Results 121-140 of 1,134,948 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Ciarán Cuffe OR speaker:Marian Harkin OR speaker:Bríd Smith OR speaker:Peadar Tóibín OR speaker:Joe O'Brien OR speaker:Colm Burke OR speaker:Martin Heydon OR speaker:Brendan Smith OR speaker:Pearse Doherty OR speaker:James O'Connor OR speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh OR speaker:Bernard Durkan OR speaker:Alan Farrell OR speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh24 OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh06 OR speaker:Niall Collins OR speaker:Gerald Nash OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh31 OR speaker:John McGuinness OR speaker:Alan Kelly OR speaker:Thomas Pringle OR speaker:Willie O'Dea OR speaker:Helen McEntee OR speaker:Mick Barry OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh12 OR speaker:Danny Healy-Rae OR speaker:Bernard Durkan9 OR speaker:Jack Chambers OR speaker:Michael Creed)

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)

Thomas Pringle: Therefore 80% of the underspending concerns a lack of 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: 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)

Thomas Pringle: Yes, but these would be very specific staff and not general staff. I presume they would be solicitors and people with legal qualifications.

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)

Thomas Pringle: Does the Minister perceive that this issue will be ongoing? What can be done to improve it? It impacts directly on people who cannot afford the legal system and their access to it. What can the Minister do in this regard?

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...

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)

Thomas Pringle: Should having full employment, however, impact people having access to justice? Should the Department not be stepping up to ensure this does not impact on people's access to justice and their rights? There is a budget line for the Legal Aid Board for next year. Does the Minister expect this level of spending will be met at this stage?

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 obviously have to work within certain pay levels. Where there have been challenges with recruitment, I have tried to increase pay levels. We are, though, competing with the private market and this in itself can create a challenge. Certainly, however, every effort is being made to support the Legal Aid Board and to work with it to recruit as many staff as possible. On the Deputy's...

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)

Thomas Pringle: The increase of €5 million for next year means it is effectively €10 million of an increase overall because of €5 million being returned this 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: Well, it is a €5 million increase on the base funding. If it was possible for the board to spend the €5 million on top of the €5 million not spent this year, then that would be a change of €10 million. It is, though, only an increase of €5 million on the base amount from last 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)

Thomas Pringle: Is the base the Estimate before today or after today? Is it €10 million in effect? As of today, will it be €10 million extra?

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 €64 million. The base we are talking about now is €59 million. It went down to €54 million because there was the underspending of €5 million. Next year, the base will be €64 million, so it will be a difference 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)

Thomas Pringle: In effect, then, it is an increase of €10 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: Well, it is an increase of €5 million, but if the board was to spend all €64 million next year, then it would be €10 million more than it spent this year, so 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)

Thomas Pringle: All right. In 12 months' time, is it likely we will be sitting here talking about another €7 million coming back?

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 hope not.

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)

Thomas Pringle: Will the procedures be put in place to ensure it will not be down to inertia that this would happen?

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: To show the Deputy this is certainly not the case any year, every effort is made, whether we are talking about the Legal Aid Board or any other element of the justice system, to ensure money allocated is spent. Nobody likes giving money back or not being able to spend it. When it comes to staffing, however, this can be a challenge across many different agencies or sectors. Certainly,...

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)

Thomas Pringle: I thank the Minister.

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 two places now. About 48% of people are going to Citywest, which is a significant proportion. It is families with children in particular going there. We have, therefore, two significant bases. Dublin is our capital city and perhaps easier to access for people than other parts of the country. As well as opening up the office in Citywest, however, we are also providing for...