Results 61-80 of 1,125,534 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Peter Burke OR speaker:Damien English OR speaker:Simon Coveney OR speaker:Darren O'Rourke OR speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice OR speaker:Cathal Berry OR speaker:Alan Dillon OR speaker:Niamh Smyth OR speaker:Róisín Shortall OR speaker:David Stanton OR speaker:James Lawless OR speaker:Simon Harris OR speaker:Mary Butler OR speaker:Kieran O'Donnell OR speaker:James Browne OR speaker:Jennifer Whitmore OR speaker:Michael Lowry OR speaker:Imelda Munster OR speaker:Bríd Smith OR speaker:Helen McEntee OR speaker:Holly Cairns OR speaker:Paschal Donohoe OR speaker:Michael McGrath OR speaker:Dessie Ellis OR speaker:Verona Murphy) in 'Committee meetings'

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I do not think it will be finished by next year, given it has not yet started, but I would certainly like it to have started by next year. It will be a fantastic facility for families, not just in Dublin but throughout the region, and there has been significant investment in a number of new courthouses throughout the country. As we continue to develop our infrastructure and look to the...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I cannot say progress will not be made in the next year, although I do not believe it will be made between now and the end of this year in terms of the planning. Nevertheless, we need to get it to the stage where the design will be progressed and where planning can be applied for. The site was bought only this year, so we have to go through the stages and progress it as quickly as we can....

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I can certainly speak to the Courts Service about that.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I expect the Bill to be finalised by the end of the year and then, depending on where we are and what is going on, it can be progressed in the Houses next year.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: Absolutely. That is why I am keen that we get to that point and why I want it to have been published by the end of this year. It should have been done before now - I think we all accept that - but the Bill has been progressed, and if it can be published by the end of this year, that will give us a chance to make sure it is done next year.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I cannot think of anything off the top of my head. There are often reasons certain matters are not progressed or ratified, but if we give a commitment to ratifying something, we tend to do so, and the objective is always to do it as quickly as possible, whether it is the Istanbul Convention or any other convention. It often takes longer because there can be different strands that include...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I have just this week brought the review of the Coroner Service to Cabinet. I have not yet published it but I intend to do so probably early next week, so I will be able to outline that then.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: No, it will, but the report and the review have to be published first. That will allow for the legislation to progress.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: Again, I can speak to the Deputy about that once the report has been published.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: It has been approved by Cabinet but it has not been officially published. I cannot speak to the report until it has been published.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: It is important that we have a uniform system and that people have clarity as to the structure and oversight of the payment. The report, as I said, was brought to Cabinet only in the past two days. It sets this out clearly and creates a pathway for legislation that is required, among other things. I asked that the report and the review would look at not just the structures but also how we...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: It can be improved and is being improved. To try to ensure we have the capacity, 30 additional judges have been appointed in the past two years through the judicial planning working group. One of the requirements for the additional judges was that there would be reform and changes to have them sit at times when they were not sitting, and that is already happening in some of the courts. I...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I think we can look at ways in which all the courts could potentially sit longer, while acknowledging that, obviously, there has been a structure there for some time. We need our courts to be as productive as possible while allowing our Judiciary and legal professions to have the time they need. Particular courts operate in different ways. Some will require time for writing up judgments,...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: There are already increased numbers of sittings across all the courts, including in the Circuit Court. Regarding any changes to how they currently operate, as I said, we will need to keep all options open and look at all the ways in which our courts can operate most effectively.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: I believe, where possible, our courts should be sitting as much as possible, but at the same time-----

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: Where possible, yes. Again, the recommendations from the Brigid McManus judicial planning working group look at where all our courts could potentially sit longer, where they can sit on days when they are not sitting and at how we can assist them through technology to be as effective as possible. I refer as well, though, to support through an increase in staff, not only in the numbers of...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: The majority of the amount is staff-related. It is about getting staff throughout the year. Of the €5 million, then, I think that aspect accounts for at least €4 million.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: It is staff-related. In a full employment environment, there are challenges right across all sectors in hiring staff.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: Yes.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 20 - Garda Síochána (Supplementary)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Supplementary)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Supplementary)
Vote 24 - Justice (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Helen McEntee: We have a review concluding now. It is looking at legal aid, our overall structures and the types of people who can access legal aid, as well as other elements in this regard. This will probably propose several recommendations or changes. In recent years, however, I have tried to assist where there have been blockages in certain categories or at certain levels, be these in relation to pay...