarding current waitlists.
The average District Court waiting times in District 25, which includes Naas and Athy courthouses are as follows:
|
Business type |
Wait time in weeks |
|
Criminal - Adult Summonses |
11 |
|
Criminal - Adult Charge Sheets |
29 |
|
Civil - Applications |
17 |
|
Family - Childcare |
16 |
|
Family - Domestic Violence |
27 |
|
Family - Guardianship |
28 |
|
Family - Maintenance |
46 |
The average waiting times per business case in Naas Circuit Court, exclusively, are as follows:
|
Business type |
Wait time in weeks |
|
Criminal - Appeals |
28 |
|
Criminal - Trials |
70 |
|
Criminal - Sentences |
55 |
|
Civil - Appeals |
15 |
|
Civil - Trials |
75 |
|
Family - Divorce |
36 |
|
Family - Judicial Separation |
88 |
With regards staffing at Naas courthouse, as Minister, I have no role in such operational matters of the courts but I am informed that there are 23 staff at present, 21 of which are full-time.
I am further informed that while the Naas Office has had staff vacancies in the past, those vacancies, with the exception of two remaining Clerical Officer vacancies, have now been filled due to direct recruitment/local competitions and staff training is ongoing.
20. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if the community response team in an area (detailed supplied) is being considered for permanent status; if he will provide data on arrests and incidents since its establishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36633/25]
View answerThe Government is committed to the principle that everyone, wherever they live, should be safe and feel safe. Building safe and secure communities across the country by investing in An Garda Síochána is a top priority for me. I want every part of the country to be a safe space for people to live and work in, and the Dublin 13 area is no exception to this.
While the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management of Garda operational matters and resources, I engage regularly with him to ensure that An Garda Síochána have the resources they need to keep our communities safe.
I am informed that the Superintendent with responsibility for Community Engagement in Coolock Garda Station established a Temporary Community Response Team on 17 February 2025. This team is comprised of one Sergeant and 4 Gardaí. The team is responsible for maintaining a Garda presence in the Darndale, Clongriffin and Belmayne areas, and support the work of existing Community Policing Units. I am pleased to hear the positive feedback on this initiative.
As of the 1 July 2025, the temporary unit remains in place and the unit is an integral part of the Community Engagement policing plan for the Coolock Community Engagement Functional Area going forward. I understand the unit will remain in place on a temporary basis while resources allow and the local Superintendent hopes to increase this unit size in time.
I am informed that the Community Response Team conduct proactive patrols, checkpoints and searches while also being available to answer calls for service in the area. As a result, there has been increased visibility with detections across a range of offences from traffic to drug related activity and high-volume crime such as thefts.
Between February and the end of June, the Community Response Team have had 758 incidents reported, 358 proactive patrols conducted, 60 arrests made, 35 detections for drugs, 36 detections for theft and 32 bench warrants executed by Gardaí attached to this unit. In addition, there have been multiple checkpoints and searches conducted by the unit.
This team has had a number of successes in recent weeks and extensive investigations have identified youths involved in anti-social behaviour in these areas, with the intention of mitigating against such activity and bringing any offenders to justice.
As the Deputy is aware, a meeting was held earlier this year in Dublin City Council offices, Bunratty Road, with representatives of the Clongriffin, Belmayne and Parkside areas, along with Gardaí from the team and the Community Policing Unit were also present at this meeting.
I understand the meeting focused on Gardaí in anti-social behaviour in the Clongriffin and Belmayne areas, including Parkside and the Gardaí provided an update into how the local policing plans are implemented, and encouraged that all criminal should be reported immediately through the 999 System. I further understand that local representatives acknowledged that there has been a significant increase in patrols and high visibility in the areas, which has been effective and will continue.
I am also aware that a number of successful Garda operations have recently taken place in the DMR North to tackle organised crime groups.
21. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if, in view of the serious damage being inflicted on increasing numbers of people, his Department, in conjunction with other Departments and statutory agencies, will introduce additional measures and supports to help people get off drugs and recover from addictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36644/25]
View answerI am fully committed to helping to significantly reduce the harms caused to families and communities by illicit drug use. While my colleague the Minister for Health leads on policy on drug addiction and recovery, I do recognise that these areas are complex and there is a clear interface between the work of An Garda Síochána and the health and social services in this area.A person with an addiction issue can may also be involved in the sale and supply of drugs, or have close associations with those involved in organised crime. It is well-established that organised criminal groups will exploit vulnerable people and coerce or groom them into being involved in criminality. The three main policy objectives my Department are seeking to achieve in this area are:
• tackling organised crime;
• minimising the harms caused to those with addiction issues;
• and diverting people from involvement in crime and illicit drug-related activity.
The stark reality of drug use in Ireland today means this work is a high priority for my Department.We have a particular focus on targeting the work of organised crime groups, which inflict intimidation and violence on families and communities, while grooming and coercing vulnerable young people into drug-related criminal activity.An Garda Síochána continue to target those involved in street-level drug dealing across the country and also focuses on disrupting and dismantling the drug trafficking networks that impact our communities, and prosecuting those involved at every level, through Operation Tara.
In May, alongside my colleague Minister Murnane O’Connor, I launched the DRIVE (Drug related intimidation & violence engagement) project. DRIVE’s primary goal is to establish effective systems and structures for a unified, timely, and sensitive response to drug-related intimidation. It focuses on responding to incidents, supporting those affected, and preventing future occurrences.
Diverting people, in particular young people, away from involvement in crime and illicit drug-related activity is another significant area of focus in the work of my Department.
The Department of Health together with my Department, the Health Service Executive and An Garda Síochána, are finalising a Health Diversion Scheme.
The Scheme will provide a comprehensive health-led response to possession for personal use, connecting participants with health services and providing a pathway to treatment and recovery where there is problematic drug use.
The Programme for Government endorses the health-led approach and commits to implement the health diversion scheme and to review it after the first full year of implementation to ensure that it is meeting all of it aims and to make any necessary changes.
In addition to the continued rollout of the “Greentown” programme, which seeks to break the link between children who are engaged, or at risk of engaging, with a criminal gang, my Department also funds youth diversion programmes throughout the country.
It is important to recognise that the actions underway in relation to this area must be viewed holistically. No one single policy solution can resolve all the harms caused to society by the use of illicit drugs but a combination of policies that are aligned and coherent can make a real difference for all those affected by the curse of illicit drugs.
22. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he is concerned at the chilling effect the proposed Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025 will have on the right to protest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36518/25]
View answerIn Ireland, the right to freely and peacefully assemble and associate, and correspondingly, to freely express one’s convictions and opinions, is guaranteed under the Constitution, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. These are core tenets of any open, liberal democracy, and this Government is committed to their protection.
Notwithstanding that, there are boundaries to such protections, and as the nature of terrorism continues to evolve and adapt, we must ensure that our counter-terrorism laws are robust and fit for purpose in the face of modern terrorist threats. The Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to achieve that aim. As the Deputy will be aware, the Bill transposes an EU Directive from 2017.
Great care has been taken to ensure that where the offences introduced by the Bill place limits on fundamental rights, it is done proportionately and out of necessity. One such safeguard woven into the tapestry of this Bill is the notion of terrorist intention, which, in this jurisdiction, is an essential requirement for a person to fall within the scope of any of the offences.
Take section 3 of the Bill by way of example, which widens the definition of the existing offence of “public provocation to commit a terrorist offence” to reflect that this may be committed through glorification of a terrorist activity. A number of hurdles must be met for the prosecution of this offence. It will be necessary to prove that on distribution or publication of terrorist content, the person intended to incite another person to commit a terrorist activity. There must also be a reasonable apprehension that the commission of a terrorist activity could in fact result.
This high standard of proof serves to act as a safeguard in ensuring that it is only those who set about to deliberately incite terrorist activity that are captured by the offences contained in this Bill.
23. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will hit his target of 1,000 new Garda recruits this year; how he will reach 5,000 recruits over the lifetime of this Government, as outlined in the programme for Government, if the numbers are below average this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36606/25]
View answerI would like to assure the Deputy that an increased and a visible Garda presence is central to the Government's aim to build safe and secure communities for all of our citizens to enjoy.
In February this year, the first Garda recruitment competition for 2025 was launched. This is the fourth such competition in recent years and despite the challenging labour market conditions, I am delighted that over 6,700 applications were received. This demonstrates the continued interest in a career as a member An Garda Síochána.
I welcome the intention of An Garda Síochána and publicjobs to run a second recruitment competition this year in order to maintain the strong pipeline of recruits for the remaining 2025 intakes and in preparation for the 2026 intakes.
In terms of this year's recruits, in March 201 trainees entered Templemore. This was the largest intake to Templemore since 2019. A further 170 entered the college earlier this month, and two more groups will enter this year, in August and November.
149 probationer Gardaí attested in March and a further 120 attested last month (June). Two more attestations are scheduled for 2025. Based on the current number of trainees in the Garda college it is anticipated that a total of 600-650 Gardaí will attest this year.
A Recruitment and Training Capacity Group has been established, chaired by a Deputy Secretary General in my Department, to support the achievement of increased recruitment. The Group keeps me informed on actions being taking to maximise future intakes and to ensure the 2025 and subsequent recruitment processes can be as effective as possible.
The Group will also provide a final report to me in the coming weeks which I expect will include further measures to support recruitment and retention and the achievement of the Programme for Government target of 5,000 over the next five years.
24. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to outline the progress in establishing a new criminal justice international co-operation office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36374/25]
View answerOn 03 June 2025, I secured Cabinet approval for priority drafting of the Criminal Justice (International Cooperation Office) Bill 2025, which will establish the Criminal Justice International Cooperation Office and set out its powers in line with the EU e-Evidence Regulation and Directive. This is in line with the Programme for Government commitment to prioritise the implementation of the e-evidence package, including the establishment of a new agency.
The establishment of the Criminal Justice International Cooperation Office will provide a cohesive approach to digital regulation in the criminal justice space by centralising the necessary skills and expertise, and ensuring a streamlined regulatory framework based around a single regulator. Additionally, it will enhance Ireland’s ability to ensure effective access to digital evidence in tackling serious crime.
The establishment of this new Office will have significant benefits for the service providers based in Ireland in terms of their ability to comply with the requirements of the EU e-Evidence Package and other international cooperation instruments.
25. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if the local community care partnership will have an increasing role and input for elected representatives to improve policing in their area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36058/25]
View answerThe Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which I commenced on Wednesday 2 April 2025, provides for the establishment of Local Community Safety Partnerships (LCSP) within each local authority area.
Last week I signed the regulations for these Safety Partnerships and these came into operation on Monday 30 June. 36 Partnerships can now be established in local authority areas across the country, and this will be done as soon as is practicable.
I recognise the importance of participation by elected representatives and we must ensure they remain central to the new partnerships. Seven local authority members will be nominated to their Local Community Safety Partnerships from amongst, and by, their membership and will have a crucial role to play in ensuring the voice of their constituents are represented. All elected representatives will also have further opportunities to engage with their safety partnership, including a closed meeting for members of the Oireachtas and local authority to meet with members of the safety partnership.
Safety Partnerships replace and build upon the good work previously undertaken by Joint Policing Committees and will bring together a broader range of relevant stakeholders to address community safety issues in their area. Local Community Safety Partnerships will have a maximum of 30 members and membership will include local councillors; An Garda Síochána; HSE; Tusla; local authority executive; business; education; local residents and community representatives, including representatives of youth, new communities, and the voluntary sector. Each safety partnership will be led by a voluntary Chair and supported by a full-time coordinator and administrator. The Chair will be elected from amongst, and by, the Partnership membership. The Act also provides for a National Office for Community Safety.
As part of the implementation process, my officials and the National Office team have been engaging with relevant bodies, including local authorities and other stakeholders such as An Garda Síochána, the HSE, and Tusla, to support the establishment of Safety Partnerships. A function of this Office is to provide training, guidance and support to Safety Partnerships. National Office staff are engaging directly with appointed staff, local authorities and other stakeholders to support the establishment of Local Community Safety Partnerships. The National Office has prepared, in consultation with a variety of stakeholders, a comprehensive guidance document for their establishment and operation.
26. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will raise the threshold for eligibility for free civil legal aid to the same level as for free criminal legal aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36519/25]
View answerAt the outset, it is important to clarify that criminal legal aid and civil legal aid are separate services.
As outlined in the Programme for Government 2025, the Government has committed to reforming the operation of Criminal Legal Aid. The general scheme of the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Bill 2023 was published in July 2023.
Civil legal aid and advice is provided for qualifying individuals in civil matters which are those that concern non-criminal disputes between individuals or organisations. Civil legal aid and advice is granted through the Civil Legal Aid Scheme, which is administered by the Legal Aid Board. The Legal Aid Board is the statutory, independent body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to persons of modest means, in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 and the Civil Legal Aid Regulations 1996 to 2021. The Board also has responsibility for providing a family mediation service.
Regulations made by the Minister for Justice, under section 37 of the 1995 Act, determine the levels of disposable income and disposable capital that a person cannot exceed in order to qualify for legal aid. Pursuant to Regulation 15, ‘income’ refers to all income received by the applicant in the form of salary, wages, pension or other annuity. It is important to note that since 2021, the Housing Assistance Payment is no longer treated as form of income by the Board.
Disposable income is defined in Regulation 16(1) as gross income in accordance with the Regulations less various allowances in respect of dependants, mortgage, childcare, tax, and certain allowances and benefits. In particular, an allowance of €8,000 for accommodation expenses per annum is provided, and an allowance of up to €6,000 per child in respect of child care expenses. There is also a requirement that the value of the individual’s capital assets, apart from their home, does not exceed a certain amount. The disposable income threshold is €18,000.
In June 2022, my predecessor established a independent Civil Legal Aid Review Group to review the current operation of the Civil Legal Aid Scheme and make recommendations for its future. The Group is considered many aspects of the scheme, in line with its terms of reference, such as the appropriateness of the current eligibility thresholds, the scope of the scheme and whether it should remain primarily a family law service.
I can confirm that the Civil Legal Aid Review has been completed with the submission of majority and minority reports to me in April 2025. Both the majority and minority reports of the Review contain findings and recommendations regarding the future of the Scheme and the broader landscape of legal support, in line with the Group's terms of reference.
I am currently considering the findings and recommendations contained in the reports. It is my intention to bring the Review to Government for consideration shortly and to publish it thereafter.
27. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he can clarify with whom the responsibility for the positioning of speed vans on national roads lies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34127/25]
View answerThe whole of Government response to road safety is led by the Department of Transport and is a shared responsibility taken very seriously across Government.While the development and implementation of road traffic legislation and policy falls within the remit of my colleague Mr Darragh O'Brien TD, the Minister for Transport, road traffic laws are enforced by Gardaí assigned to Roads Policing and as part of the day-to-day duties of uniformed Gardaí nationwide.
Speeding remains one of the greatest risk factors on our roads. Speed reduces the time people have to react and makes collisions much more likely. It also makes it more likely that when collisions happen, they will lead to death or very serious injuries.
Speed vans are currently operated by the service provider GoSafe under the direction of An Garda Síochána. Road safety cameras operate in areas where there is a history of speed-related collisions, known as speed enforcement zones. The designation of specific sections of road as speed enforcement zones is based on an analysis of collision data. They are also there to be preventative, to be seen and to adjust driver behaviour.
Ongoing surveys are conducted to ascertain whether existing zones continue to represent locations where speeding is happening. Further details on the type and location of safety cameras can be accessed on An Garda Síochána's website.The use of camera technology for the detection of offences is a priority action in the first phase of the Government's Road Safety Strategy. The development of the first National Safety Camera Strategy is being led by Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
28. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if a facility (details supplied) is still being considered to house applicants for international protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35259/25]
View answerProviding reception conditions – accommodation and other basic supports – to people seeking international protection is part of Irish and EU law.
A portion of the Irish Prison Service site at Thornton Hall in North Dublin was identified by the State in 2024 as having potential to assist with delivering emergency temporary accommodation for people seeking international protection.
In August 2024, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth (DCEDIY), which held responsibility for the provision of international protection accommodation at that time, put in place a Ministerial Order to provide a planning exemption for works on a defined part of the Thornton Hall site, and initial works commenced.
In October 2024, a Judicial Review was brought by representatives of local residents into the procedures that were applied in developing the Ministerial Order and this led to works on the site being paused. The Department decided to set aside the Ministerial order in November 2024, works at the Thornton Hall site remain paused, and the site at Thornton Hall is fully secured.
Thornton Hall remains part of long-term plans to implement the Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for international protection.
The Programme for Government 2025 commits to a range of measures to enhance prison infrastructure and increase prison capacity by 1500 additional spaces and the construction of a new prison at the Thornton Hall site.
Last month I presented the findings of the Future Prison Capacity Working Group to cabinet. Long range projections prepared by the group indicate that Ireland’s prison population out to 2035 will continue to grow and that there is a pressing need to increase prison capacity.
The findings support and will also inform future developments at Thornton Hall site as a whole, subject to the necessary funding being secured through the Government’s review of the National Development Plan.
29. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if there are plans to introduce stronger bail laws; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36663/25]
View answerBail laws in Ireland are comprehensive and the Bail Act 1997 has been revised and strengthened several times. However, I am committed to ensuring our bail laws are fit for purpose and have asked Lorcan Staines SC to assess current bail laws and make any recommendations he believes are appropriate, taking into account the requirements of constitutional justice.
While our bail laws provide for the refusal of bail in particular circumstances, the presiding judge is entirely independent in the exercise of their judicial functions, and the decision to grant bail in a particular case is solely a matter for the judge.
The Programme for Government also commits to implement electronic tagging for appropriate categories of offender, such as individuals released on bail while awaiting their trial for serious offences, and work is underway to achieve this with the commencement of a project to examine how electronic monitoring can be brought into use in line with existing legislative provisions.A steering group is in place, made up of sectoral representatives, including the Irish Prison Service, who will be involved in the delivery, and work has started on scoping out the practical operational considerations, including the technology to be used for relevant categories of offender to inform next steps. An initial rollout is expected later this year following a procurement exercise to select a service provider.
30. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he is concerned at the chilling effect the proposed Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025 will have on freedom of speech; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36517/25]
View answer65. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will remove section 3 from the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36516/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 65 together.
In Ireland, the right to freely and peacefully assemble and associate, and correspondingly, to freely express one’s convictions and opinions, is guaranteed under the Constitution, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. These are core tenets of any open, liberal democracy, and this Government is committed to their protection.
Notwithstanding that, there are boundaries to such protections, and as the nature of terrorism continues to evolve and adapt, we must ensure that our counter-terrorism laws are robust and fit for purpose in the face of modern terrorist threats. The Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to achieve that aim. As the Deputy will be aware, the Bill transposes an EU Directive from 2017.Great care has been taken to ensure that where the offences introduced by the Bill place limits on fundamental rights, it is done proportionately and out of necessity. One such safeguard woven into the tapestry of this Bill is the notion of terrorist intention, which, in this jurisdiction, is an essential requirement for a person to fall within the scope of any of the offences.
Take section 3 of the Bill, which the Deputy specifically raises, by way of example. Section 3 widens the definition of the existing offence of “public provocation to commit a terrorist offence” to reflect that this may be committed through the glorification of a terrorist activity. A number of hurdles must be met for the prosecution of this offence. It will be necessary to prove that on distribution or publication of terrorist content, the person intended to incite another person to commit a terrorist activity. There must also be a reasonable apprehension that the commission of a terrorist activity could in fact result.This is a very high standard of proof intended as a safeguard to ensure that it is only people who set about to deliberately incite terrorist activity who could be charged with the offences contained in this Bill.
